Ep 78: Dan Wells, Electric Power Research Institute

In this episode we discuss...


Dan’s background in chemical engineering and his personal
journey in the nuclear industry

Dan’s work studying lanthanides and actinides

The different types of research and development an
independent nonprofit organization like EPRI provides to
utilities

The contributing factors within primary and secondary
coolants and how they alter the chemistry of oxides on materials

Where plants get their water and the purification processes
involved

How water’s chemistry changes over the lifetime of a reactor
why that led to the introduction of alloy 690 in steam generators

Boric acid’s critical role in maintaining power level in a
reactor

Automation in the water chemistry analysis space

Dan’s current work providing the data necessary to qualify
switching from lithium 7 to potassium hydroxide