Mechanical Engineering Ph.D. student Lamia Belhassani is developing new methods to monitor spent nuclear fuel canisters from the inside, according to an April 3 announcement. Current monitoring systems use external sensors, but Belhassani’s research aims to collect real-time data on temperature, pressure, and gas composition within the sealed containers.
Spent nuclear fuel is stored in stainless steel canisters and concrete overpacks at reactor sites due to the lack of a permanent geologic repository. This situation requires ongoing management and monitoring of the waste for extended periods.
Belhassani said that working inside these containers presents significant challenges due to high temperatures and harsh radiation environments. “Inside the canisters, you have extremely high temperatures and a very harsh radiation environment,” she said. She added that internal sensors could provide early warnings if conditions change: “If we have sensors on the inside, we can monitor what’s happening in real time… If something starts to go wrong, we can detect it early and respond.”
Last month, Belhassani presented her work at the Waste Management Symposia in Phoenix as a recipient of a Roy G. Post Foundation scholarship for students working on nuclear waste management projects worldwide. Her mentor, Mechanical Engineering Research Associate Professor Mustafa Hadj-Nacer, said: “Lamia is a talented and motivated Ph.D. student in my Nuclear Packaging Research group, and a highly deserving student for the Roy G. Post Foundation Scholarship.” Faculty member Xiaoshan Zhu also praised her abilities: “She caught the sensor concepts quickly through talking with me and can independently perform the sensor fabrication and testing with minimal supervision.”
Belhassani has focused much of her research so far on computational modeling—particularly simulations estimating radiation exposure for internal sensors—and has begun experimental work developing sensor technology alongside wireless communication systems needed for operation within sealed containers.
Looking ahead, Belhassani plans further experimental phases including radiation testing at national laboratories equipped for such studies. She expressed enthusiasm about continuing research after completing her doctorate: “I know I want to do research… So whether it’s in academia or national labs — wherever the opportunity presents itself — I want to do this research.”