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Eleodor Nichita
PhD

Associate Professor

Department of Energy and Nuclear Engineering

Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science

Contact information

Energy Systems and Nuclear Science Research Centre (ERC) - Room 4085
North Oshawa
2000 Simcoe Street North
Oshawa, ON L1G 0C5

905.721.8668 ext. 5527

eleodor.nichita@ontariotechu.ca
http://faculty.uoit.ca/nichita/

Research topics

  • Mathematical modelling and numerical methods
  • Neutron and radiation transport
  • Neutronic design and analysis methods for advanced nuclear reactors
  • Nuclear reactor kinetics and control
  • Production of radionuclides

Education

  • PhD in Nuclear Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology, United States
  • MS in Health Physics Georgia Institute of Technology
  • MS in Medical Physics McMaster University
  • BS in Engineering Physics University of Bucharest, Romania

Courses taught

  • Introduction to Nuclear Physics (undergraduate)
  •  Medical Imaging (undergraduate)
  • Therapeutic Applications of Radiation (undergraduate)
  • Nuclear Reactor Design (undergraduate)
  • Nuclear Reactor Kinetics (undergraduate + graduate)
  • Nuclear Concepts (graduate)
  • Neutron Detectors for Reactor Instrumentation (graduate)
  • Reactor Production of Radionuclides (graduate)
  • Mathematical Methods for Nuclear Applications (graduate)
  • Numerical Methods for Reactor Analysis (graduate)
  • Modelling and Simulation Tools for Reactor Physics (graduate) 
  • Monte Carlo Methods (graduate)
  • Neutron and Radiation Transport Theory (graduate)
  • Reactor Physics (graduate, UNENE)

Research and expertise

Publications

  • Research Papers
    • E. Nichita, “Virtual Classes, Real Results: Teaching from Home to Stay-at-Home Students During a Pandemic”, Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc., 125, p 93-95 (2021);
    • J. Haroon and E. Nichita, “PHWR Reactivity Device Incremental Macroscopic Cross Sections and Reactivities for a Molybdenum-Producing Bundle and a Standard Bundle”, Nucl. Techn., 208, p. 246-267 (2022);
    • B. Rouben and E. Nichita, “On the Amount of Moderation in the CANDU Lattice”. Proc. 40th Annual Conference of the Canadian Nuclear Society, June 7 – June 9,  Virtual Meeting, (2021);
    • B. Rouben and E. Nichita, “On the Amount of Moderation in the CANDU Lattice”, Nuclear Technology, 207 (10), 1633-1638 (2021);
    • P. Schwanke and E. Nichita, “Time-Dependent Homogenization for Pressurized Heavy-Water Reactors”, Proc. PHYSOR 2020, International Conference on Physics of Reactors, Cambridge, UK, March 29th-April 2nd, 2020;
    • J. Haroon and E. Nichita, “A comparative study of reactivity feedback effects for a HALEU molybdenum-producing PHWR fuel bundle and a standard PHWR fuel bundle”, Nuclear Engineering and Design, 361, (2020);
    • T. Ferguson and E. Nichita, “A Study of Superhomogenization Applied to PHWR Lattices”, ASME Journal of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science, 6, (2020);
    • P. Schwanke and E. Nichita, “GET-based time-dependent lattice homogenization using a global-local approach”, Annals of Nuclear Energy 134 (2019) 359–369;
    • V.D. Beregic, E.M. Nichita, A. Waker, E. Waller, J. Atanackovic, “A Novel Eye Thermoluminescent Dosimeter for Measuring the Eye Lens Dose Equivalents Hp(3)n and Hp(3)γ in Neutron-Gamma Mixed Fields and the Simulation of its Dosimetric Characteristics Using the GEANT4 Software”, Proc. 39th Annual Conference of the Canadian Nuclear Society, Westin Ottawa Hotel, Ottawa, ON, Canada, 2019 June 23-26;
    • J. Haroon and E. Nichita, “Comparison of the Reactivity Feedback Effects between a Molybdenum-Producing PHWR Fuel Bundle and a Standard PHWR Fuel Bundle”, Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc., 120 (2019), 985-988;
    • T. Ferguson and E. Nichita, "A Study of Superhomogenization Applied to PHWR Lattices", Proc. 8th CNS Conference on Simulation Methods for Nuclear Engineering, Oct 9-11, 2018, Ottawa, ON;
    • P. Schwanke and E. Nichita, "A Global-Local Approach for Time-Dependent Lattice Homogenization", Proc. PHYTRA4 - The Fourth International Conference on Physics and Technology of Reactors and Applications, Marrakech, Morocco, September 17-19, 2018;
    • Q. Liu and E. Nichita, “Position-Dependent Delayed-Neutron Fractions for IQS Calculations and Application to PHWR Kinetics Calculations”, Nuclear Engineering and Design, 339, (2018);
    • T. Ferguson and E. Nichita, “Application of Multi-Node SPH Factor Generation to PHWR Lattice Homogenization”, Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc., 118, p 925-928, (2018);
    • P. Schwanke, Q. Liu and E. Nichita, “A Multi-Purpose Homogeneous-Node Benchmark for PHWR Configurations”, Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc., 116, (2017);
    • P. Schwanke and E. Nichita, “Analytic Benchmark for Fuel-Reflector PHWR Configurations”. Proc. 37th Annual Conference of the Canadian Nuclear Society, June 4 – June 7,  Niagara Falls, ON, Canada, (2017);
    • J. Haroon, L. Kicka, S. Mohapatra, E. Nichita, P. Schwanke, “Comparison of the Reactivity Effects Calculated by DRAGON and Serpent for a PHWR 37-element Fuel Bundle”, ASME Journal of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science, 3, (2017);
    • P. Schwanke and E. Nichita ”A Multi-Purpose Homogeneous-Node Benchmark for PHWR Configurations” Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 117, 1296-1300, (2017);
    • E. Nichita and J. Haroon, “Molybdenum-99-Producing 37-Element Fuel Bundle Neutronically and Thermal-Hydraulically Equivalent to a Standard CANDU fuel Bundle”, Nuclear Engineering and Design, 307, 86-95, (2016);
    • E. Nichita and S. Mohapatra “Application of SPH Factors to PHWR Lattice Homogenization”, Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc., 114, (2016);
    • Q. Liu and E. Nichita “Application of Position-Dependent Delayed-Neutron Fractions to IQS Calculations for PT-SCWR”, Proc. 36th Annual Conference of the Canadian Nuclear Society, June 19 – June 22,  Toronto, ON, Canada, (2016);
    • V. Kovaltchouk E. Nichita and E. Saltanov, “Temperature Distribution Inside Fresh-Fuel Pins of Pressure-Tube Supercritical-Water-Cooled Reactor”, ASME Journal of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science, 2, (2016);
    • V. Kovaltchouk E. Nichita and E. Saltanov, “Axial Power and Coolant-Temperature Profiles for a Non-Re-Entrant Pressure-Tube Supercritical Water-Cooled Reactor Fuel Channel”, ASME Journal of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science, 2, (2016);
    • Q. Liu and E. Nichita “Position-Dependent Delayed-Neutron Fractions for IQS Calculations in the Diffusion Code DONJON and Application to PT-SCWR Reactors”, Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 113, (2015);
    • E. Usalp and E. Nichita, “Leakage-Corrected Discontinuity Factors for PHWR Lattices – A simple Test” Proc. 7th International Conference on Modelling and Simulation in Nuclear Science and Engineering, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, October 18-21, 2015;
    • E. Nichita and V. Kovaltchouk, “Reducing the Fuel Temperature for Pressure-Tube Supercritical-Water-Cooled Reactors and the Effect of Fuel Burnup”, Nuclear Engineering and Design, 295, 524–533, (2015);
    • E. Nichita and E. Usalp “Pin Power Reconstruction for PHWR Reactors Using Leakage-Corrected Discontinuity Factors”, Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 112, 745-748, (2015);
    • Z. Keldani, R. Roman, S. Saadi and E. Nichita, “Designing a Computer Code to Calculate the Committed Dose Equivalent to Internal Organs Following the Injection of a Radiopharmaceutical”, Proc. 35th Annual Conference of the Canadian Nuclear Society, May 31 – June 03,  Saint John, NB, Canada, 2015;
    • E. Nichita, D. Serghiuta and S. Podobed “Burnup-Dependent Effect of Lattice-Level Homogenization and Group Condensation on Calculated Kinetics Parameters for CANDU-Type Lattices”, Nuclear Engineering and Design 286, 253–260, 2015;
    • V. Kovaltchouk, E. Nichita and E. Saltanov, "Temperature distribution inside fresh-fuel pins of pressure-tube SCWR ", Proc. 7th International Symposium on Supercritical Water-Cooled Reactors, ISSCWR-7, Helsinki, Finland, March 15-18, 2015;
    • V. Kovaltchouk, E. Nichita and E. Saltanov, " Axial power and coolant-temperature profiles for a non-re-entrant PT-SCWR fuel channel", Proc. 7th International Symposium on Supercritical Water-Cooled Reactors, ISSCWR-7, Helsinki, Finland, March 15-18, 2015;
    • E. Nichita and P. Schwanke, "Progress Towards an Accurate Lattice-Homogenization Technique for Pressure-Tube Supercritical Water Cooled Reactor Neutronic Calculations", Proc. PHYSOR 2014, International Conference on Reactor Physics, Kyoto, Japan, September, 28 – October 2, 2014;
    • P. Schwanke and E. Nichita, " Preliminary Evaluation of Coolant Void Reactivity of a Re-entrant Channel Pressure-Tube Supercritical Water Cooled Reactor ", Proc. PHYSOR 2014, International Conference on Reactor Physics, Kyoto, Japan, September, 28 – October 2, 2014;
    • P. Schwanke and E. Nichita, "Preliminary Space-Time Kinetics Simulation of a Coolant Voiding-Induced Transient for a Supercritical Water Cooled Reactor with Re-entrant Fuel Channels ", Proc. 19th Pacific Basin Nuclear Conference (PBNC 2014), Vancouver, BC, Canada, August 24-28, 2014;
    • K. Carisse and E. Nichita “Leakage-Corrected Discontinuity Factors for a Second-Generation Th-Pu Pressure-Tube SCWR”, Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 110, 511-514, (2014);
    • R. Farkas and E. Nichita, “Preliminary Comparison of Transport Codes Applied to a Second-Generation PT-SCWR Lattice”, Proc. Canada-China Conference on Advanced Reactor Development 2014 (CCCARD-2014), Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada, April 27-30, 2014;
    • R. Farkas and E. Nichita, “Moderator Displacers for Reducing Coolant Void Reactivity in CANDU Reactors: A Scoping Study”, Nuclear Technology 188, 34-44 (2014);
    • E. Nichita “Kinetics Parameters of a Th-Pu Re-Entrant-Channel Pressure-Tube SCWR”, Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 109, 1503-1505 (2013);
    • R. Farkas and E. Nichita, “Preliminary Serpent Calculations for a PT-SCWR Lattice”, SERPENT User Group Meeting, Nov. 6-8, 2013, Berkeley, CA;
    • E. Nichita, “Effect of Lattice-Level Homogenization and Group Condensation on Calculated Kinetics Parameters of a Natural-Uranium-Fuelled Equilibrium CANDU Core”, Nucl. Sci. Eng., 175, 157–171 (2013);
    • E. Nichita and B. Rouben, “Preliminary Study of Dynamic Properties of a Th-Pu Pressure-Tube Supercritical-Water-Cooled Reactor”, Proc. 6th International Symposium on Supercritical Water-Cooled Reactors, ISSCWR-6, March 03-07, 2013, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China;
    • E. Nichita, D. Serghiuta and S. Podobed “Effect of Homogenization and Group Condensation on Kinetics Parameters of Natural-Uranium-Fuelled CANDU Lattices”, Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 107, 988-990 (2012);
    • E. Nichita, D. Serghiuta and S. Podobed “Uncertainties in Kinetics Parameters of Natural-Uranium-Fuelled CANDU Cores Introduced by Lattice Homogenization and Group Condensation”, Proc. 24th Nuclear Simulation Symposium, Ottawa ON Oct 14-16, (2012);
    • E. Nichita, O. Ostapiak and M. K. J. Das, .Accounting for Arm Backscatter in EPID-Based IMRT QA., Proceedings Joint COMP/AAPM Annual Meeting, Vancouver BC July 31- August 4, 2011;
    • E. Nichita, O. Ostapiak and T. Farrell, .Position-Dependent Discrete Point Spread Functions for EPID IMRT QA., Proceedings Joint COMP/AAPM Annual Meeting, Vancouver BC July 31- August 4, 2011;
    • E. Nichita and A. Patel, .Application of Transport-fitted Diffusion Coefficients to Two-Dimensional Natural-Uranium CANDU Lattices., Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 104, 2011;
    • E. Aydogdu and E. Nichita, .Three-dimensional Discrete Heterogeneous Finite Element Method and Code for Static Multi. Group Neutron Diffusion., Proceedings 32nd Annual Conference of the Canadian Nuclear Society, Niagara Falls, Ontario June 5 to8, 2011A. Patel and E. Nichita, .Empirical Diffusion Coefficients for Natural-Uranium CANDU Lattices., Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 102, 2010;
    • E. Nichita, O. Ostapiak and T. Farrell, Discrete Point Spread Functions for Electronic Portal Imaging Devices., Medical Physics 37, 3897 (2010) (56th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists, Ottawa, Ontario June 16 to19);
    • E. Nichita, .Generalized Equivalence Theory for Checkerboard Configurations in Natural-Uranium CANDU Lattices., Proceedings PHYSOR 2010, International Conference on Reactor Physics, Pittsburgh, PA, May 9 to14, 2010;
    • E. Nichita Inexpensive Detailed Full-core Neutron Flux Solution Method for CANDU Reactors, Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 100, 2009;
    • E. Nichita, Evaluating Accuracy of Standard Homogenization and Need for Generalized Equivalence Theory for ACR-lattice Checkerboard Configurations, Ann. Nucl. Energy, 36, 760 (2009);
    • E. Nichita Retrofitting CANDU Reactors for Negative Coolant Void Reactivity, Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 99, 717 (2008);
    • Lukomski, B. McIntee, D. Moule, E. Nichita Standalone Visualization Tool for Three-dimensional DRAGON Geometrical Models, Proceedings Symposium on Simulation Methods in Nuclear Engineering, Ottawa, Ontario, November 2 to 4, 2008;
    • Rouben, E. Nichita, Extension of The Time-Average Model to CANDU Refueling Schemes involving Reshuffling, Proceedings PHYSOR 2008, International Conference on Reactor Physics, Interlaken, Switzerland, September 14 to 19, 2008;
    • E. Nichita Effect of Lattice-Level Adjoint Weighting on the Effective Delayed Neutron Fraction in CANDU Reactors, Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 98, 648 (2008);
    • E. Nichita, B. Rouben, Combining In-Core-Detector Readings with Diffusion in Eigenvalue Flux Calculations for CANDU Reactors, Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 97, 394 (2007);
    • E. Nichita, A. Patel, Development of a Web-accessible FullyInteractive Laboratory Experiment, Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 96, 847 (2007);
    • E. Nichita, B. Rouben, Teaching Reactor Physics Using a Dual-delivery Approach, Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 96, 845 (2007);
    • E. Nichita, K. Zabienski, M. Gravel, A Three-dimensional Two-energy-group Finite-difference Neutron-diffusion Code with Discontinuity Factors, Proceedings 28th Annual Conference of the Canadian Nuclear Society, Saint John, New Brunswick June 3 to 6, (2007);
    • E. Nichita, K. Zabienski, Improving the Accuracy of Neutron Flux Calculations in a CANDU Reactor by Combining the Diffusion Equation with In-core Detector Readings, Proceedings 27th Annual Conference of the Canadian Nuclear Society, Toronto, Ontario June 11 to 14, (2006);
    • E. Nichita, Evaluation of the Need for Discontinuity Factors for Neutronic Modelling of CANDU Low-void Reactivity Fuel Lattices, Proc. 9th International Conference on CANDU Fuel, Belleville, Ontario, September 18 to 21, 2005;
    • E. Nichita, and F. Rahnema, A Heterogeneous Finite Element Method in Diffusion Theory, Annual NuclearEnergy, 30, 317 2003;
    • E. Nichita, and F. Rahnema, A Finite Element Method for Boiling Water Reactors, Proceedings Int'l Conference on Phys. of Nucl. Sci. and Tech., Long Island, New York, October 5 to 8, 351, (1998); and
    • F. Rahnema and E. Nichita, Leakage Corrected Spatial (Assembly) Homogenization Technique, Ann. Nucl. Energy 24, 477 (1997).
  • Books and Book Chapters