Professor
Biography
2016 – Present
Professor, the University of Tennessee, leading research into common-cause failure for embedded digital devices and providing expertise to support development of I&C architectures for advanced reactors
2014 – 2015
Joint Faculty Professor, the University of Tennessee, providing technical expertise in support of liquid metal reactor modeling, control strategy development, and measurement capability determination
1986 – 2015
Senior Research and Development Engineer, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, conducting and directing research focusing on instrumentation and controls for small modular reactors, diversity and defense-in-depth strategies, interdivisional communications within highly integrated control rooms, field programmable gate array design approaches for safety-related applications, autonomous/supervisory control systems for advanced reactors and space reactors, environmental qualification of digital I&C equipment, electromagnetic compatibility of I&C systems, lightning protection of power plants, international licensing experience with advanced digital I&C systems, wireless technologies for nuclear plant I&C system communications, aging of I&C equipment and components, integrated I&C architectures for advanced light-water reactors, dynamic modeling and simulation of nuclear power plants, and automated acoustic data acquisition systems
1980 – 1986
Graduate Research Assistant of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, focusing on surveillance and diagnostic methodology development based on neutron noise and dynamic process modeling
Research
Nuclear instrumentation and control, reactor safety and licensing.
Co-Inventor, S. Patent Application Serial No. 08/443,292, “Automated Method for the Systematic Interpretation of Resonance Peaks in Spectrum Data”
Education
BS in Nuclear Engineering, 1980
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
PhD in Nuclear Engineering, 1990
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
Professional Service
US Chief Delegate to Subcommittee 45A of Technical Committee 45 for the International Electrotechnical Commission
Member of Subcommittee 2 of the Nuclear Power Engineering Committee for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Chair (2010-2012) of the Human Factors, Instrumentation, and Controls Division of the American Nuclear Society
Invited Subject Matter Expert and Chair for IAEA Consultancy Group on Avoiding Common Cause Failures in Digital Instrumentation and Control Systems at Nuclear Power Plants, 2006-2010
General Chair for American Nuclear Society Sixth International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control, and Human-Machine Interface Technologies (NPIC&HMIT 2009), Knoxville, TN, April
Publications
Ramuhalli, E. Hirt, G. Coles, R. Meyer, J. Coble, and R. Wood, “Controlling O&M Costs of Advanced SMRs using Prognostics & Enhanced Risk Monitoring,” Nuclear Plant Journal, Vol. 32, No. 1, Jan-Feb 2014.
T. Wood, M. D. Muhlheim, L. Pullum, C. M Smith, D. E. Holcomb, K. Korsah, “Update on Common-Cause Failure Experience and Mitigation Practices,” ORNL/TM- 2013/563, December 2013.
T. Wood, “U.S. Department of Energy Instrumentation and Controls Technology Research for Advanced Small Modular Reactors,” International Journal on Nuclear Safety and Simulation, Vol. 3, No. 4 (2012), pp. 292-299.
T. Wood and B. R. Upadhyaya, “An Approach to Autonomous Control for Space Nuclear Power Systems,” InTech – Nuclear Power / Book 4, 2011.
T. Wood and M. E. Waterman, “Strategies For Diversity Usage To Mitigate Postulated Common-Cause Failure Vulnerabilities,” Safety and Reliability Society Journal, Vol. 30, No. 4, April 2011.
T. Wood, R. Belles, M.S. Cetiner, D.E. Holcomb, K. Korsah, A.S. Loebl, G.T. Mays,
M.D. Muhlheim, J.A. Mullens, W.P. Poore, III, A.L. Quails, T.L. Wilson, Jr., and M.E. Waterman, Diversity Strategies for Nuclear Power Plant Instrumentation and Control Systems, NUREG/CR-7007, February 2010.
Zhao, B. R. Upadhyaya, and R. T. Wood, “Robust Dynamic Sensor Fault Detection and Isolation of Helical Coil Steam Generator Systems Using a Subspace Identification Technique,” Nuclear Technology, Vol. 153, No. 3 (2006), pp. 326-340.
T. Wood et al, Advanced Reactor Licensing: Experience with Digital I&C Technology in Evolutionary Plants, NUREG/CR-6842, April 2004.
March-Leuba and R. T. Wood, “Development of an Automated Approach to Control System Design,” Nuclear Technology, Vol. 141, No. 1 (2003), pp. 45-53.
Korsah and R. T. Wood, Application of Microprocessor-Based Equipment in Nuclear Power Plants–Technical Basis for a Qualification Methodology, NUREG/CR-6741, August 2001.