capstone project northeastern

• Request Information
• Find Faculty & Staff
• Info For Toggle Info Return to Menu Menu
• Search Open Search Close Search
• Message from the Chair
• Department Directory
• Undergraduate Studies
• Graduate Studies
• Co-op & Experiential Learning
• Research Themes
• Research Centers
• Faculty and Staff Directory
• Annual Reports
• Honors & Distinctions
• Faculty Authored Textbooks
• Faculty Hiring
• Student Groups
• Industrial Advisory Board
• Resources for Current Students
• Internal Department Portal
• In the Media
• Spotlight Stories

Capstone Senior Design (Capstone) is the final required course for the Bachelor’s degree; it provides the opportunity for students to integrate their curricular and experiential journeys into a multi-semester team project with a real-world outcome.

The Capstone experience applies the engineering sciences and other knowledge domains to the design of a system, component, product, process, and/or set of research inquiries. The Capstone projects reflect current, practical, and relevant industrial and mechanical engineering design projects or may involve a combination of both disciplines. Students bid for or develop their team’s particular design project with the approval of appropriate faculty.  In the project assignment process, design teams are self-formed, or configured of students with similar interest areas. Each project includes the use of open-ended problems, development and application of research and design methodologies, formulation of design problem statements and specifications, generation and consideration of alternative solutions, along with safety, usability and feasibility considerations, and detailed system descriptions. It also includes realistic constraints such as economic factors, sustainability, along with global and social impact, to name a few.  Throughout the Capstone experience, students are also challenged to think and act as a ‘team’ and to consider how notions of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging affect their decisions, actions, and results.

Capstone projects are often sponsored by outside clients, including early-stage ventures arising from NU’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem.  Sometimes, ambitious student-proposed technical ideas can (and have) become startup ventures themselves.

Sponsor a Project

The breadth of engineering challenges, both ME and IE, reflect the diversity of the project sponsors. Our sponsors, both corporate and non-profits, range from the aerospace industry to biomedical and regional hospitals. Department faculty sponsor projects for related to their research interests and for custom equipment for their research labs and, increasingly, students enter the program bringing their own sophisticated projects.

In many respects, our project sponsors are the life blood of the program. They bring current real world problems to the students and expect real solutions. Sponsors want to know the patent searches will be done and that intellectual property rights have been considered and protected.

The project sponsors must provide a contact person and are expected to provide timely feedback and interactions. The project should include a prototype deliverable or implemented solution. A “not for work” grant to be negotiated and expensive required items for the prototype are requested from the sponsor. Northeastern will provide computer simulation and basic machining processes. It is usually for the corporate sponsor and Capstone Design Coordinator to discuss and negotiate the details of this arrangement. Protection of the sponsor’s intellectual property is a major concern throughout this process.

At the beginning of the two semester sequence, the students self-assemble into groups and, after reviewing project descriptions, indicate their preferences. The preferences are used to assign the projects. Once projects are assigned, the students meet with their faculty advisor weekly and with representatives of the sponsor, through onsite visits, Skype or teleconferences, on a basis determined by the sponsor. The evaluation and reporting processes are tightly structured. The program culminates with a day long series of public presentations judged by a panel of our alumni.

• Request Information
• Find Faculty & Staff
• Info For Toggle Info Return to Menu Menu
• Search Open Search Close Search
• Message from the Chair
• Mission & Vision
• Department Directory
• Undergraduate Studies
• Graduate Studies
• Co-op & Experiential Learning
• Technical Areas
• Research Thrusts
• COVID-19 Research
• Research Centers
• Faculty and Staff Directory
• Annual Reports
• Honors & Distinctions
• Faculty Hiring
• Faculty Authored Books
• Part-time Faculty and Visiting Scholars
• Student Groups
• Industrial Advisory Board
• Resources for Current Students
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice
• Distinguished Seminar Series
• Lunch & Learn Seminar Series
• In the Media
• Spotlight Stories

Capstone Senior Design Project

The culmination of the undergraduate experience, “Capstone” is an opportunity for students to exhibit the totality of skills developed throughout their program and a required component of Northeastern’s premier Experiential Learning model.

About the Courses

Within the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering undergraduate majors, students choose between three capstone subdisciplines:

CIVE 4765 Senior Design Project – Environmental Cohort

CIVE 4767 Senior Design Project – Structural Cohort

CIVE 4768 Senior Design Project – Transportation Cohort

Each subdiscipline may have unique prerequisites. Please consult the Catalog and speak with your advisor about planning for your capstone course.

Working in teams, students design a civil or environmental engineering project that primarily involves the requisite subdiscipline. Design teams are advised by a faculty member and engineering practitioners. Lectures cover supplemental technical background specific to the project, as well as cross-disciplinary aspects of project development, value engineering, aesthetics, and constructability. Students present their projects to practicing engineers and interested parties such as community groups.

What Will I Be Doing?

Examples of CEE Capstone Projects

Civil and environmental engineers develop solutions to some of the most important and challenging problems facing society, such as climate change, energy management, sustainability, public health, and the building of the cities of the future. Past students have worked with a wide range of stakeholders, including state and local governments, private businesses, consulting and design firms, and others to mentor them in their design ideas.

You may be flying drones to survey roads for your proposal on new bike lanes, designing and testing the strength of connectors for novel timber-based construction materials at our STReSS Lab , or replicating techniques used by aquatic plants to create innovative barriers that protect coastal communities from storm surges.

• CEE Capstone Students Named Biomimicry Global Design Challenge Finalists & (poster)
• Rethinking the Design of Refugee Camps
• Transforming MBTA Bus Rt. 39 into Safe and Efficient Multimodal Corridor
• Timber-based Viewing Tower at Acadia National Park
• Rapid Deployment Structure for Disaster Response
• Charles River Green Infrastructure for Climate Resiliency
• Climate Resiliency Plan for Medford, MA
• Connecting Neighborhoods to Nature: Maple Street Redesign

CEE Senior Day: Community and Celebration

CEE Capstone courses are completed with a two-day series of events each April, where faculty and staff come together to celebrate the Seniors’ hard work. On day one, students from all three cohorts present their projects to the public at the Senior Capstone Poster Fair . This event is followed by a NUASCE BBQ organized by the Northeastern Chapter of ASCE. Day two, or CEE Senior Day , begins with a Senior Breakfast , followed by formal, in-depth Capstone Presentations from each team to faculty and project stakeholders. Upon completion of presentations, students attend the Brick Ceremony and Awards Celebration, where each senior participates in the longstanding tradition of receiving a commemorative CEE Brick and plaque, an iconic building material symbolizing the “laying of the first brick” in the construction of a bright career. Select students are recognized through the bestowal of a series of awards and scholarships. Finally, the day is completed with a Senior Luncheon to celebrate the completion of the Capstone experience.

Join Us for an Information Session About Criminal Justice

Thursday, June 13 at 12:00 PM (ET)

Join Us for an Information Session About Public Affairs Education

Tuesday, June 11 at 12:00 PM (ET)

Master of Public Policy

The Master of Public Policy (MPP) is the industry standard among public policy professionals. It emphasizes the analysis of data and other relevant information to assess public problems, develop appropriate policy responses, and evaluate program effectiveness. Northeastern University’s MPP program is dedicated to developing policies that create more just, equitable, and resilient cities.

With the option to take courses online, on campus in Boston, or on campus in Arlington, this degree allows students to exchange diverse views, consult with faculty, and work collaboratively no matter where they are in the world. MPP graduates enter careers as policy analysts, researchers, consultants, program evaluators, and policymakers in a broad range of public, nonprofit, and private sector settings.

“I chose the MPP program because public policy decisions affect every part of our lives, and I knew that I wanted to be a part of affecting policy change on principles of equity and improving the lives of underprivileged, underserved communities. . . .The MPP program allowed me to better understand the nuances of policy creation and the factors that prevent or spur policy development.” Katie Kalugin, MPP ’18

Northeastern MPP at a Glance

• Take courses online, on campus in Boston, or on campus in Arlington, or a combination of all three
• The upcoming start date is May 6, 2024 .
• Courses taken at Northeastern University outside of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities are subject to different tuition rates.
• Complete an optional concentration or certificate of specialization

Master of Public Policy Overview

The Northeastern MPP takes a practice-oriented, research-based approach. Students build a toolkit of essential skills in analysis, evaluation, statistical, economic, and decision-making. They also gain advanced technology skills, including Big Data analytics, data visualization, programming languages such as R and Python, GIS applications, and artificial intelligence. In addition to technical skills, the MPP program prioritizes social, economic, and racial justice to equip students with the people skills that employers ask for.

All of our MPP courses incorporate real-life case studies and we partner with public and private organizations to offer on-the-job training through co-op, capstones, and internships.

Students can choose to take all courses online, on campus in Boston, or on campus in Arlington. They can also mix and match modalities. All online classes are offered asynchronously and all on-campus courses take place after 5 p.m. to accommodate employment and co-op opportunities.

Learn more about completing your degree in Boston, in Arlington, or online.

Program Goals and Learning Outcomes

As a professionally oriented graduate program, the MPP develops leaders for a changing world through:

• Coursework that combines methodological rigor, diverse analytical tools, and real-world relevance through applied policy projects (e.g., program evaluations, field research)
• Policy-relevant internships and co-ops with real-world employers plus opportunities to work with faculty on applied, participatory, and action research that’s community engaged
• Team-based capstone projects that deliver actionable advice to a range of local and regional clients

Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

• Analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make decisions
• Identify and explain the institutional, structural, and political contexts of policymaking
• Employ analytical tools to collect, analyze and interpret data, including appropriate statistical concepts and techniques
• Anticipate in and contribute to the public policy process
• Communicate results of analysis and interact productively with diverse audiences
• Assess policies, research methods, and practices using a social justice lens

Master of Public Policy Admission Requirements

• Completed online application
• Application fee ($100)
• Personal statement
• Unofficial transcripts from all institutions attended
• Three letters of recommendation

Applicants to the MPP program are not required to submit GRE scores.

Visit our admissions page for more details about application requirements, tuition, and financial aid.

“Northeastern is an exciting and dynamic place, and we attract students who reflect that.” Alicia Sasser Modestino, associate professor, School of Public Policy & Urban Affairs and the Department of Economics

Program Curriculum

The Master of Public Policy at Northeastern consists of 40 semester hours and can be completed in as little as 1.5 years (4 semesters as a full-time student). Our online and on-campus modalities include the same core courses and are taught by exceptional faculty with extensive experience working for public policy organizations, government agencies, private sector enterprises, and nonprofits.

The MPP is designed for students whose career goals are to analyze problems, strategize and devise policy options, assess the impacts of the alternatives, and advocate for effective solutions.

The curriculum focuses on developing competencies in statistical analysis, research methods, policy analysis, and program evaluation. Our courses teach students to think strategically and act ethically. MPP courses include:

• Techniques of Program Evaluation
• Techniques of Policy Analysis
• Research Methods in Social Sciences
• Statistical Analysis
• Economic Analysis for Policy and Planning
• Strategizing Public Policy
• Capstone in Public Policy and Urban Affairs

Visit our MPP curriculum page for more information, including a full course list with descriptions.

Choose a Concentration or a Certificate

Students who would like to target specific areas of expertise can add an optional concentration or earn a specialty certificate alongside their public policy master’s degree.

Concentration Options

• Healthcare Management and Policy
• Sustainability and Climate Change Policy

Certificate Options

• Computational Social Science
• Information Ethics
• Nonprofit Sector, Philanthropy, and Social Change
• Security and Resilience Studies
• Urban Analytics
• Urban Studies

Find out more about these customization options .

Experiential Learning: Real-World Experience for Real-World Impact

Our experiential learning opportunities are a hallmark of Northeastern’s graduate programs in public policy. The co-op is our signature program, where students earn graduate credit for full-time work at a partner organization.

The MPP requires a capstone project with a real-world client, and students can also learn experientially through internships and partnerships with research labs and centers. Students also get practical experience throughout their coursework with case studies, small group exercises, applied projects, action research, and more.

Visit our experiential learning page for more information.

Master of Public Policy Careers

This program equips graduates with the conceptual, analytical, and methodological tools necessary for rewarding careers as policy analysts, researchers, consultants, program evaluators, and policymakers. Our goal is to prepare students to be effective in a dynamic and increasingly diverse professional environment. This includes assisting students in every possible way to secure internships, post-graduate employment, and career advancement.

NU graduates work in a broad range of public and nonprofit settings, ranging from local to international, and in the private sector.

Learn more about salaries and careers with a Master of Public Policy degree.

100% The job placement rate of the 2021–22 graduates of Northeastern’s MPP program

Interested in a role focused on the management and implementation of public policies? Northeastern also offers a Master of Public Administration (MPA) . To compare the degrees, view our article on the differences between an MPA and MPP .

Get Started Now

Fill out the form to learn more and download a brochure about Northeastern University’s Master of Public Policy .

You can also email [email protected] or call us toll-free at +1 877.377.2739 or at +1 617.655.6736 to talk with one of our admissions counselors.

Northeastern University has engaged AllCampus to help support your educational journey. AllCampus will contact you shortly in response to your request for information. About AllCampus . Privacy Policy . You may opt out of receiving communications at any time.

* All Fields are Required. Your Privacy is Protected.

In this Section

Get started, connect with us.

• alternate_email [email protected]
• call +1 617.655.6736
• call +1 877.377.2739 (toll-free)

• Request Information
• Find Faculty & Staff
• Info For Toggle Info Return to Menu Menu
• Search Open Search Close Search
• Message from the Chair
• Department Directory
• Undergraduate Studies
• Graduate Studies
• Co-op & Experiential Learning
• Research Areas
• Research Centers and Institutes
• Faculty and Staff Directory
• Part-Time Faculty
• Annual Reports
• Honors & Distinctions
• Faculty Hiring
• Student Groups
• ECE Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• Industrial Advisory Board
• Resources for Current Students
• In the Media
• ECE Student Stories

ECE Capstone

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) offers the Capstone Design senior level course, which is mandatory for all students. This two semester long course is one of the most challenging, exciting, and successful programs on campus. A number of industrial partners, research institutions, business school in connection to the entrepreneurship program, as well as many other internal and external sources are involved with this course.

The main objective of this course is to provide a multidisciplinary experience, integrating knowledge from the core, intermediate, and advanced courses in electrical and computer engineering. It has a single major course objective with a working project as an output. The course intends to give students experience in finding a satisfactory solution of an open-ended problem, which has more than one solution, and where the solution involves actual hardware that needs to work. The design is carried out in engineering teams.

Project Categories

A project involving each team gives valuable experience in planning, division of work, and maintaining individual accountability within a framework of group success. The students select projects according to the following three categories: (1) Industry-based capstone design projects, which are sponsored by industry; (2) Faculty-based advanced research projects, which are proposed by faculty through research centers such as CenSSIS, CDSP, etc; and (3) Student-based capstone design projects, which are proposed by the innovative ideas stemming from the students themselves.

Project Teams

Every year 20 teams are involved with fascinating projects trying to accomplish their design tasks. Each team consists of 4-6 members with expertise in hardware, software, signal processing, and system knowledge including communications and control systems. Constructed from solid devices, microprocessor, sensors, and other electronic components (all purchased within a specified budget), more than 80% of the projects are successfully completed. This is how our senior undergraduate students taking on challenging, hands-on engineering capstone design projects, building useful state of the art systems, guided by the faculty advisors. The students perform the design tasks in the capstone design laboratory, which is accessible 24 hours. A design competition is the final stage of this program in which a number of expert judges from the industry are invited to evaluate the best three projects.

A natural outcome of capstone experience is to introduce a strategy for reliable integration of research and curriculum development. It becomes possible to link multidisciplinary projects that integrate new; state-of-the-art research advances in emerging technology areas into upper-level undergraduate engineering curricula. A major objective is to involve faculty and researchers with the capstone program. In addition, this interaction is a motivating factor for our students to pursue graduate studies, to enhance their skills, and to facilitate employment opportunities.

Remote Capstone Design Policy

Capstone Director

Control Systems and Signal Processing; Robust and Optimal Control, Positive Dynamic Systems, Fault Detection, Observer Theory, Robotics and Distributed Control of Multi-Agent Systems, Control of Biological Systems

• Project Title: Modular Accessible Controller System (MACS) (First Place) Team: William Eric Freeman, Natalie Potapov, Yuyang Zhou, Michael Mccooey, Jarrett Anderson, Liam Kennedy Advisor: Professor Canek Fuentes
• Project Title: Best In Kard Entertainment (BIKE) (First Place) Team:, Jackson Heun, Adin Moses, Connor Nelson, Tyler Passerine, Sharwin Patil, Christopher Swagler Advisor: Professor Canek Fuentes
• Project Title: Tunnel Device (Second Place) Team:, Yoseph Hamad , Ravi Prasad, Brian Schubert, Jonathan Tan, Micah Weston Advisor: Professor Kaushik Chowdhury
• Project Title: RIFT: Robotic Intelligent Foosball Table (Second Place) Team: Jared Bingham, Theodore Davidson, Sunny Gu, Juan Martos , Owen Van Sickle Advisor: Professor Thomas Consi
• Project Title: Autonomous Navigation and Docking for Distributed Robots (Third Place) Team: Jarrad Homer , Maulik Patel, Ben-Oni Voinqueur, David Antaski, Musheera Khondoker Advisor: Professor Bahram Shafai
• Project Title: ExpLoRa: LoRa-based Telemetry System (Third Place) Team:, Brinda Dhawan, Jia Mu, Anthony Lee, Peter Rydzynski, Matthew McCauley, Owandari Briggs Advisor: Professor Bahram Shafai
• Project Title: Sperm Whale Automated Tagging (SWAT) System (First Place) Team: Yonatan Arieh, Saul Blain, Peter Chang, Matthew Davidsen, Henry Psaltos, Nicole Tanneli Advisor: Professor Bahram Shafai
• Project Title: MOTION: MAV Operated Tunnel Inspection using Object-classification Neural Networks (First Place) Team: Christian Burwell, Tianqi Huang, Rohit Pal, Michael Shen, Harrison Sun, Eagle Yuan Advisor: Professor Bahram Shafai and Taskin Padir
• Project Title: Multi-Screen LED Entertainment System ( MSLES) (Second Place) Team: Colin Boisvert, William Hsia, Sean Magee, James Packard, Owen Zhang Advisor:Professor Charles Dimarzio
• Project Title: Interface for Mobile Performance Analysis and Concussion Tracking ( I.M.P.A.C.T.) (Second Place) Team: Anthony Britton, Joe Durkin, Jack Duval, Steven Fried, Alex Kerwick, Michael Maurer Advisor: Professor Masoud Salehi
• Project Title: Wheelchair Add-On Kit (Third Place) Team: Peter Brown, Ian Chan, Alejandro Hervella, Gokce Saracoglu, William Tower Advisor: Professor Masoud Salehi
• Project Title: The Chandelier Project (Third Place) Team: Philip Andress, Gabriel Jentis, Patrick Jimenez, Conor McNulty, James Napier, Nicholas Thevenin Advisor: Professor Taskin Padir
• Project Title: Terrestrial Roving Automatic Scrap Harvester (TRASH) (First Place) Team: John Chiaramonte, Jack Fenton, Lee Milburn, Catherine Ellingham, Jared Raines, Divya Venkatraman Advisor: Professor Waleed Meleis
• Project Title: Autonobee (First Place) Team: Patrick Taylor, Nicole Johnson, Samuel Allegretti, Christian Bobowicz, Shawn Padilla Advisor: Professor Waleed Meleis
• Project Title: MyoArm: Teleoperation Protocol of Robotic Arm using Surface Electromyography (Second Place) Team: Spencer Lake Jacobs-Skolik, Eric Alvarez, Joshua Kwok, Samuel Lambrecht, Rodrigo Panayotti Faraj Advisor: Professor Bahram Shafai
• Project Title: Distributed System for Localization and Mapping (DLAM) (Second Place) Team: Spencer Brennessel, Ivan Kartashov, Arthur Kautz, Joe Yang, Joshua Zak Advisor: Professor Bahram Shafai
• Project Title: NOTUS: An IOT Smart Ventilation System (Third Place) Team: Mallory Brown, Michael Gesuale, Kenny Lam, Ilaria Manneschi, Eric Pedersen, John Soliven Advisor: Professor Waleed Meleis
• Project Title: Ride the Wave: Accessible Oscilloscope for Visually Impaired (Third Place) Team: Nicholas Fantasia, Jack Leightcap, Alex Marley, Nicholas Mullikin , Connor Northway Advisor: Professor Waleed Meleis

• Project Title: The Flying Fisherman (First Place) Team :  Padraic Burns, Brayden Lung, Ryan Lung, Julian Braun, John Bonilla Advisor: Professor Bahram Shafai

• Project Title: Universal Power Converter (UPC) (First Place) Team :  Anthony Cherubino, David Boullie, Jacob Landgrebe, Nicholas Hulsey, Soohan Kim Advisor: Professor Bahram Shafai
• Project Title: Drone Inspection in Virtual Reality ( OVRLook) (Second Place) Team: Emily Belk, Jonathan Cohen, Ryan Milligan, Jan Ritzenhoff, and Jason Serpe Advisor: Professor Taskin Padir
• Project Title: SmartyPill – Automatic Pill Dispensing: Chuck 2 (Second Place) Team: Matthew Swenson, Thomas Keith, Christian Kuss, Brock Fenbert, Thomas Doyle Advisor: Professor Charles Dimarzio
• Project Title: SkinSweep (Third Place) Team: Josh Fish, Jake Howard, Reed Kellett, Oliver Vazquez, Alan Zhou Advisor: Professor Bahram Shafai
• Project Title: Autonomous Robot for Ultraviolet Sanitization (ARUS) (Third Place) Team: Evan Aguirre, Zialynn Anderson, Gavin Chandler, Matthew Downing, Arkin Mukherjee, Parth Parekh Advisor: Professor Bahram Shafai

• DISCLOSE YOUR INVENTION
• NEW FACULTY IP ONBOARDING
• PATENT & COPYRIGHT
• CAPSTONE PROTOCOL
• CONFLICT OF INTEREST
• IP GLOSSARY
• VENTURE SUPPORT PROGRAMS
• SPINOUT COMPANY DIRECTORY
• FOUNDER COMPLIANCE
• EXPRESS LICENSE
• VENTURE RESOURCES
• VENTURE CALENDAR
• FIND A STARTUP OPPORTUNITY
• FIND A TECHNOLOGY
• COMMERCIALIZATION

THE CENTER FOR RESEARCH INNOVATION

Capstone protocol overview.

Here is guidance for interpreting the university’s intellectual property policy, particularly regarding ownership of undergraduate intellectual property.

Generally, undergraduate students retain ownership rights in any intellectual property (IP) they invent as part of their coursework, specifically including Capstone projects. There are exceptions, including grants or corporate sponsorships that stipulate that students must assign their rights. In these latter cases, students should understand, prior to beginning any work, that they will be required to assign their rights to the University, and any student who objects to such assignment is to be given the chance to select an alternative project.

If the Capstone students are the only inventors on a particular invention, then they decide how to proceed with protecting and commercializing the invention. Should they wish to proceed independently, the students do NOT need to file an invention disclosure with CRI since it is not University-owned IP.

In some cases, students may seek to transfer ownership and rights in the IP to the University for patent protection and commercialization. In that event, students will connect with the CRI’s commercialization team to discuss commercialization opportunities and to understand the process of assigning rights to the University. If CRI determines that there is sufficient interest in protecting the IP, the students will be asked to submit an Invention Disclosure and assign rights to the University.

If the CRI decides to commercialize the invention and Northeastern receives income as a result, all inventors share as spelled out in the Faculty Handbook (“ Patent and Copyright” section ).

For further information or questions, please contact our Intellectual Property team , and have any invention-related funding documents on hand since ownership and obligations with respect to intellectual property are usually governed by the funding agreements.

• Request Information
• Find Faculty & Staff
• Industry Partnerships
• Current Students
• Faculty & Staff
• Talent Recruiters
• Search Open Search Close Search
• Message from Dean
• College Leadership
• Quick Facts
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Accreditation
• Faculty & Staff Directory
• Academic Programs
• Academic Departments
• Undergraduate Studies
• Graduate School of Engineering
• Business, Entrepreneurship and Leadership
• Co-op & Experiential Learning
• Clubs & Organizations
• Research Centers & Institutes
• Research Facilities
• Publications & Patents
• Industry Partnership
• Student Research
• Honors & Distinctions
• Annual Reports
• Faculty Hiring
• In the Media
• Spotlight Stories

Bioengineering Capstone Team Featured in NSIN Newsletter

Photo courtesy of John Griffin

The National Security Innovation Network (NSIN) featured Northeastern Bioengineering Capstone Team D in their national newsletter. The capstone project “Drone-Aided Forest Health Monitoring For Sustainable, Regulation-Conscious Harvest Of Wood Biomass,” sponsored by the NSIN and the United States Space Force, was selected out of all their sponsored capstone projects across the country. Capstone Team D, advised by Associate Teaching Professor Michael Jaeggli, included bioengineering undergraduates Madeline Brookings, Daniela Elder-Gotta, Sara Khanna, Lauren Morris, Ilsa Olsen, and Kelli Valentini.

Capstone Team D posing with their sensor system device.

Motivation, Background, and Overview

The United States Space Force asked the National Security Innovation Network to evaluate a key issue for using the New Boston Space Force Station (NBSFS) as a source for wood biomass. NBSFS is located on a 2,800-acre temperate timberland in New Hampshire. Wood biomass is regarded as a carbon-neutral energy source; however, clearing timber releases sequestered greenhouse gases and reduces the filtration of airborne particulate matter (PM) by plant surfaces. The intention of this project is to develop a sensor system that, in the future, can be integrated with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for continual monitoring of forest gas emissions and particulate matter levels—promoting responsible forest management and air quality maintenance throughout the process of biomass harvest. Historically, such monitoring has been accomplished with satellite technology and fixed monitoring stations; however, the coverage of the former is too broad for accurate measurement, while the latter lacks necessary mobility to cover the entire site. Similar existing products are either commercially unavailable, out-of-budget, or not specialized to comprehensively monitor forest gases and particulate matter. Sensors capable of precise detection of the target species—namely carbon dioxide (CO2 ), PM2.5, and PM10—include the SCD-30 NDIR CO2 sensor and the Plantower PMSA003I Air Quality Breakout sensor. Sensor array housing, power source, microcontroller integration, and data handling software are considered in a series of trade studies—wherefrom leading design components are indicated. Team D has constructed an independent sensor system to aid in indication of the impact of biomass harvest on local greenhouse gas flux, PM presence, and thus forest heath—designed with reference to the accuracy of acquired data, price, component availability, upkeep, ability to withstand atmospheric conditions, and compatibility with a commercially available drone. By conducting drone-based testing and stationary pole-mounted testing of the system at the Northeastern University Burlington Expeditionary Cyber and Unmanned Aerial System (ECUAS) Lab, individual sensor data acquisition interference caused by the drone and neighboring sensors was evaluated prior to the presentation of the final prototype. Though external to the scope of BIOE Capstone, an eventual goal is onsite, drone-mounted sampling at NBSFS.

Related Faculty: Michael Jaeggli

Related Departments:Bioengineering

• Northeastern University
• College of Engineering
• Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
• Undergraduate Capstone Projects

Undergraduate Capstone Projects Collection

Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Undergraduate Capstone Projects

http://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20233467

Abutment hammering tool for dental implants

The active bumper systems

The adaptive optics demonstration device

Adhesive temperature data-logger

Air mass flow rate measurement

Airplane storage rack

Allied Domecq Trombo group project

Ambulatory intravenous fluid holder

Americorps service-based project

Antarctic cycle

• Key figures
• Nuclear fuel cycle
• History of cooperation
• Areas of cooperation
• Procurement standart
• Useful links
• How to become a supplier
• Procurement
• Rosatom in the media
• Rosatom newsletter
• Infographics

© 2008–2024 The State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM

• Rosatom Global presence
• Rosatom in region
• For suppliers
• Preventing corruption
• Press centre

ROSATOM completes development of the new VVER-440 fuel for Hungary’s Paks NPP

• 13 October, 2020 / 14:24

This site uses cookies. By continuing your navigation, you accept the use of cookies. For more information, or to manage or to change the cookies parameters on your computer, read our Cookies Policy. Learn more

Tvel completes development of new fuel for Paks nuclear plant

!{Model.Description}

The full package of documents is handed over to the Hungarian customer, MVM Paks Ltd, for further licensing of the new fuel by the national nuclear power regulator, Tvel said.

The first fuel assemblies have also passed acceptance testing at Tvel's Elemash Machine-building plant in Elektrostal, Moscow region.

The new modification of VVER-440 second generation fuel increases the efficiency of fuel usage and advances the economic performance of the power plant operation, Tvel said.  

The engineering contract for development of the new VVER-440 fuel was signed in late 2017. The development and validation work involved a number of Russian enterprises, including OKB Gidropress (a part of Rosatom machine-building division Atomenergomash), Bochvar Institute (material science research facility of TVEL Fuel Company), Elemash Machine-building plant and Kurchatov Institute national research center. At the site of OKB Gidropress research and experiment facility, the new fuel passed a range of hydraulic, longevity and vibration tests .

The first consignment of the modified fuel will be delivered to Paks nuclear power plant later this year. The four-unit Paks nuclear plant, which entered operation between 1982 and 1987 currently operate on a 15-month fuel cycle and supply around 50% of Hungary's electricity.

Photo: Fabrication of new VVER-440 fuel for Paks nuclear plant (Credit: Tvel)

• Terms and conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Newsletter sign up
• Digital Edition
• Editorial Standards

For the first time Rosatom Fuel Division supplied fresh nuclear fuel to the world’s only floating nuclear cogeneration plant in the Arctic

The fuel was supplied to the northernmost town of Russia along the Northern Sea Route.

The first in the history of the power plant refueling, that is, the replacement of spent nuclear fuel with fresh one, is planned to begin before 2024. The manufacturer of nuclear fuel for all Russian nuclear icebreakers, as well as the Akademik Lomonosov FNPP, is Machinery Manufacturing Plant, Joint-Stock Company (MSZ JSC), a company of Rosatom Fuel Company TVEL that is based in Elektrostal, Moscow Region.

The FNPP includes two KLT-40S reactors of the icebreaking type. Unlike convenient ground-based large reactors (that require partial replacement of fuel rods once every 12-18 months), in the case of these reactors, the refueling takes place once every few years and includes unloading of the entire reactor core and loading of fresh fuel into the reactor.

The cores of KLT-40 reactors of the Akademik Lomonosov floating power unit have a number of advantages compared to the reference ones: a cassette core was used for the first time in the history of the unit, which made it possible to increase the fuel energy resource to 3-3.5 years between refuelings, and also reduce the fuel component of the electricity cost by one and a half times. The FNPP operating experience formed the basis for the designs of reactors for nuclear icebreakers of the newest series 22220. Three such icebreakers have been launched by now.

For the first time the power units of the Akademik Lomonosov floating nuclear power plant were connected to the grid in December 2019, and put into commercial operation in May 2020. The supply of nuclear fuel from Elektrostal to Pevek and its loading into the second reactor is planned for 2024. The total power of the Akademik Lomonosov FNPP, supplied to the coastal grid of Pevek without thermal energy consumption on shore, is about 76 MW, being about 44 MW in the maximum thermal power supply mode. The FNPP generated 194 million kWh according to the results of 2023. The population of Pevek is just a little more than 4 thousand, while the FNPP has a potential for supplying electricity to a city with a population of up to 100 thousand people. After the FNPP commissioning two goals were achieved. These include first of all the replacement of the retiring capacities of the Bilibino NPP, which has been operating since 1974, as well as the Chaunskaya TPP, which has already been operating for more than 70 years. Secondly, energy is supplied to the main mining companies in western Chukotka in the Chaun-Bilibino energy hub a large ore and metal cluster, including gold mining companies and projects related to the development of the Baimsk ore zone. In September 2023, a 110 kilovolt power transmission line with a length of 490 kilometers was put into operation, connecting the towns of Pevek and Bilibino. The line increased the reliability of energy supply from the FNPP to both Bilibino consumers and mining companies, the largest of which is the Baimsky GOK. The comprehensive development of the Russian Arctic is a national strategic priority. To increase the NSR traffic is of paramount importance for accomplishment of the tasks set in the field of cargo shipping. This logistics corridor is being developed due regular freight voyages, construction of new nuclear-powered icebreakers and modernization of the relevant infrastructure. Rosatom companies are actively involved in this work. Rosatom Fuel Company TVEL (Rosatom Fuel Division) includes companies fabricating nuclear fuel, converting and enriching uranium, manufacturing gas centrifuges, conducting researches and producing designs. As the only nuclear fuel supplier to Russian NPPs, TVEL supplies fuel for a total of 75 power reactors in 15 countries, for research reactors in nine countries, as well as for propulsion reactors of the Russian nuclear fleet. Every sixth power reactor in the world runs on TVEL fuel. Rosatom Fuel Division is the world’s largest producer of enriched uranium and the leader on the global stable isotope market. The Fuel Division is actively developing new businesses in chemistry, metallurgy, energy storage technologies, 3D printing, digital products, and decommissioning of nuclear facilities. TVEL also includes Rosatom integrators for additive technologies and electricity storage systems. Rosenergoatom, Joint-Stock Company is part of Rosatom Electric Power Division and one of the largest companies in the industry acting as an operator of nuclear power plants. It includes, as its branches, 11 operating NPPs, including the FNPP, the Scientific and Technical Center for Emergency Operations at NPPs, Design and Engineering as well as Technological companies. In total, 37 power units with a total installed capacity of over 29.5 GW are in operation at 11 nuclear power plants in Russia. Machinery Manufacturing Plant, Joint-Stock Company (MSZ JSC, Elektrostal) is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of fuel for nuclear power plants. The company produces fuel assemblies for VVER-440, VVER-1000, RBMK-1000, BN-600,800, VK-50, EGP-6; powders and fuel pellets intended for supply to foreign customers. It also produces nuclear fuel for research reactors. The plant belongs to the TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom.

Rosatom obtained a license for the first land-based SMR in Russia

On April 21, Rosenergoatom obtained a license issued by Rostekhnadzor to construct the Yakutsk land-based SMR in the Ust-Yansky District of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).

ROSATOM and FEDC agree to cooperate in the construction of Russia's first onshore SNPP

ROSATOM and FEDC have signed a cooperation agreement to build Russia's first onshore SNPP in Yakutia.

Rosatom develops nuclear fuel for modernized floating power units

Rosatom has completed the development of nuclear fuel for the RITM-200S small modular reactor designed for the upgraded floating power units.