Radiant Industries 

At Radiant, I was a Fluids System Engineering Intern and owned qualification testing for the reactor safety pneumatics system, which includes high-temperature butterfly valves and pneumatic actuators used for reactor cooldown and shutdown. To make the test happen I needed to first define the entire qual test plan. I needed to quickly understand: 

• What are the different types of testing done to validate designs?

• What a qualification test is and why do we do it?

• What are the design requirements we are trying to qualify for?

• What can be included in the scope of the test?

• How can tests be ordered to prevent one test from invalidating the results of the next?

• Which nuclear codes and standards like IEEE 323 and 382, applied to our system?

I spent several days reading and creating an internal summary of the most critical sections regarding test sequence, required margins, and documentation. From there I used my understanding of the standards to define the logical order of the test matrix ensuring we performed functional testing before the cycling, high-temperature, accelerated life tests.

I hosted a qual test plan review presentation where it was reviewed by senior nuclear and mechanical engineers. The resulting test procedures I authored are now used as a reference example for future qualification testing at Radiant now.

I then designed and built a test stand to run hot venting, temperature cycling, leak, and accelerated life tests to simulate 1,000's cycles per valve assembly at 450°C and 90 psi. I performed heat-transfer, gas-dynamics, and structural analysis to ensure the tests matched operational requirements, created P&IDs, and defined exact test procedures. I worked directly with manufacturers to clarify specs and solve hardware questions. I also worked with our technicians to modify designs for quicker manufacturing turnaround time.

The role gave me real ownership of a complex hardware test program and exposed me to multiple facets of test engineering like high temperature fluid systems, instrumentation, data analysis, procedures, and hands-on test execution.

Relevant skills used:
REFPROP, Nuclear Engineering, Qualification Testing Standards, Design Presentations, Fluids Modeling, High Temperature Valve Testing, Test Stand Design