Per F. Peterson
Professor

Education

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

Major Awards

Presidential Young Investigator
Fellow, American Nuclear Society

Curriculum Vitae

Recent Activity

December 2003 was the 50th anniversary of Dwight Eisenhower's Atoms for Peace Speech at the United Nations. At the symposium sponsored by the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington DC to commemorate the anniversary, Per Peterson discussed Nuclear Energy in the United States in the Coming Decades.

"Design Methods for Thick Liquid Protection of Inertial Fusion Chambers" outlines how heavy-ion fusion plants work, and the experimental path to generating the first fusion electricity using heavy ions.

Teaching and Research

Prof. Peterson's research focuses on problems in energy and environmental systems, including inertial confinement fusion, advanced light water 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, and reactor thermal hydraulics. The courses focus on nuclear applications. His research interests involve issues in reactor safety, condensation and large-scale mixing processes in high-level waste tanks and advanced passive reactors, inertial fusion energy, and radioactive waste management.

Specific ongoing research projects include studies of fundamental aspects of condensation in the presence of gas dynamics and chamber clearing processes in inertial confinement fusion target chambers, noncondensable gases, stratification and mixing processes in large enclosures, and long-term issues related to disposal of fissile materials in geologic repositories.

Specific ongoing research projects include the following:

• 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
  

Professional Activities (more information)

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

Selected Recent Publications (complete list)

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

P.F. Peterson, "Design Methods for Thick-Liquid Protection of Inertial Fusion Chambers," Fusion Technology, Vol 39, No. 2, pp.702-710, 2001.

S.Z. Kuhn, H.K. Kang, and P.F. Peterson, "Study of Mixing and Augmentation of Natural Convection Heat Transfer by a Forced Jet in a Large Enclosure," Journal of Heat Transfer, Vol. 124, pp. 660-666 (2002) .

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).

P.F. Peterson, "Will the United States Need a Second Repository?" The Bridge, Vol. 33, No. 3, pp. 26-32, Fall 2003.

H. Zhao, G. Fukuda, R. Abbott, P.F. Peterson, "Optimized Helium-Brayton Power Conversion for Fusion Energy Systems," Fusion Science and Technology, Vol. 47, pp. 460-466, 2005.

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