Curriculum Vitae

Sunil Sunny Chirayath, Ph.D.         

TEES Research Scientist &

Visiting Assistant Professor

Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute

Nuclear Engineering Department

Texas A&M University

Date of Birth: February 12, 1969

 

Contact Information

Room No. 325C

Olin E. Teague Research Center

Texas A&M University, College Station

Texas 77843-3473, USA

Phone: 979-862-2616 (O), 979-492-9117 (C)

979-845-7497 (FAX), E-mail: sunil@ne.tamu.edu

Education:

Ph.D. (Physics), University of Madras, India, 2005: Thesis: “Monte Carlo Simulation Studies on Radiation Transport through Bulk Media”

Master of Science (Physics), University of Calicut, India, 1994.
Bachelor of Science (Physics), University of Calicut, India, 1989.

Professional Certificate Training:

·         One Week Training on “Nondestructive Assay (NDA) Applications for International Safeguards” held at Oak Ridge National Laboratory during May 17-21, 2010.

·         Two Weeks IAEA Training on Recent Advances in Radiation Protection, PNC & JAERI, Tokai-Mura, Japan, November, 1997.

·         One Year Stipendiary Training in Radiation and Health Physics Conducted by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India; November, 1990 – October, 1991.

Recent Funded Projects:

·         Assessment of the Fingerprinting Method for Verification of Spent Fuel
Sponsor:   University of California - Lawrence Livermore National. Lab (Main Principal Investigator) October 2010 to September 2011

·         Creation of a Graduate-level Academic Program in Nuclear Materials Management at an Indian Institution of Higher Education; Sponsor Sandia National Lab (Co-Principal Investigator) July 2010 to July 2011

Positions held and Responsibilities:

TEES Research Scientist, Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute, Texas A&M University, USA, Since May 1,  2010

·         DOE-NNSA funded project to conduct pre-conceptual design studies for the integration of modern safeguards directly into the planning and building of new FBRs, and associated fuel cycle facilities.

·         NSF/DNDO funded project on frame work for developing novel detection systems focused on interdicting High Enriched Uranium (HEU).

Visiting Assistant Professor, Nuclear Engineering Department, Texas A&M University, USA, Since January 1, 2009

·         Taught graduate course NUEN 689 in Spring 2009 & Fall 2010 on “Principles of Monte Carlo Particle Transport Simulations with Specific Reference to MCNP”

·         Co-taught graduate course NUEN 651 in Spring 2009 and Spring 2010 on “Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Safeguards”

Post Doctoral Research Associate, Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute, Nuclear Engineering Department, Texas A&M University, USA, August 20, 2007- April 30, 2010

  1. DOE-NNSA funded project to conduct pre-conceptual design studies for the integration of modern safeguards directly into the planning and building of new FBRs, and associated fuel cycle facilities.
  2. NSF/DNDO funded project on frame work for developing novel detection systems focused on interdicting High Enriched Uranium (HEU).
  3. Taught advanced short courses on Monte Carlo radiation transport simulations to Texas A&M University NUEN Graduates/Under Graduates using MCNP as a tool.

Scientific Officer, Safety Research Institute, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, Kalpakkam, India, May, 1999 –August, 2007

1.     Research and development works for solving reactor physics and radiation shielding design problems related to Indian Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR-500MWe).

2.     Reactor core physics regulatory design review of Russian VVERs.

3.     Monte Carlo based transport analysis for reactor physics and shielding optimization of the Indian KAMINI research reactor.

4.     Benchmark analysis of the unique fast reactor radial core bulk shield neutron transmission experiments conducted at the APSARA reactor in BARC, Mumbai.

5.     Application of Monte Carlo radiation transport methodology for radiotherapy applications using medical LINAC and brachy-therapy.

Scientific Officer, Operating Plants Safety Division, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, Mumbai, India, February, 1998 – April, 1999.

1.     Regulatory inspections of nuclear power plants and other radiation facilities like Indian Rare Earths for enforcing radiation protection rules of country.

2.     Analysis of radiological parameters collected from different nuclear power plants.

Scientific Assistant, Operating Plants Safety Division, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, Mumbai, India, November, 1991 – January, 1998.

1.     Regulatory inspections of NPPs for enforcing radiation protection rules.

2.     Development of a computer code system for monitoring the fuel failure behavior in the Indian pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWR). The code was commissioned and tested at one of the reactor sites.

Ph.D. Dissertation

 “Monte Carlo Simulation Studies on Radiation Transport through Bulk Media”, University of Madras, India, February, 2000 –August, 2004. The thesis essentially investigated various applications of Monte Carlo methods for problems related to neutron, photon and electron transport through bulk media.

Expertise in Application of State-of-Art Computer Codes: MCNP/MCNPX, SCALE, ORIGEN, MONTEBURNS, QADCGGP.

Computer Experience:

15 years working experience in MS-DOS and WINDOWS Operating System.

4 years working experience in LINUX Operating System.

10 years programming experience using FORTRAN

1 year programming experience in C++.

 

Current Research Interests:

Monte Carlo Transport Methods in Reactor Physics & Radiation Shielding

Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) Core Physics Simulations

Safeguards Approaches & Analysis for FBR fuel cycles

Membership of Professional Bodies:

Member of American Nuclear Society (ANS) since 2008.

Member of Institute of Nuclear Materials Management since 2010.

Life Member of Indian Association of Radiation Protection, Secretary, Kalpakkam Chapter, 2005-2007.

Life member of Indian Society for Radiation Physics (ISRP), Treasurer, 2005-2007, National Body.

Hobbies:

Gardening; Reading, Listening to Indian film songs; Playing shuttle badminton

Scientific Journal Publications:

1.     “Detecting Nuclear Materials Smuggling: using Radiography to improve Container Inspection Policies”, Gary M. Gaukler, Chenhua Li, Rory Cannaday, Sunil S. Chirayath, Yu Ding, Springer Publication, Annals Operation Research, online 02 March 2010.

2.     “Neutronic and Nonproliferation Characteristics of (PuO2-UO2) and (PuO2-ThO2) as Fast Reactor Fuels”, Sunil Sunny Chirayath, Gordon Hollenbeck, Jean Ragusa and Paul Nelson, Elsevier International Journal – Nuclear Engineering and Design Vol. 239, 1916-1924, (2009).

3.     “VVER-1000 MOX Core Computational Benchmark Analysis using indigenous codes EXCEL, TRIHEX-FA and HEXPIN”, L. Thilagam, V. Jagannathan, C. Sunil Sunny and K.V. Subbaiah”, Elsevier International Journal – Annals of Nuclear Energy Vol. 36, 1502-1515, (2009).

4.     “A VVER-1000 LEU and MOX Assembly Computational Benchmark Analysis using the Lattice Burn-up code EXCEL” L. Thilagam, C. Sunil Sunny, V. Jagannathan, K.V. Subbaiah, Elsevier International Journal – Annals of Nuclear Energy Vol. 36, 505-519, (2009).

5.     “KAMINI Reactor Benchmark Analysis”, C. Sunil Sunny, D.K. Mohapatra, P. Mohanakrishnan and K.V. Subbaiah in the Elsevier International Journal – Annals of Nuclear Energy Vol. 35, 570-575, (2008).

6.     “Analysis of X-ray Spectrum obtained in Electron Cyclotron Resonance X-ray Source”, R. Baskaran, T.S. Selvakumaran and C. Sunil Sunny, Review of Scientific Instruments, Journal of American Institute of Physics, Vol. 77,  No. 3, February, (2006)

7.     “Dose Distribution for Endo-vascular Brachy-therapy using Ir-192 Sources: Comparison of Monte Carlo Calculations with Radio-chromic Measurements”, C.S. Surekha, C. Sunil Sunny, K.V. Subbaiah, P. Aruna and S. Ganesan, Physics in Medicine and Biology Journal, Journal of Institute of Physics (IOP) London, Vol. 52, pp 525-537, (2007).

8.     “Evaluation of Dosimetric Parameters for various Ir-192 Brachy-Therapy Sources under Unbounded Phantom Geometry by Monte Carlo Simulation”, K. Devan, P. Aruna, D. Manigandan, G. Bharanidharan, K.V. Subbaiah, C. Sunil Sunny, S. Ganesan, Medical Dosimetry Journal, Vol. 32 No. 4, pp 305-315, (2007).

9.      “Computation of Relative Dose Distribution and Effective Transmission around a Vaginal Cylinder with Ir-192 HDR Source using MCNP4B”, C.S. Surekha, C. Sunil Sunny, K.V. Subbaiah, P. Aruna and S. Ganesan, Medical Physics Journal, Scientific Journal of American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), Vol. 33, Issue 6, pp 1552-1561, June (2006).

10. “Monte Carlo Modeling of KAMINI”, D.K. Mohapatra, C. Sunil Sunny, P. Mohanakrishnan, K.V. Subbaiah, International Journal – Annals of Nuclear Energy Published by Elsevier, U.K., Volume  31, Number 18,  December (2004).

11. “Shield structure optimization studies for the west beam port of the KAMINI reactor”, C. Sunil Sunny and K.V. Subbaiah  in the International Journal – Annals of Nuclear Energy Published by Elsevier, U.K., Volume  31, Number 12,  August (2004).

12. “View-CXS: Neutron and Photon Cross-Sections Viewer”, K.V. Subbaiah and C. Sunil Sunny,  in the International Journal – Annals of Nuclear Energy Published by Elsevier, U.K., Volume 31, Number  8, May (2004).

13. “KAMINI Reactor South Beam Port Shield-Structure Optimization” K.V. Subbaiah and C. Sunil Sunny in the International Journal – Nuclear Technology Published by American Nuclear Society, Volume 135, Number 3, September (2001).

14. “A new look at Dosimetry System- DS86”, C.R. Gopalakrishnan and C. Sunil Sunny, International Conference on Radiation Protection Measurements and Dosimetry: Current Practices and Future Trends, Feb. 20-23, 2001, Mumbai, IARP & Journal of Radiation Protection and Environment, Jan-June, Vol. 24 No.1&2 (2001).

15. “Development of an ALARA Program based on Radiological Measurements at a Nuclear Power Plant”, C. Sunil Sunny, K.K. Narayanan and V.K. Gupta, Journal of radiation protection and environment, Jan-Mar, Vol. 23 No.1 (2000).

16. “Analysis of Routine Radiological Measurements in a Nuclear Power Plant”, V.K. Gupta and Sunil Sunny in the International Journal – Nuclear Technology published by American Nuclear Society, Volume 114, Number 3, June (1996).

Conference Proceedings and Reports:

(A) Reactor Physics & Radiation Shielding

1.     “Analysis of Advanced Fuel Assemblies for the LWRs”, A. Bingham, B. Bradley, Y.Zhang, J. Ragusa, S. Chirayath, K. Vierow,  Proceedings of the ANS Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, USA, June 14-18, 2009.

2.     “Validation and Application of Transport Theory Methods for Predicting Neutron Detector Readings in FBR In-core Shields”, D.K. Mohapatra, K. Devan, C. Sunil Sunny, Anurag Gupta, R.S. Modak and P.Mohanakrishnan, Contributed Paper towards PHYSOR-08, Interlaken, Switzerland, 14-19, September, 2008.

3.     “Criticality Safety of Stacked Fast Reactor Fuel Sub-assemblies”, S. Bera, C. Sunil Sunny and S.M. Lee, Seventeenth National Symposium on Radiation Physics, NSRP-17, Kolkata, India November 14-16, 2007.

4.     “Fuel Depletion and Fission Product Buildup Analysis of VVER-1000 type Reactor of KKNPP project using ORIGEN-S Module of SCALE Code System”, S. Bera, C. Sunil Sunny, V. Jagannathan, K.V. Subbaiah and S.M. Lee, Seventeenth National Symposium on Radiation Physics, NSRP-17, Kolkata, India November 14-16, 2007.

5.     “A VVER-1000 LEU and MOX Assembly Computational Benchmark Analysis using the Lattice Burn-up Code EXCEL”, L. Thilagam, C. Sunil Sunny, V. Jagannathan and K.V. Subbaiah, Seventeenth National Symposium on Radiation Physics, NSRP-17, Kolkata, India November 14-16, 2007.

6.     “Doppler Coefficient of Reactivity – Benchmark Calculations for Different Enrichments of UO2”, L. Thilagam, C. Sunil Sunny, K.V. Subbaiah, K. Devan, Lee Young-Seok, V. Jagannathan, Joint International Topical Meeting on Mathematics and Computations and Super Computing in Nuclear Applications, M&C + SNA April 15-19, 2007, Monterey, California, USA, (2007).

7.     “Steady State Fuel Cycle Analyses of KKNPP (VVER) with EXCEL-TRIHEX-FA Code System”, C. Sunil Sunny, L. Thilagam, S. Bera, V. Jagannathan and S.M. Lee, AERB-SRI Report No. AERB/SRI/20001/Restricted/SAR/01/REV-0, December 15, 2006.

8.     “Photo-neutron flux and Dose Rate Estimations for a Thoria Bundle Immersed in Heavy Water”, C. Sunil Sunny, S. Bera, L. Thilagam and K.V. Subbaiah, Proceedings of the BARC golden jubilee DAE-BRNS national workshop, NWND-2006, Mangalore University, November 8-11, 2006.

9.     “Photo-neutron flux and Dose Rate Estimations for a Thoria Bundle Immersed in Heavy Water”, C. Sunil Sunny, S. Bera, L. Thilagam and K.V. Subbaiah, AERB-SRI Report No. AER/SRI/21001/SCR/01/REV-A, October 2006.

10. “Criticality Safety of Stacked PFBR Fuel Sub-assemblies”, S. Bera, C. Sunil Sunny and S.M. Lee, AERB-SRI Report No. AERB/SRI/20501/SCR/01/REV-A, October 2006.

11. “Use of Source Subassemblies in Proto-type Fast Breeder Reactor for a Desirable Shutdown Count Rate with Availability of Detectors of 1 or 0.2 cps/nv Efficiency by Monte Carlo Calculation”, D. K. Mohapatra and C. Sunil Sunny,  PFBR Design Report No. PFBR/01113/DN/1056-Rev-B, IGCAR, Kalpakkam, India, July 31, 2006.

12.  “Computation of Gamma Dose Rates in Control Rooms of PFBR from Bottled Up Activity in RCB following CDA”, S. Baskar, C. Sunil Sunny, V. Rajagopal, K.V. Subbaiah, R. Indira, National Symposium on Radiation Physics, NSRP-16, Chennai, India, January 18-20, 2006.

13. “Effect of Water Content in Concrete on Transmission of Neutrons”, L. Thilagam,   C. Sunil Sunny and K.V. Subbaiah, National Symposium on Radiation Physics, NSRP-16, Chennai, India, January 18-20, 2006.

14. “Use of Source Subassemblies in Proto-type Fast Breeder Reactor for a Desirable Shutdown Count Rate with Availability of Detectors of 1 or 0.2 cps/nv Efficiency by Monte Carlo Calculation”, D. K. Mohapatra and C. Sunil Sunny,  PFBR Design Report No. PFBR/01113/DN/1056-Rev-A, IGCAR, Kalpakkam, India, Dec. 2005.

15. “Gamma Dose Mapping Studies at Various Locations from Bottled up Activity in RCB of PFBR following CDA”, S. Baskar, C. Sunil Sunny, V. Rajagopal,              K.V. Subbaiah, R. Indira, National Conference on Occupational and Environmental Radiation Protection, Indian Association for Radiation Protection, IARP-NC-2005, Mumbai, India, November 23-25, 2005.

16.  “Fast Reactor Bulk Shielding Benchmark-Inter Comparison of Calculations with Measurements”, H.K. Dravid, R. Indira, R.A. Agrawal, M.V. Gathibande, C. Sunil Sunny and K.V. Subbaiah, BARC/2002/Restricted/011, BARC, Mumbai, 2002.

17. “Transfer Arm Shield Design”, C. Sunil Sunny, S. Baskar, R. Sarangapani and K.V. Subbaiah, PFBR Design Report No. PFBR/DN/01115/1091 Rev. C, IGCAR, Kalpakkam, India, November, 2002.

18. “Mobile Shield Design for the West Beam Port of the KAMINI Reactor”, K.V. Subbaiah & C. Sunil Sunny, Contributed for the First Asian and Oceanic Congress for Radiation Protection (AOCRP-1) on Radiation Protection Toward the New Horizon, Seoul, Korea, October 20-24, 2002 conducted by the Korean Association for Radiation Protection, Asian & Oceanic Association for Radiation Protection and International Radiation Protection Association.

19. “View-CXS: Neutron and Photon Cross-Sections Viewer”, K.V. Subbaiah and C. Sunil Sunny, Contributed for the fourteenth national symposium on radiation physics (NSRP-14) Guru Nanak University, Amritsar, November 1-3, 2001.

20. “Mobile Shield Design for the West Beam Port of the KAMINI Reactor”, C. Sunil Sunny, S. Baskar and K.V. Subbaiah, Contributed for the fourteenth national symposium on radiation physics (NSRP-14) Guru Nanak University, Amritsar, November 1-3, 2001.

21.  “C. Sunil Sunny and K.V. Subbaiah”, Radiation Shield Design Evaluation for GE PET-trace Proton Cyclotron”, Seminar on Accelerator Safety Conducted by ISRP at Variable Energy Cyclotron Center, Kolkata, Nov. 16-17, 2000. 

22. “Comparison of Americium-Beryllium Neutron spectrum obtained using Activation Foil Detectors and NE-213 Spectrometer”, C. Sunil Sunny, T.S. Selvakumaran and K.V. Subbaiah, Proceedings of the 13th National Symposium on Radiation Physics, NSRP-13, Mangalore, India, Dec 21-23, 1999.

(B)Nuclear Security & Safeguards

23.  “Risk Informed Safeguards Integration Studies for a Fast Reactor Fuel Cycle”, Sunil Chirayath, William Charlton, Alissa Stafford, Christopher Myers, Braden Goddard, Jeremy Alfred, Mitchell Carroll, Matthew Sternat, Eric Rauch, Proceedings of the 51st Annual Meeting of the Institute of Nuclear Materials and Management, Baltimore, MD, USA, July 11-15, 2010.

24.  “MCNP as a System Optimization Tool for the Texas A&M University Safeguards Laboratory”, Claudio Gariazzo and Sunil Chirayath, Proceedings of the 51st Annual Meeting of the Institute of Nuclear Materials and Management, Baltimore, MD, USA, July 11-15, 2010.

25.  “Thorium Blended and regular MOX Burn-up Studies for Fast Reactor Fuel Cycle Safeguards”, Sunil Chirayath, Jean Ragusa, Paul Nelson, Proceedings of the 50th Annual Meeting of the Institute of Nuclear Materials and Management, Tucson, AZ, USA, July 12-16, 2009.

26.  “Assessment of Proliferation Resistance Requirements for Fast-reactor Fuel-cycle Facilities”, Sunil Chirayath, Richard Metcalf, Jean Ragusa and Paul Nelson, Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Facility Operations – Safeguards Interface, Portland, Oregon, USA, March 30 to April 4 2008.

(C)Reactor Dosimetry

26.  “Assessment of Collective Radiation Dose Budget for PHWR Stations”, V.K. Gupta and Sunil Sunny, Proceedings of the IARP conference held at AMRITSAR, India  (1997) and Journal of Radiation Protection and Environment Vol. 20, No. 1, (1997).

27.  “Modeling of Radiation Field Build-up on Boiler Cabinets at Rajasthan Atomic Power Station”, V.K. Gupta and Sunil Sunny, Proceedings of the Symposium on Current trends of water chemistry of nuclear and thermal power plants and other related units, BARC, MUMBAI, INDIA (1995).

28.  “Development of Performance Safety Indices – An approach”, V.K Gupta, V. Anuradha and C. Sunil Sunny, Proceedings of IARP conference, held at BARC, Mumbai, India (1994) IARP Bulletin.

29.  “Fuel Integrity and Dose Control”, V.K. Gupta and C. Sunil Sunny, Proceedings of IARP Conference, held at KANPUR, India (1993) IARP Bulletin.

 (D) Medical Physics

30.  “Monte Carlo Aided Dosimetric Comparison of LDR Sources”, K. Devan, P. Aruna, G. Manikandan, G. Bharanidharan, K.V. Subbaiah, C. Sunil Sunny, S. Ganesan, 26th International Conference on Medical Physics and Radiation Safety, AMPICON-2005, 10-12, November, 2005, Chennai, India.

31.  “Monte Carlo Aided Dose Mapping around Gold Plaque Opthalmic Irradiators using Ir-192 and I-125 Seeds”, C.S. Surekha, P. Aruna, S. Ganesan, K.V. Subbaiah,         C. Sunil Sunny, 26th International Conference on Medical Physics and Radiation Safety, AMPICON-2005, 10-12, November, 2005, Chennai, India.

32.  “Monte Carlo Computation of Air-Kerma Strength and Dose Rate Constant for Various Brachy-therapy Sources”, K. Devan, P. Aruna, G. Manigandan, G. Bharanidharan, K.V. Subbaiah, C. Sunil Sunny, S. Ganesan, 26th International Conference on Medical Physics and Radiation Safety, AMPICON-2005, 10-12, November, 2005, Chennai, India.

33.  “Neutron Dose Contribution to Patient from High Energy LINACs”, C. Sunil Sunny, K.V. Subbaiah, G. Janakiraman, L. Thilagam, 26th International Conference on Medical Physics and Radiation Safety, AMPICON-2005, 10-12, November, 2005, Chennai, India.

34.  “Method of Approach for Beam Flattening Filter Design of Medical LINACs”,        K.V. Subbaiah, C. Sunil Sunny, G. Janakiraman, L. Thilagam, 26th International Conference on Medical Physics and Radiation Safety, AMPICON-2005, 10-12, November, 2005, Chennai, India.

35.  “Monte Carlo Simulation of 6 MV Medical LINAC and Dose Calculations in Water Phantom – Virtual Source Model Method”, C. Sunil Sunny, K.V. Subbaiah, L.V. Narayana, K. Venugopal Reddy, World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, WC-2003, Sydney, Australia.

36.  “Simulation of Electron Linear Accelerator Head for 6MV Photon Beam Dose Calculations in Water Phantom Using Monte Carlo Methods”, C. Sunil Sunny, L.V. Narayana and K.V. Subbaiah; Synopsis for 23rd Annual Conference on Medical Physics & Radiation Safety, AMPICON-2K2, SMS Medical College & Hospital, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, 15-17, November, 2002. Journal of Medical Physics, Vol. 27, No.3 July – September 2002.

37.  “Monte Carlo Modeling of beam flattening filters of Medical Accelerators”, C. Sunil Sunny and K.V. Subbaiah, Contributed to the Symposium on Measurement and Computational Techniques in Radiation Physics and Safety, Dept. of Physics, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan organized by ISRP, Kolkata Chapter during February 10-12, 2002.