Dr. Nolan E. Goth is an R&D Staff Nuclear Engineer with the Energy Systems Development Group within the Nuclear Energy and Fuel Cycle Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. His work centers on experimental and computational thermal-hydraulics for advanced fission reactors, isotope production, nuclear batteries, and cryogenic systems supporting neutron science. Dr. Goth has received recognition from the U.S. Department of Energy for innovations in nuclear technology R&D. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has granted him a Senior Reactor Operator License.
Dr. Goth’s current research focus is on the following areas:
- Nuclear batteries
- Isotope production
- Molten salt technology demonstration
- Optical-based imaging measurements for flow visualization
- Large-scale conjugate heat transfer modeling using computational fluid dynamics
- Dynamic cryogenic systems modeling
Dr. Goth has experimental experience in (1) designing and analyzing molten salt, gas, and sodium flow loops, (2) testing nuclear-battery power systems, and (3) generating thermal-hydraulic code validation data. His computational expertise includes: (1) employing finite-volume, finite-element, and systems-level codes for conjugate heat transfer for terrestrial, maritime, and space applications, (2) designing irradiation targets for isotope production, and (3) modeling heat transfer and fluid flow in advanced fission reactors (molten-salt, gas, and sodium).
Before coming to ORNL, Nolan was a researcher at Texas A&M University and a nuclear engineer for the mPower SMR project with Babcock and Wilcox. Dr. Goth earned his Ph.D. in nuclear engineering from Texas A&M, an M.S. in nuclear engineering from Texas A&M, and B.S. degrees in nuclear engineering and economics from Missouri S&T.
