The competence centre ‘Advanced Nuclear Technologies towards Sustainable Development and Decarbonisation of Energy’ is actively working on advanced nuclear engineering topics such as nuclear desalination, nuclear hydrogen production, application of artificial intelligence in nuclear power, and application of numerical methods for modelling new generation reactors. The development of international co-operation in the field of nuclear energy is also one of the main tasks of the research group.
Main objectives
Modelling, optimization, economic evaluation and safety analysis of hydrogen production systems based on high-temperature steam electrolysis integrated into light water reactors
Development of nuclear hybrid systems based on integration of ultra-high temperature gas cooled reactors and thermochemical methods for hydrogen production: modelling, optimisation and safety analysis
Improving the overall efficiency and profitability of nuclear cogeneration plants using innovative schemes
Design of microreactors compatible with thermal desalination and hydrogen production plants.
Application of artificial intelligence and machine learning in nuclear engineering
Combining nuclear power plant with renewable energy sources to improve the overall efficiency and flexibility of the power system
Application of the Best Estimate Plus Uncertainty (BEPU) approach to a nuclear accident.
Application of numerical methods for neutron-physical and thermal-hydraulic analysis of nuclear reactor: light water reactors and new generation reactors.
In addition, we are actively working on:
- Establishing a laboratory for hydrogen production by high-temperature steam electrolysis and thermochemical methods.
- CFD modelling to study the phase change of liquid hydrogen in a cryogenic tank under different gravity conditions on a spacecraft.
Projects
- Conceptual design of a large-scale hybrid desalination plant based on a combination of nuclear and solar power plants equipped with a heat storage system based on phase transitions in materials to improve the quality of produced water (2020-2022), Russian Foundation for Basic Research
- Mathematical modelling of a nuclear power plant equipped with a thermal energy storage system to increase the degree of heat load regulation (2020-2022), Russian Foundation for Basic Research (2020-2022), Russian Foundation for Basic Research
- Energy analysis and economic evaluation of hydrogen production using Generation IV nuclear reactors (2022-2024), Russian Foundation for Basic Research.
- Grant under the Priority 2030 Strategic Academic Leadership Programme of the Russian Federation to open the ‘Competence Centre for Advanced Nuclear Technologies towards Sustainable Development and Decarbonisation of Energy’ at St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (2022-2023).
Developing international co-operation in nuclear science
Our research group is actively involved in international co-operation, as evidenced by the publication of many joint articles with universities in China, Iran, Turkey and Africa.
Engagement with China: we currently have very close relationships with three Chinese universities in the field of nuclear energy. Our activities include collaborative research, student exchanges, participation in joint grants, writing articles and attending conferences. In 2024, the Centre's scientific team visited Harbin Engineering University and Shandong University of Architecture and Engineering to hold seminars and conferences there, where at the second university, the scientists were granted the status of ‘honorary professor’ until 2027.
Interaction with Iran: The relationship between the research team and Shahid Beheshti University and Tehran University is good due to the presence of Iranian researchers in our research team. Iranian universities are important partners of our publications. Master and PhD students from Iran study at the Institute of Energy and work under the supervision of members of the research team.
Research team members
Publications
1. Khashayar Sadeghi, Farnaz Farshbaf, Mahdi Aghaie, Seyed Hadi Ghazaie, Ekaterina Sokolova, Victor Modestov, Vitaly Sergeev, Power loss factor minimization and economic assessment of nuclear-hydrogen cogeneration via modular high-temperature steam electrolysis driven by a light-water reactor, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Volume 71, 2024, Pages 1104-1120, ISSN 0360-3199, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2024.05.246. Q1-Scopus- Web of science
2. Khashayar Sadeghi, Seyed Hadi Ghazaie, Natasha Kalanke, Ekaterina Sokolova, Mahdi Aghaie, Azadeh Naserbegi, Victor Modestov, Developing reference-based correlations for temperature distribution in VVER reactor using gene expression programming and single-heated channel approach, Nuclear Engineering and Design, Volume 424, 2024, 113233, ISSN 0029-5493 Q1-Scopus- Web of science
4. Khashayar Sadeghi, Seyed Hadi Ghazaie, Ekaterina Sokolova, Antonio Cammi, Hamid Reza Arab, Selma Usta, A set of transient correlations for fast and unprotected loss of flow accident in VVER-1000 reactor using single-heated channel approach and Gene Expression Programming, Annals of Nuclear Energy, Volume 183, 2023, 109650, ISSN 0306-4549, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2022.109650. Q1-Scopus- Web of science
5. KH. Sadeghi, S. H. Ghazaie, Riccardo Chebac, E. Sokolova Antonio Cammi, Marco E. Ricotti, A.S. Shirani; Towards net-zero emissions through the hybrid SMR-solar cogeneration plant equipped with modular PCM storage system for seawater desalination, Journal of “Desalination”, 524 (2022) 115476 Q1-Scopus- Web of science
6. Seyed Hadi Ghazaie, Khashayar Sadeghi, Ekaterina Sokolova, Vitaly Sergeev, Application of gene expression programming in developing correlations for nuclear desalination economic analysis, Desalination, Volume 555, 2023, 116548, ISSN 0011-9164, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2023.116548, Q1-Scopus- Web of science
7. Abolfazl Shoghi, Seyed Ali Hosseini, Mohammad Lotfi, Amir Saeed Shirani, Antonio Cammi, Khashayar Sadeghi, Francesco D'Auria, Development of a practical control-oriented mathematical model for gas pressurizer, Progress in Nuclear Energy, Volume 164, 2023, 104863, ISSN 0149-1970, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnucene.2023.104863. Q1-Scopus- Web of science
8. A. Naserbegi, M. Aghaie, S. Yadollahpour, K. Sadeghi, F. Farshbaf, Economic evaluation of hydrogen production in second and third units of Bushehr nuclear power plant regarding future need of nuclear fission technology, Nuclear Engineering and Design, Volume 415, 2023, 112683, ISSN 0029-5493, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2023.112683. Q1-Scopus- Web of science
9. Riccardo Chebac, Antonio Cammi, Marco E. Ricotti, Stefano Lorenzi, Khashayar Sadeghi, Seyed Hadi Ghazaie, Ekaterina Sokolova, Evgeniy Fedorovich, ALFRED reactor and hybrid systems: A test case, Annals of Nuclear Energy, Volume 191, 2023, 109934, ISSN 0306-4549, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2023.109934. Q1-Scopus- Web of science
10. Luopeng Yang, Ren Jiang,Vitaliy Sergeev, Ekaterina Sokolova, Linhua Zhang, Feng Guo, Qiang Li, Khashayar Sadeghi, Sensitive analysis on an integrated system of brackish water greenhouse desalination for freshwater production and crop growth 289(2023)1-13 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5004/dwt.2023.29407 Q2-Scopus- Web of science
11. S. H. Ghazaie, KH. Sadeghi Riccardo Chebac, E. Sokolova Antonio Cammi, Marco E. Ricotti, A.S. Shirani; On the use of advanced nuclear cogeneration plant integrated into latent heat storage for district heating; Journal of “Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments”, 50 (2022) 101838 Q1-Scopus - Web of sience
12. KH. Sadeghi, S. H. Ghazaie, E. Sokolova, E. Fedorovich and A.S. Shirani; Comprehensive techno-economic analysis of integrated nuclear power plant equipped with various hybrid desalination systems; journal of “Desalination”, Volume 493, 2020, 114623, ISSN 0011-9164. Q1-Scopus - Web of science
13. KH. Sadeghi, M. Abbasi, A. Zolfaghari, Adaptive refinement for PN neutron transport equation based on conjoint variational formulation and discontinuous finite element method, Progress in Nuclear Energy, Volume 104, 2018, Pages 16-31. Q1-Scopus- Web of science
14. Riccardo Chebac, Antonio Cammi, Marco E. Ricotti, Stefano Lorenzi, Khashayar Sadeghi, Seyed Hadi Ghazaie, Ekaterina Sokolova, Evgeniy Fedorovich, Dynamic Response of LFR in Cogeneration Mode, International Conference Nuclear Energy for New Europe 2021-09-06, Conference paper Web of science
15. H. Ghazaie, KH. Sadeghi, E. Sokolova, E. Fedorovich and A.S. Shirani; Comparative analysis of hybrid desalination technologies powered by SMR, Journal of Energies, September 2020 Energies 13(5006) Q2-Scopus- Web of science
16. Kh. Sadeghi, S.H. Ghazaie, E.A. Sokolova, A. Zolfaghari, M. Abbasi; A comprehensive comparative analysis of neutron transport calculations based on variational formulation and finite element approaches; Journal of Energies, 2020, 13, 5424; Q2-Scopus- Web of science
17. Ekaterina Sokolova, Khashayar Sadeghi, Seyed Hadi Ghazaie, Dario Barsi, Francesca Satta, and Pietro Zunino. Feasibility of Hybrid Desalination Plants Coupled with Small Gas Turbine CHP Systems, Energies, 2022, 15, 3618. https://doi.org/10.3390/en15103618 Q2-Scopus- Web of science
18. S. H. Ghazaie KH. Sadeghi, E. Sokolova, E. Fedorovich and, S. Makhuhin; Assessment of the integrated nuclear plant for electricity production and seawater desalination in Iran, Desalination and water treatment, 188 (2020) 20-30. Q2-Web of science
19. KH. Sadeghi, S. H. Ghazaie, E. Sokolova, Riccardo Chebac, Antonio Cammi, Marco E. Ricotti Implementing, Hybrid Desalination System Driven by ALFRED Reactor and Solar Power Plant, Equipped with Phase Change Material Storage System: The Case of Emirate, International Scientific Conference on Energy, Environmental and Construction Engineering (EECE – 2020) Scopus- Web of science
20. KH. Sadeghi, S. H. Ghazaie, E. Sokolova, E. Fedorovich and A.S. Shirani, Thermo-economic Assessment of the Possible Desalination Processes for the Second Block of Bushehr NPP, E3S Web Conf. 140 (03001) (2019). Scopus- Web of science
21. S. H. Ghazaie, KH. Sadeghi, E. Sokolova, E. Fedorovich and A.S. Shirani, Nuclear desalination in Iran, current status and perspectives E3S Web Conf. 140 (04001) (2019). Scopus- Web of science
22. KH. Sadeghi, S. H. Ghazaie, E. D. Fedorovich, and A. S. Shirani; Economic Assessment of the Possible Desalination Processes for the First Block of Bushehr NPP, Thermal Engineering, 67 (2020) 271–281. Q2-Scopus- Web of science
23. S. H. Ghazaie, KH. Sadeghi, E. Sokolova, E. Fedorovich and A.S. Shirani, On the use of small modular reactors integrated with thermal energy storage system for district heating ,International Scientific Conference on Energy, Environmental and Construction Engineering (EECE – 2020) Scopus- Web of science
24. H. Sadeghi, S.H. Ghazai, E.D. Fedorovich, E.A. Sokolova, A.S. Shirani; Economic evaluation of water desalination processes at power unit No. 1 of Bushehr NPP; Thermal Power Engineering, 2020, No. 5, pp. 1-13. HAC
25. H. Sadeghi, S.H. Ghazaei, E.A. Sokolova, E.D. Fedorovich, A.S. Shirani; Technical and Economic Analysis of Possible Technologies of Seawater Desalination Using Energy from Unit 2 of Bushehr NPP (Iran); Technologies for Life Cycle Support of Nuclear Power Plants. 2020. HAC
26. S.H. Ghazaei, H. Sadeghi, E.A. Sokolova, E.D. Fedorovich, A. Shirani; On the necessity of development of dual-purpose nuclear power technological complexes for supplying electrical energy and fresh water to arid territories of Iran; ;Technologies for Life Cycle Assurance of Nuclear Power Plants. 2020 HAC