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Energy Harvesting Opportunities Throughout the Nuclear Power Cycle for Self-Powered Wireless Sensor Nodes

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dc.contributor.authorKlein, Jackson Alexanderen
dc.contributor.committeechairZuo, Leien
dc.contributor.committeememberHuxtable, Scott T.en
dc.contributor.committeememberPierson, Mark Alanen
dc.contributor.departmentMechanical Engineeringen
dc.date.accessioned2017-06-13T08:00:51Zen
dc.date.available2017-06-13T08:00:51Zen
dc.date.issued2017-06-12en
dc.description.abstractDedicated sensors are widely used throughout many industries to monitor everyday operations, maintain safety, and report performance characteristics. In order to adopt a more sustainable solution, much research is being applied to self-powered sensing, implementing solutions which harvest wasted ambient energy sources to power these dedicated sensors. The adoption of not only wireless sensor nodes, but also self-powered capabilities in the nuclear energy process is critical as it can address issues in the overall safety and longevity of nuclear power. The removal of wires for data and power transmission can greatly reduce the cost of both installation and upkeep of power plants, while self-powered capabilities can further reduce effort and money spent in replacing batteries, and importantly may enable sensors to work even in losses to power across the plant, increasing plant safety. This thesis outlines three harvesting opportunities in the nuclear energy process from: thermal, vibration, and radiation sources in the main structure of the power plant, and from thermal and radiation energy from spent fuel in dry cask storage. Thermal energy harvesters for the primary and secondary coolant loops are outlined, and experimental analysis done on their longevity in high-radiation environments is discussed. A vibrational energy harvester for large rotating plant machine vibration is designed, prototyped, and tested, and a model is produced to describe its motion and energy output. Finally, an introduction to the design of a gamma radiation and thermal energy harvester for spent nuclear fuel canisters is discussed, and further research steps are suggested.en
dc.description.abstractgeneralIn this work multiple energy harvesters are investigated aimed at collecting wasted ambient energy to locally power sensor nodes in nuclear power plants, and in spent nuclear fuel canisters. Locally self-powered, wireless sensors can increase safety and reliability throughout the nuclear process. To address this a thermal energy harvester is tested in a radiation rich environment, and its performance before and after irradiation is analyzed. A vibrational energy harvester designed for use on large rotating machinery is discussed, manufactured, and tested, and a mathematical model describing it is produced. Finally, an introduction to harvesting radiation and heat given off from spent nuclear fuel in dry cask canister storage is investigated. Power capabilities for each design are considered, and the impact of such energy harvesting for wireless sensor nodes on the longevity, safety, and reliability of nuclear power plants is discussed.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.format.mediumETDen
dc.identifier.othervt_gsexam:10835en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/78031en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectEnergy harvestingen
dc.subjectNuclear Power Planten
dc.subjectWireless Sensor Nodeen
dc.subjectElectromagnetic Generatoren
dc.subjectCompliant Mechanismen
dc.subjectThermoelectric Generatoren
dc.subjectGamma Radiationen
dc.subjectMCNP Simulationen
dc.subjectGamma Heatingen
dc.subjectDry Cask Storageen
dc.titleEnergy Harvesting Opportunities Throughout the Nuclear Power Cycle for Self-Powered Wireless Sensor Nodesen
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplineMechanical Engineeringen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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