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Energy

Interdisciplinary Research Centre
 

Biography

Geoff Parks received his BA in Engineering in 1984 and his PhD in Nuclear Engineering in 1989, both from the University of Cambridge. He is now a Reader in Nuclear Engineering at Cambridge. He is a Fellow of Jesus College where he was a Director of Studies in Engineering from 1993 to 2019. He served as the College’s Sciences Admissions Tutor from 1997 to 2007 and as Director of Admissions for the Cambridge Colleges from 2003 to 2012. He is now the Senior Tutor at Jesus College.

Research

Dr Parks heads the Computational Design Group in the Cambridge Engineering Design Centre, which researches into the application of advanced optimisation methods to difficult real-world problems in a wide variety of application areas including aerodynamic, nuclear and structural engineering, in the development and application of multiobjective optimisation methods, and in the effective exploitation and integration of optimisation methods within the Engineering Design process.

Dr Parks also heads the Future Nuclear Systems group which focuses on the analysis and design of potential future nuclear reactor systems and fuel cycles, especially from the reactor physics, thermal-hydraulic and fuel management perspectives. The group has particular interests in the exploitation of thorium-based fuels both in current (Gen 3+) and future power generation technologies, in the development of reactor modelling methods, and in other applications of reactor technology: civil marine propulsion, radioisotope generation, and space applications.

Publications

Key publications: 

S.F. Ashley, B.A. Lindley, G.T. Parks, W.J. Nuttall, R. Gregg, K.W. Hesketh, U. Kannan, P.D. Krishnani, B. Singh, A. Thakur, M. Cowper and A. Talamo “Fuel Cycle Modelling of Open Cycle Thorium-Fuelled Nuclear Energy Systems”, Annals of Nuclear Energy, 69, 314–330 (2014)

B.A. Lindley, N.Z. Zainuddin, P. Ferroni, A. Hall, F. Franceschini and G.T. Parks “On the Use of Reduced-Moderation LWRs for Transuranic Isotope Burning in Thorium Fuel – Part I: Assembly Analysis”, Nuclear Technology, 185, 127–146 (2014)

B.A. Lindley, N.Z. Zainuddin, P. Ferroni, A. Hall, F. Franceschini and G.T. Parks “On the Use of Reduced-Moderation LWRs for Transuranic Isotope Burning in Thorium Fuel – Part II: Core Analysis”, Nuclear Technology, 185, 147–173 (2014)

B.A. Lindley, F. Franceschini and G.T. Parks “The Closed Thorium-Transuranic Fuel Cycle in Reduced-Moderation PWRs and BWRs”, Annals of Nuclear Energy, 63, 241–254 (2014)

A. Ahmad, S.J. Steer and G.T. Parks “A Preliminary Study of Target Multiplicity for ADSRs”, Energy Conversion and Management, 69, 181–190 (2013)

S.F. Ashley, G.T. Parks, W.J. Nuttall, C. Boxall and R.W. Grimes “Nuclear Energy: Thorium Fuel has Risks”, Nature, 491, 3133 (2012)

A. Ahmad, B.A. Lindley and G.T. Parks “Accelerator-induced Transients in Accelerator Driven Subcritical Reactors”, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A, 696, 55–65 (2012)

D.J. Coates and G.T. Parks “Safety Implications of Reactivity Variations in Fast Thorium ADSRs”, Annals of Nuclear Energy, 47, 115–123 (2012)

S.D. Eastham, D.J. Coates and G.T. Parks “A Novel Method for Rapid Comparative Quantitative Analysis of Nuclear Fuel Cycles”, Annals of Nuclear Energy, 42, 80–88 (2012)

D.J. Coates, B.A. Lindley and G.T. Parks “Actinide Breeding and Reactivity Variation in a Thermal Spectrum ADSR – Part 1: Development of a Lumped Thermal Reactor Model”, Annals of Nuclear Energy, 38, 2120–2131 (2011)

D.J. Coates and G.T. Parks “Actinide Breeding and Reactivity Variation in a Thermal Spectrum ADSR – Part 2: Enhanced Sustainability in the Thermal Spectrum”, Annals of Nuclear Energy, 38, 2132–2139 (2011)

T. Ghisu, G.T. Parks, J.P. Jarrett and P.J. Clarkson “Robust Aerodynamic Design Optimization of Gas Turbine Compression Systems”, Journal of Propulsion and Power, 27, 282–295 (2011)

D.J. Coates and G.T. Parks “Actinide Evolution and Equilibrium in Fast Thorium Reactors”, Annals of Nuclear Energy, 37, 1076–1088 (2010)

J.P.E. Cleeton, R.M. Kavanagh and G.T. Parks “Blade Cooling Optimisation in Humid-Air and Steam-Injected Gas Turbines”, Applied Thermal Engineering, 29, 3274–3283 (2009)

R.M. Kavanagh and G.T. Parks “A Systematic Comparison and Multi-objective Optimization of Humid Power Cycles: Part I – Thermodynamics”, ASME Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, 131, 041701 (2009)

R.M. Kavanagh and G.T. Parks “A Systematic Comparison and Multi-objective Optimization of Humid Power Cycles: Part II – Economics”, ASME Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, 131, 041702 (2009)

A. Herrera-Martínez, Y. Kadi and G.T. Parks “Transmutation of Nuclear Waste in Accelerator-Driven Systems: Thermal Spectrum”, Annals of Nuclear Energy, 34, 550-563 (2007)

A. Herrera-Martínez, Y. Kadi, G.T. Parks and M. Dahlfors “Transmutation of Nuclear Waste in Accelerator-Driven Systems: Fast Spectrum”, Annals of Nuclear Energy, 34, 564-578 (2007)

Professor of Nuclear Engineering
Dr Geoff  Parks

Contact Details

Available for consultancy

Affiliations

Classifications: 
Departments and institutes: 
Person keywords: 
Nuclear Power