Pascal Girardin Email & Phone Number

France

Industrialization of innovating technologies, dedicated to nuclear fuel fabrication and waste processing. Numerical modelization of the relevant chemical and physical phenomena, optimisation of the process features and uncertainty management.CEA expert on the related themes.

My professional aim is to combine engineering actions related to thermal-physical phenomena in the nuclear realm, with applied research on the ways to reduce modelling uncertainty.I use the fine element method (for thermal and structural mechanics cases) and the fine volume method (for thermal-hydraulics case) to model complex equipment, experiments and industrial conditions. These continuum mechanics cases generally include an analysis of specific local phenomena, such as the ones involved in a liquid metal pool when bombarded by an energetic electron beam, the vibratory behaviour of a rotating machine, the setting of a cement-based matrix when mixed with nuclear waste sludge, or the sintering of nuclear oxides.All these engineering studies include the challenging task to evaluate the uncertainty gap between the simulation results and the reality. My professional path induced me to combine the classic deterministic approach (simulation of the worst case, considering the specification, the scenarios, and the evaluation method) with probabilistic methods, which allows some operational answers in spite of input data shortages.

Launching and management of technical and scientific research projets devoted to industrial applications, including nuclear fuel cycle, production of hydrogen and industrial sealing at high temperature. Collaboration with a large array of partners (with an industrial company associated in a joint laboratory, with industrial customers, with several universities, etc.).

Secondment on the research project Wendelstein 7-X.This world-class fusion plasma facility is presently build by the Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik at its Greifswald site (Germany).The current leads which allow the power income in the machine lie at the interface between the room-temperature external envelope and the cryogenic-temperature magnet system. As a consequence, the specification associated to their suspension sets includes some rather conflicting requirements. These support structures bring mechanical stability to the current leads and their associated bus bars, in the respect of very tight geometrical wants, coming from the very limited available breathing space in the densely packed cryostat. But on the opposite, each CL suspension must be flexible enough to accommodate the displacements of the internal magnet system, which originate from the cool down of the inner parts of the machine and then from the magnetization of the coils. In the context of a very sophisticated and reliable corporate QA system, the task set included:- the detailled design of the CL suspension design, from an initial proposal- the manufacturing and delivery of the first pieces, in accordance to the very tight W7-X assembly schedule.

Management of technical and scientific assistance projects, towards premier Russian and Ukrainian nuclear research institutes (TACIS programme, about 20 projects, for a total budget value of about 20 M€):• Analysis of the proposals issued by the beneficiary institutes and entities (talks with the ministries, national nuclear operators and prime research/engineering institutes),• Collaboration to the drafting of the annual programmes, and to the decisions regarding project financing,• Preparation of the project Terms of Reference, with the collaboration of JRC Petten (Institute of Energy),• Selection of the European contractors, and formal issue of the contracts. Administrative and financial contract management,• Collaboration with the external bodies in charge of programme impact monitoring.

Design and making of large R&D equipment (drafting of the technical specifications, management of the design studies, selection of suppliers, management of the procurement for a total budget of 2 M€).Launching of a new R&D programme (preparation of the technical and budgetary bid, presentation to the industrial client, direction of all the scientific and technical aspects).

CFD modelisation of melted metal pools.

1989-1991 Development Manager of a large numerical software (calculation of thermohydraulic transients in submarine nuclear reactor loops)Analysis of the theoretical aspects related to users’ requests, and then implementation of the software changes.1986-1989 Design Engineer (mechanic and thermal safety studies of nuclear equipments)Design of sub-systems of a submarine nuclear reactor.

Aberdeen, Uk-Scotland

Master Of Business Administration, Strategy, Finance, Performance Measurement, Prospective

'Diplôme De Perfectionnement En Administration Des Entreprises'

Graduate Engineer, Structural Mechanics

Former name, up to 1990 : 'Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Mécanique, Nantes'