Thomas Butler Email & Phone Number

London, Gb

London Area, United Kingdom

During this summer placement I modelled thermally driven fracture in nuclear fuel pellets using phase field fracture methodology, to investigate its potential for further modelling applications within Imperial's Nuclear Research group. This involved producing an Abaqus model for a fuel pellet and applying the phase field model to a finite element mesh using Abaqus Subroutines. Throughout the placement, I tweaked and improved my model by manually editing the Abaqus input files and Fortran Subroutines. This placement was conducted from home using remote desktops.I continued this research in my final year as part of my Masters degree where I explicitly modelling the initial heat driven fracture process using a non-local phase field approach, embedded in a finite element code, and compared results to that generated by another non-local fracture method called peridynamics. This was completed under different time-to-power scenarios, reflecting the ambition for future reactors to quickly respond to grid demand through changes in their power output.

Derby, United Kingdom

Part of a team of nuclear engineers with capability in mechanical design and analysis, nuclear substantiation, nuclear safety case work and manufacturing consultancy.

I co-wrote and produced the Energy Journal's first video edition titled: "Power to the People: Global warming and Energy Production". This video summarises multiple articles written by students from UCL, LSE and Imperial College and presents them in an accessible format so that it may educate and attract young people to the energy sector. My responsibilities for this production were: editing articles and reducing them to a concise script format, interviewing members of the public, as well as, filming and producing the video with a fellow student.

National Grid West Area

• Performed daily/monthly mechanical and instrumental maintenance tasks around compressor station • Worked within a tight knit team to rapidly respond to alarms and station trips, keeping station online • Independently reacted to problems and frequently communicated with network engineering team • Trusted with a company vehicle enabling me to travel long distances at short notice to work on sites with large scale projects, including the removal and replacement of a ten-tonne heat exchanger. • Experience working on Rolls-Royce Avon, Solar Turbines and Siemens VSD gas turbines • Excellent punctual record and abidance to strict health and safety regulations