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Abdalla Abou Jaoude

R&D Staff Scientist

Research Areas:

Biography:

Dr. Abdalla Abou-Jaoude is an R&D Staff Scientist in the Advanced Reactor Technology Department of Idaho National Laboratory (INL). He is leading efforts in three main areas at INL: advanced modeling & simulation, molten salt irradiation, and nuclear technoeconomics. As the work package manager for the National Reactor Innovation Center’s (NRIC) Virtual Test Bed (VTB), and the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) campaign point of contact to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Dr. Abou-Jaoude engages with stakeholders and coordinates different efforts in support of advanced reactor multiphysics simulations capabilities. He is also leading work packages for the NEAMS and Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) campaign on developing multiphysics simulation capabilities for molten salt reactors. 

Dr. Abou-Jaoude was awarded an internal lab project to demonstrate molten salt irradiation capability at INL. The project intends to conduct the first fueled chloride salt irradiation in history at the NRAD reactor. Abdalla also serves as Activity Lead for the Systems Analysis & Integration (SA&I) campaign on developing technoeconomic assessment of advanced reactors, notably microreactors. As part of this effort, he developed an "economics-by-design" framework to improve competitiveness of novel concepts and better align them with market needs. 

Previously at INL, Abdalla has been involved in various aspect of advanced reactor designs, notably for molten salt reactors, sodium fast reactors (namely the Versatile Test Reactor), nuclear thermal propulsion, and heat-pipe based microreactors. He also previously supported a private-public partnership with a U.S. utility to evaluate hydrogen-cogeneration options at nuclear power plants. He graduated with a doctorate in Nuclear Engineering from Georgia Tech in 2017 and was the INL Deboisblanc Distinguished Postdoctoral Associate during 2018. He obtained a MEng in Mechanical with Nuclear Engineering from Imperial College London in 2013.


Digital Profiles:
Education:

​Ph.D., Nuclear Engineering - Georgia Institute of Technology
M.E., Mechanical with Nuclear Engineering - Imperial College, London

Affiliations:

​American Nuclear Society (ANS)

Institute for Nuclear Material Management (INMM)

Publications:

Journal Publications
• S. A. Walker, et al., “Coupled Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis and Species Mass Transport in a Versatile Experimental Salt Irradiation Loop (VESIL) Using CTF”, Journal of Nuclear Engineering, 2, 309-317, (2021), https://doi.org/10.3390/jne2030025
• A. Abou-Jaoude et al., “A Workflow Leveraging MOOSE Transient Multiphysics Simulations to Evaluate the Impact of Thermophysical Property Uncertainties on Molten-Salt Reactors”, Annals of Nuclear Energy, 163, 108546 (2021)
• A. Abou-Jaoude et al., " Feasibility Assessment of a Natural-Circulation Salt Irradiation Loop in the Advanced Test Reactor”, Nuclear Technology, DOI: 10.1080/00295450.2020.1843954 (2021)
• C. Stewart, A. Abou-Jaoude, A. Erickson, “Employing Antineutrino Detectors to Safeguards Future Nuclear Reactors from Diversions”, Nature Communication, 10 (1), 3527 (2019)
• A. Abou-Jaoude, N. Stauff, and A. Erickson, “Performance and Safety Evaluation of a Mixed-Spectrum Reactor Design”, Annals of Nuclear Energy, 126, 33-42 (2019)
• Abdalla Abou-Jaoude, Anna Erickson, and Nicolas Stauff, “Design of a Mixed-Spectrum Reactor with Improved Proliferation Resistance for Long-Lived Applications”, Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Waste Technology, 16(3), 359-367 (2018)
• A. Abou-Jaoude, C. Thomas and A. Erickson, “Neutronic and Thermal Analysis of Composite Fuel for Potential Deployment in Fast Reactors”, Nuclear Engineering and Design, 303, 50-57 (2016)

Books
A. Abou Jaoude, “Nuclear Counter-Proliferation Intelligence”, In: Technology and the Intelligence Community, Springer, pp. 127-153, (2018).

A. Abou Jaoude and A. Erickson, “Nuclear Energy in the Middle East: Technology Choices and Considerations”, In: Energy Transitions in the Gulf: Key Questions on Nuclear Power, Gulf Research Centre, pp. 103-130, (2018).

Sample Conference Proceedings
• A. Abou-Jaoude et al., “Improving Microreactor Competitiveness using and Economics-by-Design Approach”, ANS Winter Meeting, Washington D.C., Dec. 2021
• A. Abou-Jaoude et al., “Overview of the Virtual Test Bed (VTB)”, ANS Winter Meeting, Washington D.C., Dec. 2021
• A. Abou-Jaoude et al., “Coupled Griffin and Pronghorn Simulation of the Molten Salt Fast Reactor (MSFR) for the Virtual Test Bed”, ANS Winter Meeting, Washington D.C., Dec. 2021
• B. Feng et al., “Single and Multi-Physics Models of Advanced Reactors in the Virtual Test Bed”, ANS Winter Meeting, Washington D.C., Dec. 2021
• A. Abou-Jaoude et al., “Design and Prototyping of a Fissile-Bearing Chloride Salt Irradiation Experiment”, ANS Winter Meeting, Washington D.C., Dec. 2021
• A. Abou-Jaoude et al., “Conceptual Design of Temperature-Controlled Fueled-Salt Irradiation Experiment to Support Demonstration of Advanced Nuclear Reactors”, Proc. IMECE, Virtual, Nov. 2021.
• G. Giudicelli et al., “Coupled Multiphysics Multiscale Transient Simulations of the Mk1-FHR Reactor Using Finite Volume Capabilities of the MOOSE Framework”, Proc. Math & Computations (M&C) 2021, Virtual, October 2021.
• P. Balestra et al., “Multiphysics Simulation of the Molten Salt Fast Reactor Using Griffin and Pronghorn”, Proc. Math & Computations (M&C) 2021, Virtual, October 2021.
• A. Abou-Jaoude, G. Youinou, “Parametric Evaluation of Alternative Nuclear Propulsion Cores Using Curved Fuel Plates”, Proc. of NETS, Knoxville, TN, April 2021
• A. Abou-Jaoude et al., “Preliminary Economic Evaluation of Hydrogen Co-Generation at a Nuclear Power Plant in a Regulated Market”, ANS Winter Meeting, Virtual, November 2020
• P. Balestra et al., “Coupled Multiphysics Simulation of Pool-Type Molten Salt Reactors Using Griffin/Pronghorn”, ANS Winter Meeting, Virtual, November 2020
• A. Abou-Jaoude, G. Youinou, “Alternative Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Core Designs using Curved Fuel Plates”, ANS Winter Meeting, Virtual, November 2020
• A. Abou-Jaoude, S. Bhaskar, C. Downey, “Conceptual Design of the Versatile Experimental Salt Irradiation Loop (VESIL) in the Advanced Test Reactor”, ANS Annual Meeting, Phoenix, June 2020
• S. Walker et al., “Coupled Thermal Hydraulic Analysis and Species Mass Transport in a Versatile Experimental Salt Irradiation Loop (VESIL) using CTF”, Proc. of PHYSOR, Cambridge, April 2020
• S. Bhaskar, A. Abou-Jaoude, “Preliminary Design Evaluation of a Natural Circulation Molten Salt Irradiation Loop”, ANS Winter Meeting, Washington D.C., November 2019
• A. Abou-Jaoude, S-J Yoon, S. Bays, “MCNP and CFD Modeling of a Sodium Fast Reactor Sub-Assembly Channel to Capture Localized Temperature Peaking”, Proceedings of M&C, Portland, OR, August 2019
• A. Abou-Jaoude, J. Sterbentz, J. Palmer, P. Calderoni, “A Versatile Experimental Salt Irradiation Loop (VESIL) in the Advanced Test Reactor”, ANS Annual 2019, Minneapolis, June 2019
• Z. Zhong, A. Abou-Jaoude, F. Heidet, “Preliminary Control Rod Lifetime Assessment for the Versatile Test Reactor”, ANS Annual 2019, Minneapolis, June 2019
• A. Abou-Jaoude, S. Bays, G. Youinou, F. Heidet, “Preliminary Evaluation of Fuel Management Strategies for the Versatile Test Reactor (VTR)”, ANS Annual 2019, Minneapolis, June 2019
• A. Abou-Jaoude, G. J. Youinou, “Evaluation of Control Rod Designs for a Potential configuration of the Versatile Test Reactor”, Proceedings of ANS Winter Meeting, Orlando FL, October 2018
• G. Maronati, A. Abou-Jaoude, and B. Petrovic, “Impact of Technological Innovation on Nuclear Power Plant Capital Costs”, Proceedings of ICAPP2018, Charlotte, NC, August 2018
• A. Abou Jaoude, N. Stauff, and A. Erickson, “Design Evaluation of a Mixed-Spectrum Long-Lived Reactor Core”, Proceedings of PHYSOR2018, Cancun, Mexico, April 2018
• A. Abou Jaoude, A. Erickson, “Analysis of Power Peaking Phenomena in Mixed-Spectrum Reactors”, Proceedings of ANS Winter Meeting, Washington DC, October 2017
• A. Abou Jaoude, N. Stauff and A. Erickson, “Design and Evaluation of a Mixed Spectrum Long-Lived Reactor”, Proceedings of GLOBAL2017, Seoul, South Korea, September 2017
• A. Abou Jaoude, A. Erickson and A. Ahmad, “Nuclear Energy in the Middle East: Technology Choices and Considerations”, Gulf Research Meeting, Cambridge, UK, August 2016
• A. Abou Jaoude and A. Erickson, “A Nonproliferation-by-Design Approach for Advanced Nuclear Reactors”, Proceedings of the INMM 57th Annual Meeting, Atlanta, July 2016
• A. Abou-Jaoude and A. Erickson, “Modelling Methods for Tightly Packed Granular Fuel”, Proceedings of Advances in Nuclear Fuel Management V, Hilton Head Island, SC, April 2015
• A. Abou Jaoude and A. Erickson, “Non-Proliferation Characteristics of Composite Nuclear Fuels”, Proceedings of the INMM 55th Annual Meeting, Atlanta, July 2014
• C. J. Emmott et al., “Experiences from Solar Battery Charging Kiosks in Rwanda”, OTTI 3rd Symposium on Small PV-Applications: Rural Electrification and Commercial Use, Ulm, Germany, June 2013
• C. J. Emmott et al., “Life Cycle Analysis of an Off-Grid Solar Charging Kiosk”, Proceedings of the 3rd IEEE International Conference on Sustainable Energy Technology, Kathmandu, Nepal, September 2012


Awards:

​GLOBAL2017 International Fuel Cycle Conference outstanding paper award
TI:GER Entrepreneurship program 2015-2016
Sam Nunn Security Program Fellowship 2015-2016
Imperial College Engineering Dean’s List for 2012 and 2013

Research Interests:

​Advanced nuclear reactor design and economics
Reactor physics and neutron transport methods
Fast reactors, molten salt reactors, and mixed-spectrum reactors
Nuclear nonproliferation and security policy

Version: 11.0
Created at 4/20/2018 1:15 PM by Phyllis L. King
Last modified at 12/9/2021 4:13 PM by joel.hiller@inl.gov