Nicolò Badodi
PhD thesis title: Experimental and Numerical Studies of PbLi Water Reaction in Support of the WCLL TBM Safety Analysis
Academic Tutor: Francesca Celsa Giacobbo
Academic Supervisor: Antonio Cammi
Industrial Supervisor: Marica Eboli (ENEA) and Alessandro Del Nevo (ENEA)
PhD cycle: 36° (see all student profiles of the same cycle > LINK)
BSc: Engineering Physics, Politecnico di Milano
MSc: Nuclear Engineering, Politecnico di Milano
Energy for Motion grant for “Conference Award” awarded by the Energy Department of Politecnico di Milano (2022)
Thesis abstract
My research project is focused on the analysis of the Water-Cooled Lithium-Lead Breeding Blanket (WCLL-BB) prototype for ITER. This is a key component of future fusion nuclear reactors, which allows the conversion of heat from plasma into electrical energy while simultaneously generating Tritium, the rare hydrogen isotope used as fuel. My role consists in analysing the behaviour of this system under normal and incidental conditions, improving its design, and ensuring the safe operability of every component. The whole project is developed in collaboration with ENEA Brasimone research centre.
Personal interest in my research theme
I chose this research topic for various reasons. Firstly, it gives me the opportunity to work as part of an international effort to bring a new and virtually unlimited energy source to society. Moreover, I get the opportunity to space between various aspects of engineering, from the general design of an experimental plant to the particularity of a single component. Lastly, the practical aspect of the research allows me to gain experience on the actual realization of the facilities that I designed, giving me an insight on the challenges of bringing projects to life from their “on paper” stage.
