Nicolas E. Stauff | Argonne National Laboratory

Nuclear Engineer in Reactor Physics and Nuclear Economics

Biography

Dr. Nicolas E. Stauff joined Argonne National Laboratory in 2012 and currently serves as the Manager of the Nuclear Applications and Economics Group in the Nuclear Science and Engineering division. This group supports the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE), Advanced Research Projects Agency—Energy (ARPA-E), and the nuclear industry. His work contributes to the fields of reactor physics, multi physics, and techno-economics assessment for advanced nuclear reactors.

Dr. Stauff currently serves as nuclear energy technical coordinator for the Net Zero World initiative. He also heads the user assessment of the NEAMS codes’ capability to perform high-fidelity multi-physics simulations on micro-reactors. He leads some nuclear market economics research for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) System Analysis and Integration Campaign. Finally, he contributes to the development of advanced reactor designs in collaboration with industry (Westinghouse, ARC LLC, HolosGen, etc.).

Education

ANL Launchpad program — 2021
Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering — Paris XI University, France, 2011
M.S. in Nuclear Engineering — National Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology (INSTN) School of the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), France, 2009
B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering — Supélec, France, 2008

Prior Experience

Researched designing advanced fast neutron reactors with carbide fuel at the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), 2011
Researched designing advanced fast neutron reactors with carbide fuel at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 2008

Select Honors

Cohort 6 Selectee of Argonne’s Launchpad Program, 2021
DOE-NE Fuel Cycle Research and Development Excellence Award, November 2017
American Nuclear Society (ANS) Young Members Excellence Award, November 2015

Select Publications

N. Stauff, A. Abdelhameed, Y. Cao, N. Fassino, L. Ibarra, Y. Miao, K. Mo, D. Nunez, “High-fidelity multiphysics load following and accidental transient modeling of microreactors using NEAMS tools,” ANL/NEAMS-23/4, Sept 30, 2023.
N. Stauff, W. Neal Mann, Anton Moisseytsev, Venkat Durvasulu, Hari Mantripragada, Timothy Fout, “Assessment of nuclear energy to support negative emission technologies,” ANL/NSE-23/33, July 19, 2023.
Hansen, Jason K., Jenson, William Dunkley, Wrobel, Anna Marie, Stauff, Nicolas, Biegel, Katie, Kim, T. K., Belles, Randy, and Omitaomu, Femi. Investigating Benefits and Challenges of Converting Retiring Coal Plants into Nuclear Plants. United States: N. p., 2022. Web. doi:10.2172/1886660.
Paul K. Romano, Nicolas E. Stauff, Zhiee Jhia Ooi, Yinbin Miao, Amanda Lund, and Ling Zou “WATTS: Workflow and template toolkit for simulation. Journal of Open Source Software”, 7(79), 4735, 2022, https://doi.org/10.21105/joss.04735
Ponciroli, R.; Shriwise, P.; Mei, Z.-G.; Stauff, N.; Petersen, A.; Romano, P. “Simulation-based Methodology to Assess the Lattice Defects Creation as Energy Storing Mechanism.” Annals of Nuclear Energy, January 2022, 165, 108691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2021.108691
Ponciroli, R.; Stauff, N.; Mei, Z.-G.; Shriwise, P.; Brockmeyer, L.; Cao, Y.; Feng, B.; Romano, P. “Integration of a Wigner Effect-based Energy Storage System with an Advanced Nuclear Reactor.” Nuclear Engineering and Design, 2021, 385, 111521. ISSN 0029-5493. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2021.111521
Rivas, A.; Stauff, N.; Sumner, T.; Hou, J. “Propagating Neutronic Uncertainties for FFTF LOFWOS Test #13.” Nuclear Engineering and Design, 2021, 375, 111047.
Stauff, N. E.; Mo, K.; Cao, Y.; Thomas, J. W.; Miao, Y.; Lee, C.; Matthews, C.; Feng, B. “Preliminary Applications of NEAMS Codes for Multiphysics Modeling of a Heat Pipe Microreactor.” Proceedings of ANS Annual 2021 meeting, 2021.
Stauff, N. E.; Miao, Y.; Bhattacharya, S.; Yacout, A.; Kim, T.K. “Advanced Micro-reactor Concept Enabled by Innovative Technology.” Proceedings of ANS Annual 2021 meeting, 2021.
Ponciroli, R.; Stauff, N. E.; Ramsey, J.; Ganda F.; Vilim, R. B. “An Improved Genetic Algorithm Approach to the Unit Commitment/Economic Dispatch Problem.” IEEE Transactions on Power Systems, 2020, 35. doi: 10.1109/TPWRS.2020.2986710
Zeng, K.; Stauff, N.; Hou, J.; Kim, T. K. “Development of Multi-objective Core Optimization Framework and Application to Sodium-cooled Fast Test Reactors.” Progress in Nuclear Energy, 2020, 120, 103184.
Stauff, N. E.; Miao, Y.; Kutgen, D. “Micro-reactor Design for Truck Charging Station.” Proceedings of ANS Winter Meeting, Chicago, 2020.
Stauff, N. E.; Lee, C.; Zou, L.; Filippone, C. “Core Design of the Holos-quad Micro Reactor.” Proceedings of ANS Winter Meeting, Chicago, 2020.
Stauff, N. E.; Kim, T.K.; Lefebvre, R. A.; Langley, B. R.; Rearden, B. T. “Integration of the Argonne Reactor Computation codes into the NEAMS Workbench,” ANS Summer meeting, Philadelphia, 2018.
Stauff, N. E.; Lefebvre, R. A.; Swiler, L.; Rearden, B. T. “Coupling of DAKOTA with the ARC Suite of Codes in the NEAMS Workbench for Uncertainty Quantification.” ANS Summer meeting, Philadelphia, 2018.
Stauff, N. E.; Zeng, K.; Zhang, G.; Aliberti, G.; Hu, J.; Fanning, T.; Kim, T. K. “Uncertainty Quantification of ABR Transient Safety Analysis: Nuclear Data Uncertainties.” Conference Best estimate Modelling Plus Uncertainties in Safety Analyses (BEPU 2018), Lucca, Italy, 2018.
Stauff, N. E.; Ponciroli, R.; Kim, T.K.; Taiwo, T. A. “Benefits of the Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor Technology for Load Following Applications.” Fast Reactors Conference (FR17), Yekaterinburg, Russia, 2017.
Stauff, N. E.; Romano, P. K.; Lee, C. H.; Kim, T.K. “Verification of Mixed Stochastic/Deterministic Approach for Fast and Thermal Reactor Analysis.” Proceedings of International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP17), Fukui-Kyoto, Japan, 2017.
Stauff, N. E.; Hoffman, E.; Kim, T.K.; Taiwo, T. A. “Impact of Fast Reactor Technology on U/Pu and U/TRU Continuous Recycle Fuel Cycles.” Proceeding of Physics of Reactors Conference (PHYSOR 2016), 2016, paper 16061.
Stauff, N. E.; Kim, T. K.; Taiwo, T. A. “Variations in Nuclear Waste Management Performance of Various Fuel-cycle Options.” Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 2015, 52, 1,058–1,073. doi: 10.1080/00223131.2015.1032380
Stauff, N. E.; Buiron, L.; Fontaine, B.; Rimpault, G. “Methodology for Designing a Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor with Inherent Safety.” Nuclear Technology, 2013, 181.
Fiorina, C.; Stauff, N. E.; Franceschini, F.; Wenner, M.T.; Stanculescu, A.; Kim, T.K.; Cammi, A.; Ricotti, M.E.; Hill, R.N.; Taiwo, T.A.; Salvatores, M. “Comparative Analysis of Thorium and Uranium Fuel for Transuranic Recycle in a Sodium Cooled Fast Reactor.” Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2013, 62, 26–39.
Stauff, N. E.; Kim, T.K.; Yun, D.; Taiwo, T.A.; Khalil, H. S. “Application of an Annular Metallic Fuel with Lower Gas Plenum for Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor.” Proceedings of ANS Summer conference, Atlanta, 2013, paper 110113.
Stauff, N. E.; Fiorina, C.; Franceschini, F.; Kim, T. K.; Taiwo, T. A. “Analysis of Fuel Options for the ARR Breakeven Core Configuration.” Proceedings of International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Conference (GLOBAL2013), Salt Lake City, 2013, paper 8221.
Stauff, N. E.; Driscoll, M. J.; Hejzlar, P.; Forget, B. “Resolution of Proliferation Issues for a Sodium Fast Reactor Blanket.” Nuclear Technology, 2010, 170, 371–382.
Varaine, F.; Stauff, N. E.; Masson, M.; Pelletier, M.; Mignot, G.; Zaetta, A.; Rouault, J. “Comparative Review on Different Fuels for GEN IV Sodium Fast Reactors: Merits and Drawbacks.” Proceedings of FR09, Kyoto, Japan, 2009, paper 1172.