Researchers have improved upon nuclear reactor core designs for Generation IV reactors, making them operate more safely in crisis and more efficiently overall. The design can be built using 3D printing, making it more economically viable than traditional designs.
Nuclear power generation has many positive attributes, including generating carbon-free electricity, which protects air quality. That said, the public questions the safety of nuclear power, seeing it as unstable or dangerous. The construction of nuclear power plants can be multibillion-dollar projects, which has also deterred public and industry interest.
Researchers at Purdue University have developed a method to design nuclear reactor cores that are safer and achieve better operational performance than traditional cores. This optimized core design can be built using additive manufacturing, improving upon the economic viability of nuclear power generation. The design has been validated through experimental testing and numerical analysis.
Hitesh Bindra, College of Engineering
Email: otcip@prf.org
Email: Steve Martin // sgmartin@prf.org
