RESEARCH GROUP

Sapienza Nuclear energy Neutronics And Plasmas (SNNAP) research group

Location: Palazzo Baleani (SNNAP room, 2nd floor), Corso Vittorio Emanuele II n.244, Rome, Italy

Contact person: Prof. Renato Gatto, (+39) 06 4994-8603, renato.gatto@uniroma1.it

Web page: https://renatogatto.site.uniroma1.it/SNNAP

The SNNAP (Sapienza Nuclear energy Neutronics And Plasmas) group is born out of the courses taught since 2014 by Prof. Renato Gatto within the Master of Art in the Energy Engineering curriculum offered by the Department of Astonautical, Electrical and Energy Engineering (DIAEE) of Sapienza University of Rome, and the research activities carried out by Sapienza students/researchers in the subjects of neutronics analysis of the core of fission and fusion-fission reactors and of modelling of tokamak plasmas for magnetic fusion energy production.

Teaching activity. Since 2014 Prof. Gatto holds the course "Nuclear Reactor Theory" (9 CFU) and the laboratory "Neutronic Design of Nuclear Systems" (3 CFU) to provide a basic understanding of the theoretical framework at the heart of the design of the nuclear reactor core, as well as an overview of the relevant computational tools. In 2015 Prof. Gatto introduced the first class taught by members of the Nuclear Section of the DIAEE on the topic of fusion energy: "Magnetic Confinement of Toroidal Plasmas" (3CFU). In the following years the educational offer in fusion expanded with the inclusion of the technological aspects: at present, students interested in fusion can attend two classes: "Plasma Physics and Fusion Energy" (6 CFU, Prof. Gatto) and "Fusion Technology" (6 CFU, Prof. Tassone).

Research activity. The SNNAP group is involved in the applied physics/engineering physics aspects of both fission and fusion energy research. The latest activities in the field of neutronics include the writing of a multigroup diffusion code devoted to optimization studies based on generalized perturbation theory, the analysis of the core of molten salt reactors, high temperature pebble-bed reactors, and micro-reactors, and of various aspects of hybrid fusion-fission nuclear systems. In the field of fusion the group has open collaborations with the two tokamak devices JET and JT-60SA, contributing with integrated modelling studies based on the JINTRAC suite of codes. Lately we have start investigating plasma scenarios for the Ignitor compact high-field tokamak.

Few slides presenting the SNNAP group

People

Presently at DIAEE Sapienza:

Alessandro Agostini, master student. His main interests are: nuclear reactor physics.
Lorenzo Barcaro, master student. His main interests are: nuclear reactor physics.
Leonardo Burla, master student. His main interests are: modelling of tokamak plasmas.
Simone Caboni, master student. His main interests are: nuclear reactor physics.
Alessandro Cardinali, cultore della materia (subject expert). His main interests are: interaction of electromagnetic waves with magnetized fusion plasmas.
Ilaria Casalbore, master student. Her main interests are: nuclear reactor physics.
Lorenzo Desideri, master student. His main interests are: nuclear reactor physics.
Augusto Gandini, cultore della materia (subject expert). His main interests are: nuclear reactor physics.
Renato Gatto, associate professor. His main interestes are: nuclear reactor theory and computation, fusion plasma physics.
Cristiano Leoni, doctoral student. His main interests are: modelling of tokamak plasmas.
Benjamin Moshred, master student. His main interests are: theory and computation of tokamak plasmas.
Luca Senni (Istituto per le Applicazioni del Calcolo, CNR), doctoral student. His main interests are: plasma physics and diagnostics.
Vito Konrad Zotta, Researcher, Scientific Coordinator for M21-03 (JET high performance baseline scenario in D-T). His main interests are: modelling of tokamak plasmas.

External collaborations:

National:

ENEA Laboratory at Casaccia, Italy (reactor physics, neutronics)
ENEA Laboratory at Frascati, Italy (nuclear fusion)
ENEL, Rome, Italy (nuclear fusion)
Newcleo, Turin, Italy (nuclear fission)
N.IN.E., Lucca, Italy (nuclear fission)
University of Padova (nuclear fusion)
University of Genoa (neutronics)

International:

Auburn University, USA (nuclear fusion)
Neutrogen Technologies, Lyon, France (nuclear fusion)
Newcleo, Paris-Saclay, France (nuclear fission)
JET and MAST, Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, England (nuclear fusion)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA (nuclear fusion)
JT-60SA, Naka Research Centre of QST - National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Japan (nuclear fusion)
Pennsylvania State University, USA (hybrid fusion-fission systems)
University of California at Berkeley, USA (nuclear fission, hybrid fusion-fission systems)
University of Wisconsin at Madison, USA (nuclear fusion)

Alumni with research positions:

Marco Cavallone (M.A. from Sapienza, DIAEE), research engineer at EDF (Simulation Neutronique des Cœurs) at EDF-Lab Paris Saclay. Recipient of the Sapienza fellowship "Antonio Ventura" in 2016. His main interests are: nuclear diagnostics for medical application.
Johan Cufe (M.A. from Sapienza, DIAEE), post-doctoral researcher at CEA-Saclay, Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission. Recipient of the Sapienza fellowship "Antonio Ventura" in 2021. His main interests are: nuclear reactor physics and computation.
Camilla De Santis (M.A. from Sapienza, DIAEE), research position at Newcleo, Paris-Saclay, France. Her main interests are: nuclear reactor physics.
Stefano Gabriellini (M.A., Ph.D. from Sapienza, DIAEE), post-doctoral researcher at Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, UKAEA, England. His main interests are: modelling of tokamak plasmas.
Giovanni Mariano (M.A., Ph.D. from Sapienza, DIAEE), post-doctoral researcher at ITER. His main interests are: fusion neutronics.
Giulia Porto (M.A. from Sapienza, DIAEE), doctoral student at the Département d’Études des Combustibles, CEA, Cadarache. Her main nterests are: Condensed matter physics appled to nuclear energy production.
Davide Rotilio, doctoral student at University of Tennessee at Knoxville. His main interest is: multi-physics nuclear reactor calculations. Recipient of the "Antonio Ventura" Sapienza fellowship, 2023.
Antonella Tamburrino (M.A., Ph.D. from Sapienza, DIAEE), researcher at CREF and INFN-Frascati. Her main interestes are: plasma diagnostics for fusion. Recipient of the "Premio Giovani AIRP 2022 "for the best conference presentation.

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Classes currently offered

Modern Physics for Engineers (nuclear physics module, 3 CFU) - The module provides an overview of the nuclear physics concepts relevant to nuclear energy.
Nuclear Reactor Theory (9 CFU) - The class provides the theoretical fundations of nuclear reactor physics.
Neutronic Design of Nuclear Systems (3 CFU) - The laboratory illustrates the calculation methodologies and the computational tools used in reactor physics and neutronics.
Plasma Physics and Fusion Energy (6 CFU) - The class provides a general introduction to the plasma state of matter, and an overview of magnetically confined fusion plasmas.

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Brief outline of current research activities

NOTE: The following research topics are available for thesis work at the Master and Doctoral level - please contact renato.gatto@uniroma1.it for additional information.

Hybrid fusion-fission reactors. We are investigating several issues related to hybrid fusion-fission sub-critical systems. In these devices, a D-T (or catalyzed D-D) magnetically confined fusion plasma produces an intense source of high-energy neutrons which impacts a first region containing fission materials, and possibly a second zone consisting of a tritium-producing blanket. Besides producing (fusion + fission) energy, hybrid systems are apt to transmute minor actinides characterized by very long term radioactivity, and to breed fissile fuel.
Reactor physics computation of small modular and innovative reactors. We are addressing various aspects related to new generation and innovative fission reactors, such as the modellization of the motion of fuel pebbles, the neutronics of the microreactors such as the Encapsulated Nuclear Heat Source (lead fast reactor), inherent neutron generation in reactor cores, the design of the shield of lead fast reactors, innovative modellization of spatial self-shielding effects.

Tokamak discharge modelling . We use the JINTRAC suite of codes to carry out predictive simulation of JET and JT-60SA plasma discharges.
Innovative toroidal magnetic field coils for tokamaks. We are investigating modified toroidal field coils for tokamak devices having the property of reducing the electromagnetic forces acting on them, producing at the same time poloidal flux which allows for longer discharge time.
Anomalous electron-ion energy exchange in tokamak discharges externally-heated and with significant production of fusion alpha particles. Several fusion plasmas exhibit anomalously high ion temperature, not explainable with classical electron-ion equilibration. We are proposing an explanation of the phenomenon based on the theory of incoherent fluctuations as well as other physical mechanisms.

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Publications

Since 2014 members of SNNAP group have pubblished several articles in journals dealing with fusion and fission energy reserach. Please refer to the following links for an overview.

https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=7007032224 (Renato Gatto)

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3518-5178 (Vito Konrad Zotta)

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Research accords/Memorandum of understanding

Memorandum of Understanding Sapienza-ITER, Oct 2016 - Oct 2021 (referent: R. Gatto)
Teaching/research collaboration accord Sapienza-Newcleo, Nov 2023 - Oct 2026, including the estabilishment of 5 fellowships/year for students in the nuclear curriculum (referent: R. Gatto)

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Research contracts and grants (from 2014)

Research Project of Relevant National Interest (PRIN) 2022, June 2023-May 2025, "Fusion-fission hybrid pilot reactor for sustainable energy transition", Prot. 2022BKEH9Y, P.I. P. Martin, other components of the research group: R. Gatto (Sapienza Univ. , associate investigator), G. Lomonaco (Genova Univ., associated investigator).
EU Research & Innovation Programme - HORIZON EUROPE (2021-2027): JET Experimenta, Analysis and Modelling 2023, Partecipation to the JET Task T17-07 Fast ions and synthetic diagnostics , 2023. Research title: "Anomalous ion heating in DT JET discharges".
JEU Research & Innovation Programme - HORIZON EUROPE (2021-2027): JET Experimenta, Analysis and Modelling 2022 Partecipation to the campaign TE-2.2023 JET A&M 2023. Research title: "Anomalous ion heating in DT JET discharges".
UNIVERSITY RESEARCH PROJECT 2021, January 2021-December 2024, "Explorative studies on the potentiality of a compact high magnetic field hybrid fusion-fission nuclear system to contribute to nuclear energy sustainability", P.I. R. Gatto, other components of the research group: V.K. Zotta.
UNIVERSITY RESEARCH PROJECT 2019, January 2019-December 2022, "The differentially-tilted toroidal field coil concept for tokamaks". Prot. RP11916B86549501. P.I. R. Gatto, other components of the research group: G. Mariano.
UNIVERSITY RESEARCH PROJECT 2016, January 2017-December 2020, "The tilted toroidal solenoid for nuclear fusion applications and high magnetic field generation", Prot. RP116154F307DACF, P.I. R. Gatto, other components of the research group: A. Tassone.
UNIVERSITY RESEARCH PROJECT 2015, June 2015-May 2018, "Development of perturbative procedures for Monte Carlo computer codes to analyze the core of next-generation high temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactors", Prot. C26A15WSTA, P.I. M. Frullini, other components of the research group: R. Gatto, A. Gandini.