Researcher

Aaron Craft

Research Scientist

Research Areas:
Nuclear; Nuclear Engineering; Nuclear Fuels

Biography:
Dr. Aaron E. Craft is a research scientist at Idaho National Laboratory, the principal investigator for various projects to develop advanced neutron imaging and other capabilities for post-irradiation examination of nuclear fuel. He has helped develop portable digital x-ray radiography and computed tomography systems for in-field investigation of munitions. Additionally, his expertise with x-ray micro computed tomography has aided multiple programs at INL to develop advanced nuclear fuels and other energy-related materials. He received his doctorate in nuclear science and engineering from Colorado School of Mines, and his bachelor’s and master’s in nuclear engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology. Outside of work, he enjoys teaching students at local schools about nuclear energy.

Education:

Ph.D., Nuclear Science and Engineering - Colorado School of Mines

M.S., Nuclear Engineering - Missouri S&T

B.S., Nuclear Engineering - Missouri S&T

Affiliations:

Center for Space Nuclear Research Fellow

NEUP Fellow

American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT)

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

American Nuclear Society (local Chapter President at CSM)

ORNL Neutron Beam Sciences Review Committee

Missouri S&T Nuclear Engineering Department Advising Committee

Publications:

Publications (Primary Author)

Neutron radiography of irradiated nuclear fuel at Idaho National Laboratory, 2015. Physics Procedia, 69, 483-490.

Submersion criticality safety of a tungsten-rhenium urania cermet fuel for space propulsion and power applications, 2014. Nuclear Engineering and Design, 273, 143-149.

Design, construction, and demonstration of the Colorado School of Mines neutron imaging facility, 2013. Nuclear Technology, 184(2), 198-209.
Installation of a new neutron beam facility at the USGS TRIGA reactor, 2014. Nuclear Technology, 185(1), 85-99.

Submersion criticality safety analysis of a tungsten-based fuel for nuclear power and propulsion applications, 2012. GLEX-2012, International Astronautical Federation, Paris, France.

Construction and installation of the Colorado School of Mines neutron imaging facility, 2012. American Nuclear Society, 106, 555-558.

Unreviewed safety question analysis for the new neutron imaging facility at the USGS TRIGA reactor, 2012. American Nuclear Society, 106, 95-99.

Development of a neutron radiography and tomography facility at the Colorado School of Mines, 2011. American Nuclear Society, 104, 225-226.

Reactivity control schemes for fast spectrum space nuclear reactors, 2011. Nuclear Engineering and Design, 241, 1516-1528.

Advanced shield development for a fission surface power system for the lunar surface, 2011. Aerospace Engineering, Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G, 225(2), 204-212.

Radiation shielding options for a nuclear reactor power system landed on the lunar surface, 2010. Nuclear Technology, 172, 255-272.

Development of a nuclear-powered fully-mobile outpost for the lunar outpost, 2009. NETS-2009, 203537, Atlanta, GA.

Axial radiation shielding for the affordable fission surface power system, 2009. NETS-2009, 203630, Atlanta, GA.

Radiation shielding options for the affordable fission surface power system, 2009. SPESIF-2009, Huntsville, AL, AIP Proceedings, 1103, 466-477.

Reactivity control schemes for fast-spectrum space nuclear reactors, 2008. STAIF-2008, Melville, NY, ed. M. S. El-Genk, AIP Conference Proceedings, 969, 326-336.

Publications (Joint Author)

Ultra-high resolution digital detector for neutron Imaging with efficient gamma discrimination, 2015. IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium.

Evaluating quantitative 3D image analysis as a design tool for low enriched uranium fuel compacts for the transient reactor, Nuclear Materials, 2015. submitted for publication.

Coordinating space nuclear research advancement and education, 2009. ANS Winter Meeting, INL/CON-09-16278.

Presentations:

Neutron Imaging of Irradiated Nuclear Fuel at Idaho National Laboratory, invited seminar at the NIST Center for Neutron Research, Gaithersburg, MD (May, 2015)

Neutron Imaging of Nuclear Fuel at INL, 10th World Conference on Neutron Radiography (WCNR-10) in Grindelwald, Switzerland (Oct. 2014)

Neutron Radiography and Tomography at the INL, Idaho National Laboratory (8/2013), HOTLAB-2013 conference (Sept. 2013), CSNR USRA VP Visit (Apr. 2014)

A Methodology for the Computational Microstructural Analysis of RERTR Dispersion Fuels, Idaho National Laboratory (Aug. 2013)

Design, Construction and Demonstration of a Neutron Beamline and a Neutron Imaging Facility at a Mark-I TRIGA Reactor, Idaho national Laboratory (May 2013)

Unreviewed Safety Question Analysis for the New Neutron Imaging Facility at the USGS TRIGA Reactor, American Nuclear Society, 2012 Annual Meeting (June 2012)

Construction and Installation of the Colorado School of Mines Neutron Imaging Facility, American Nuclear Society at the 2012 Annual Meeting (June 2012)

Development of a Fully Digital Neutron Radiography Facility Capable of Real-Time Imaging at the Colorado School of Mines, seminar at Idaho National Laboratory (Apr. 2012)

Status of the CSM Neutron Imaging System, seminar at Colorado School of Mines (Apr. 2012)

Neutron Imaging at the Colorado School of Mines, Radiography Workshop at the Idaho National Laboratory (Feb. 2012)

Neutron Imaging at the Colorado School of Mines, Test, Research and Training Reactors at the 2011 Annual Meeting (Sept. 2011)

Radiation Shielding for Fission Surface Power Systems, seminar at Colorado School of Mines (1/2010), Center for Space Nuclear Research (Sept. 2011)

Development of a Neutron Imaging System at the Colorado School of Mines, American Nuclear Society at the 2011 Annual Meeting (June 2011)

A Methodology for the Computational Microstructural Analysis of RERTR Dispersion Fuels, seminar at Colorado School of Mines (Sept. 2010)

Development of a Nuclear-Powered Fully Mobile Outpost for the Lunar Surface, Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space (June 2009)

Axial Radiation Shielding for the Affordable Fission Surface Power System, Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space (June 2009)

Radiation Shielding Options for the Affordable Fission Surface Power System, Space Propulsion and Energy Sciences International Forum (Feb. 2009)

Nuclear-Powered Fully-Mobile Lunar Outpost, seminar at Missouri S&T (Sept. 2008)

Awards:

Missouri S&T Chancellor's Fellow

NEUP Fellow

Center for Space Nuclear Research Fellow

Has received over $3.3M in research grants in the last three years.

Research Interests:

Dr. Craft’s research interests include non-destructive examinations of irradiated nuclear fuels, with an emphasis on x-ray and neutron radiography and tomography techniques. His current projects are focused on developing advanced digital neutron imaging systems capable of imaging highly-radioactive objects with a longer-term goal of making neutron computed tomography a routine technique for post-irradiation examination. Dr. Craft is also leading the formation of a Beamline Examinations for Applied Material Science (BEAMS) Workgroup that will develop x-ray and neutron diffraction and scattering techniques in addition to traditional imaging capabilities. Dr. Craft is also a Nuclear Engineer who enjoys nearly everything nuclear and has contributed to a wide variety of nuclear R&D projects beyond post-irradiation examination.

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