KNOXVILLE — Analysis and Measurement Services Corporation (AMS), the prominent nuclear engineering consulting firm headquartered in Knoxville, TN, was recently awarded two substantial research grants from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

	AMS building; image courtesy of AMS

The first grant of a million dollars is for research to resolve issues with implementation of wireless data communications systems in nuclear power plants. Wireless data communication can help reduce the cost of maintenance in nuclear power plants and facilitate equipment condition monitoring, diagnostics, and prognostics. The second million dollar award is for research to develop new methods to verify the performance of instrumentation and control (I&C) system sensors in small modular reactors (SMRs). SMRs are a smaller and more cost-efficient alternative compared to conventional nuclear power plants.

Chad Kiger, AMS EMC Engineering Manager and UT Alumnus in Electrical Engineering; image courtesy of AMS

Alex Hashemian, AMS Research Engineer and UT Alumnus in Mechanical Engineering; image courtesy of AMS

The first project will be conducted under the direction of Chad Kiger and the second project under the direction of Alex Hashemian; both engineering graduates of the University of Tennessee (UT) with Master degrees in electrical and mechanical engineering. Chad Kiger and Alex Hashemian wrote the proposals leading to award of the two research grants from DOE.

“AMS is extremely honored to be awarded these R&D grants,” said AMS President and CEO Dr. H.M. Hashemian, also a UT graduate and adjunct professor of nuclear engineering at UT.

“Not only do these grants further establish AMS as a market leader in predictive maintenance technology for nuclear plants; but they build upon our primary focus on the safe and efficient operation of nuclear power plants in the U.S. and throughout the world.”

Established in 1977 and headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, with representatives in Austria, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, AMS is the nuclear industry’s first choice for I&C system testing equipment, training, and services. A recognized market leader in testing and verifying the performance of process I&C systems in almost all of the nuclear power plants operating in the United States, as well as many in Europe and Asia, AMS maintains a worldwide list of clientele and collaborates with a number of national and international organizations such as the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, NASA, Department of Defense, International Atomic Energy Agency, International Electrotechnical Commission, and the International Society of Automation. The AMS technology campus spans over 100,000 square feet of office, laboratory, testing, training, and expansion space. The company is staffed by a core group of engineers and scientists with B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. degrees.

Source: AMS