Igor Bolotnov

Professor of Nuclear Engineering

  • 518-542-8939
  • Burlington Laboratory 2153
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Dr. Bolotnov holds a joint faculty appointment with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and actively collaborates with Nuclear Energy and Fuel Cycles Division. He teaches reactor engineering (NE-402/502) and multiscale simulation of two-phase flow (MAE/NE-577) courses.

Dr. Bolotnov specializes in computational fluid dynamics applications in nuclear reactor engineering in general, and in multiphase turbulent flow. Dr. Bolotnov research has been supported by the Department of Energy’s Consortium for Advanced Simulation of LWRs (CASL), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, DOE’s NEUP program, and the National Science Foundation (NSF) among others. Bolotnov’s Multiphase research group has vast experience and capability with high-performance-computing enabled CFD simulation of complex single- and multi-phase flow, using PHASTA code.

Dr. Bolotnov is currently serving as Secretary for the Thermal Hydraulics Division of American Nuclear Society (ANS). In addition, he has been appointed the Associate Editor for Annals of Nuclear Energy.

Education

Ph.D. 2008

Engineering Physics

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

M.S. 2003

Engineering Physics

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

B.S. 2001

Applied Mathematics and Informatics

Bashkir State University, Russia

Research Description

The Multiphase Research Group focuses on using multiscale approaches for nuclear reactor simulations, development of new spectral cascade transfer multiphase flow turbulence models, and direct numerical simulation of single and multiphase turbulent flows.

Publications

Data-Driven RANS Turbulence Closures for Forced Convection Flow in Reactor Downcomer Geometry
Iskhakov, A. S., Tai, C.-K., Bolotnov, I. A., Nguyen, T., Merzari, E., Shaver, D. R., & Dinh, N. T. (2023, March 16), NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY, Vol. 3. https://doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2023.2185056
Direct numerical simulation of heat transfer on a deformable vapor bubble rising in superheated liquid
Li, J., Liao, Y., Bolotnov, I. A., Zhou, P., Lucas, D., Li, Q., & Gong, L. (2023), PHYSICS OF FLUIDS, 35(2). https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0137675
Interface Capturing Flow Boiling Simulations in a Compact Heat Exchanger
Iskhakova, A., Kondo, Y., Tanimoto, K., Dinh, N. T., & Bolotnov, I. A. (2023), ASME JOURNAL OF HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER, 145(4). https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4056688
A Perspective on Data-Driven Coarse Grid Modeling for System Level Thermal Hydraulics
Iskhakov, A. S., Tai, C.-K., Bolotnov, I. A., & Dinh, N. T. (2022, September 10), NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, Vol. 9. https://doi.org/10.1080/00295639.2022.2107864
An adaptive knowledge-based data-driven approach for turbulence modeling using ensemble learning technique under complex flow configuration: 3D PWR sub-channel with DNS data
Zhu, Y., Dinh, N. T., Saini, N., & Bolotnov, I. A. (2022), NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN, 393. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2022.111814
Complex bubble deformation and break-up dynamics studies using interface capturing approach (vol 3, pg 139, 2021)
Fan, Y., Fang, J., & Bolotnov, I. (2022, June), EXPERIMENTAL AND COMPUTATIONAL MULTIPHASE FLOW, Vol. 4, pp. 191–191. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42757-021-0127-1
Development of machine learning framework for interface force closures based on bubble tracking data
Tai, C.-K., Evdokimov, I., Schlegel, F., Bolotnov, I. A., & Lucas, D. (2022), NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN, 399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2022.112032
Direct Numerical Simulation of Bubble Formation Through a Submerged "Flute" With Experimental Validation
Pillai, N., Sponsel, N. L., Stapelmann, K., & Bolotnov, I. A. (2022), JOURNAL OF FLUIDS ENGINEERING-TRANSACTIONS OF THE ASME, 144(2). https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4052051
High-fidelity pool boiling simulations on multiple nucleation sites using interface capturing method
Fan, Y., Li, M., Pointer, W. D., & Bolotnov, I. A. (2022), NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN, 399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2022.112004
Plasma breakdown in bubbles passing between two pin electrodes
Pillai, N., Sponsel, N. L., Mast, J. T., Kushner, M. J., Bolotnov, I. A., & Stapelmann, K. (2022), JOURNAL OF PHYSICS D-APPLIED PHYSICS, 55(47). https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6463/ac9538

View all publications via NC State Libraries

Grants

Pilot Study on Two-Phase Flow DNS Application to Heat Transfer Enhancement Pipe
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.(10/01/22 - 5/15/23)
PHASTA PID CONTROLLER
US Dept. of Energy (DOE)(11/01/22 - 3/07/23)
Two Phase Flow Modeling and Simulation – CNP Core Project 7
Consortium for Nuclear Power (CNP)(7/01/22 - 6/30/23)
ICS Heat Exchange Optimization, CNP Core Project 8
Consortium for Nuclear Power (CNP)(7/01/22 - 6/30/23)
Biocatalyst Interactions with Gases (BIG) Collaboration
Novo Nordisk Foundation(9/01/22 - 8/31/27)
High-performance computing studies of HFIR flow channel
Oak Ridge National Laboratories - UT-Battelle LLC(8/26/21 - 3/31/22)
Two-Phase Flow DNS Phase 2 Project
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.(5/01/21 - 10/31/22)
Plasma Breakdown and Instabilities in the Multiphase Plasma-Gas Bubble-Liquid System
National Science Foundation (NSF)(5/01/21 - 4/30/24)
Multiple Bubble Boiling Simulation Scaling and Evaluation
US Dept. of Energy (DOE)(9/08/20 - 11/30/20)
Center for thermal-fluids application in nuclear energy: Establishing the knowledge base for thermal-hydraulic multiscale simulation to accelerate the deployment of advanced reactors.
US Dept. of Energy (DOE)(10/01/20 - 9/30/23)