People - Per F. Peterson

Email: peterson@nuc.berkeley.edu
Phone: 510-643-7749
Fax: 510-643-9685

UCB Department of Nuclear Engineering
4153 Etcheverry Hall
MC 1730
Berkeley, CA 94720-1730

B.S. Mechanical Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, 1982
M.S. Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, 1986
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, 1988

Presidential Young Investigator
Fellow, American Nuclear Society

Curriculum Vitae

Per Peterson performs research related to high-temperature fission and fusion energy systems, as well as studying topics related to the safety and security of nuclear materials and waste management. He recently participated as a member of a National Research Council committee reviewing DOE Office of Nuclear Energy R&D programs, which provided recommendations on DOE's Generation IV, AFCI, and GNEP programs. He has served as a member and chair of numerous advisory committees for the national laboratories, including LLNL, LANL, INL, ORNL, and PNNL. He participated in the development of the Generation IV Roadmap in 2002 as a member of the Evaluation Methodology Group, and currently co-chairs its Proliferation Resistance and Physical Protection Working Group. His research in the 1990's contributed to the development of the passive safety systems used in the GE ESBWR and Westinghouse AP-1000 reactor designs. Currently his research group focuses primarily on heat transfer, fluid mechanics, regulation and licensing for high temperature reactors, principally designs that use liquid fluoride salts as coolants.

Prof. Peterson's research focuses on problems in energy and environmental systems, including inertial confinement fusion, high-temperature reactors, high level nuclear waste processing, and nuclear materials management.

Prof. Peterson manages the U.C. Berkeley Thermal Hydraulics Research Laboratory, located in 4118 Etcheverry Hall, with additional experiments in 1140 Etcheverry.

Professor Peterson teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in heat and mass transfer, fluid dynamics, reactor thermal hydraulics, and reactor safety. The courses focus on nuclear applications. His research interests involve issues in reactor safety and licensing, high-temperature reactor technology, condensation and large-scale mixing processes in advanced passive reactors, inertial fusion energy, and nuclear materials management and security.

Specific ongoing research projects include studies of heat transport and fluid mechanics in liquid-fluoride salt cooled reactors; performance based, technology neutral regulation and licensing of advanced reactors; inertial fusion energy; seismic base isolation and modular construction methods; and security and safeguards technologies for nuclear materials and facilities.

Molten Salt Applications In Nuclear Hydrogen and Electricity Production
Advanced High-Temperature Helium Brayton Cycles
Advanced Ceramic Composite Heat Exchangers for High-Temperature
Fission and Fusion Applications
Thick Liquid Protection of Inertial Fusion Energy Chambers
Mixing Processes in Large, Stratified Enclosures

Prof. Peterson contributes in professional areas including journal editing, chairing and serving on technical peer review committees, and supporting professional society activities.

Prof. Peterson's publications focus on topics related to heat and mass transfer and fluid dynamics, with applications to nuclear systems. Selected examples include:

J. Woodcock, P.F. Peterson, D.R. Spencer, "Quantifying the Effects of Break Source Flow Rates on AP600 Containment Stratification," Nuclear Technology, Vol. 134, pp. 37-48, 2001.

C.W. Forsberg, P. Pickard, and P.F. Peterson, "Molten-Salt-Cooled Advanced High-Temperature Reactor for Production of Hydrogen and Electricity," Nuclear Technology Vol. 144, pp. 289-302 (2003).

H. Zhao and P.F. Peterson, "Multiple Reheat Brayton Cycles for Sodium Fast Reactors," Nuclear Engineering and Design, Vol. 238, Issue 7, pgs 1535-1546 (2008).

P. Bardet and P.F. Peterson, "Options for Scaled Experiments for High Temperature Liquid Salt and Helium Fluid Mechanics and Convective Heat Transfer," Nuclear Technology, Vol. 163, pp. 344 – 357, 2008.

J.T. Birkholzer, N. Halecky, S. W. Webb, P. F. Peterson, and G.S. Bodvarsson, "A Modeling Study Evaluating the Thermal-Hydrological Conditions in and Near Waste Emplacement Tunnels at Yucca Mountain," Nuclear Technology. Vol. 163, pp. 147-164 (2008).