Welcome to the Energy Technology Research & Innovation Lab (eTRI) at Utah State University
Our Goal is to research and develop clean and efficient energy systems, component technologies and novel thermal transport processes in energy conversion and storage
Our Approaches include broad fundamental experiments, modeling and simulations, innovative design concepts and optimization, as well as emerging machine learning
Our Mission is to contribute to the discovery and development of sustainable energy future for generations to come
We Value fundamental sciences, multi-disciplinary collaborations, industrial perspectives, dedication and strong teamwork spirit
We Focus on nuclear, solar, geothermal, hydrogen and efficient buildings; more importantly, how to make them work better as integrated clean energy systems
Sponsors
Our research has been supported by the following sponsors:
Recent Highlights:
Title: Modular Design of High Temp Recuperator Using 3D Printing
Concentrated solar-thermal power with thermal energy storage will play an instrumental role as clean, dispatchable power in the coming decade. In order to meet the cost target of $0.05/kWh by 2030, the cost and thermal efficiency of the potential supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle are required considerably improvement. By leveraging the rapid advancement of AM technologies and combining Directed Energy Deposition (DED) and Laser-Power Bed Fusion (L-PBF), the modular design concept effectively using high temperature nickel alloys provides an alternative and potential cost reduction to the printed circuit heat exchangers (PCHE) required for the high-temperature recuperator in the sCO2 Brayton cycle.
Title: Alternative Power Cycles for Small Modular Reactors
To combat safety concerns and poor economics, small modular reactors (SMR) have shown promise to provide carbon-free power. Alternative power cycles suited for pressurized water reactors have been modeled and compared with the baseline regenerative Rankine cycle. Results reveal that a transcritical power cycle using small-molecule organic fluids has shown higher thermal efficiency and lower LCOE, thus potentially as a replacement candidate. An artificial neural network (ANN) model was also developed recently to rapidly optimize the seven design variables.
Title: Dynamic Modeling and Optimization of Integrated Energy Systems for Sodium Fast Reactors (Natrium)
The project will develop high-fidelity, dynamic process models using Modelica/Dymola for various integrated energy system (IES) designs and perform two-layer optimization and techno-economic analysis (TEA) using the Risk Analysis and Virtual ENviroment (RAVEN) and Holistic Energy Resource Optimization Network (HERON) platform to support advanced reactors. Specifically, we will expand and enhance the current “Natrium” design developed by GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) and TerraPower (TP). As the first of its kind, the Natrium system is an advanced nuclear energy system directly coupled to energy storage based on sodium fast reactor (SFR) technology. It features a 345 MWe nominal power and 500 MWe of peak power for more than 5.5 hours with its molten salt thermal energy storage.