Introduction

Hi, my name is Jord Peeters (°1999). I’m an industrial engineer with a great passion for renewable energy and innovative research. June 2021 I graduated at the university of KU-Leuven in Belgium and started my first job at the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO). There I did research on Electro Pulse Drilling, a new kind of drilling technique that uses electrical energy instead of mechanical force to achieve rock breaking. Nowadays I work as a project engineer at the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN) in Mol. My focus is on supporting the Nuclear Instrumentation Unit in maintaining and modernizing the electrical, electronic and instrumentation systems that ensure the nuclear control and continuous parameter monitoring of the BR2 reactor. Within the framework of the BR2 lifetime extension, I contribute to the preparation, coordination and execution of various engineering projects. This includes developing electrical and mechanical designs for connectors and cabling used in the control rod drive systems and renewing the control systems of the irradiation unit for silicon neutron doping (SIDONIE). I aim to apply my engineering expertise in a long‑term role within an international, sustainability‑driven environment, ideally in sectors such as nuclear energy or R&D‑focused organizations committed to safe and efficient energy solutions. I’m a driven person who is not afraid of big challenges. I’m a great team player and a naturel leader. My motto in life is “perseverance is my superpower”. I will always find a solution.

SCK CEN BR2 Project

The nuclear reactor where I carry out the renovation projects is called Belgian Reactor 2 (BR2), this is a materials testing reactor. Since it was started up in 1962, it has been one of the most powerful research reactors in the world. By testing nuclear fuels and materials, BR2 is contributing to guaranteeing the safety of current and future nuclear installations. The research reactor is also a vital player in the worldwide supply of medical radioisotopes. Radioisotopes are used in nuclear medicine for the diagnosis and treatment of certain diseases, including cancer. Other applications of BR2 can be found in the creation of radioisotopes for industry and in the production of high-quality semiconductors (doped silicon). These semiconductors are the basic material for the components of high-capacity electronics, as they are found in systems for solar and wind energy, hybrid cars, and high-speed trains, for example.

Project Engineer

Within the maintenance department, my job as a project engineer is to carry out renovation projects in order to upgrade the current classical measuring instrumentation. Specifically, I replace old pneumatic/hydraulic measurement chains with electrical components that have more safety features and better signalling. I adapt the electrical diagrams to meet the requirements. I carry out energy studies to see where energy can be saved, for example by replacing an old, polluting motor with a new, energy-efficient DC motor with frequency control. The main challenge when renovating various instrumentation and control circuits is to ensure safety at all times. Any change to the nuclear reactor must be properly applied for in advance in writing to the Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (FANC).

VITO EPD Project

Drilling a well of 7 km is no mean feat. Traditional drilling techniques takes time, people and resources and they have a major impact on the environment. After all, just think of the vibrations and noise. With a select group of engineers we've been working full-time for nine months on the deepest well on the geothermal site in Mol. Our aim is to do that 10 times faster using electro pulse drilling. Instead of drilling mechanically, we drill electrostatically using two pieces of metal, between which an electric discharge occurs. This causes the stones to burst.
Benefits:
- No wear: a traditional drill head needs to be replaced regularly because there is constant moving contact. But with electrostatic drilling, the head stays still and therefore does not wear out.
- 10 times faster
- Deep drilling possible: with electro pulse drilling, we can drill deep and we can also drill wells with larger diameters.
- Horizontal and vertical: the drill works in all directions. The technique could, for example, also soon be used in the construction of tunnels, e.g. for a new metro line.

Junior researcher

I'm responsible for the electrical design of the Marx generator (280kV) that powers the drill head. This involves working with high voltage capacitor discharges producing very fast current pulses. These current pulses need to be measured to make improvements on the drill head that causes the rock to break. Fast voltage discharges causes aggressive electromagnetic fields what makes it a big challenge for fast rise time measurements. I'm also in control for the planning in the team and the maintenance of the Marx generator, which requires a lot of flexibility.

Education

I have a Master’s degree in energy engineering. I studied for 4 years at the university of KU-Leuven in Belgium. In my last year of college I wrote my master’s thesis about “The Renewable Energy House”. This is an information centre that would stimulate the use of renewable energy in Belgium. Like-minded people could visit TREH and gain factual information and personal advice for their next energy project. By working on this project I got really passionate about renewable energy. As a sidenote, I even made a calculator that was used to design my own adiabatic compressed air energy storage model that also analyses the cycle efficiency of the system. More information you can find in the MENU - PROJECTS.

Technical background

Back in high school I used to study industrial sciences in Geel (Belgium). I had 8 hours of maths every week, created a solar powered coolbox for my final project and in my third year of college I programmed a robot fish. This was a school project where my group mates worked on the contruction and the 3D printing the robot, in which I was the assigned leader. I worked with Python to program a Raspberry Pi, inside of this waterproof robot fish so it could swim via sensors and even remote controlled by a self-designed website. Besides the global pandemic, to avoid boredom, I constructed my own personal speaker. It is a 3-way speaker system with a homemade frequency filter for better audio quality. As you can see in the picture it was quite a fun experience!