Michael Corradini

Professor Corradini is a mechanical and nuclear engineer with research interests centered primarily in thermal hydraulics and multiphase flow. He especially emphasizes the areas of reactor operation, reactor safety, reprocessing, and recycle and risk assessment. He is chair of the Energy Institute Executive committee and the director of the college's Wisconsin Institute of Nuclear Systems

The goal of research in multiphase flow is to help students understand basic physical phenomena which they analytically model or experimentally measure. Current research programs focus on four areas:

First, light water safety research analytically and/or experimentally looks at physical processes for design basis accidents or those that go beyond the design base (degraded-core accidents). These processes include critical heat flux, improved heat transfer and clad materials, hydrogen generation, molten fuel (coolant interactions, debris-bed formation and heat transfer, and molten core), concrete interactions, and containment behavior and response. All of these physical processes are coupled together under the risk assessment methodology and deterministic analyses.

Second, light water reactor operations work aids Midwest utilities in simulator modeling, operator training and accident response, and nuclear systems analysis. Research results contribute to advanced water reactor designs.

Third, fusion reactor research identifies and analyzes generic thermal hydraulic phenomena to improve current design studies including liquid-metal heat transfer and liquid-metal/water-safety concerns.

Finally, graduate students are developing new technologies related to reprocessing and recycling. These technologies minimize waste streams and recover valued by-products.