Here is the class of 2026 and their Senior Design Projects
The accuracy of nuclear data is a crucial contributor to the overall accuracy of a nuclear simulation. One way to improve that accuracy is to compare parameters like keff from physical experiments with simulated recreations of those experiments in what’s known as a benchmark.
This project encompasses the complete design process of a high-temperature compact heat exchanger for Generation IV sodium fast reactors. The product provides the thermal interface between the liquid sodium primary coolant and a gaseous helium Brayton power conversion cycle for a laboratory-scale 20 kW thermal reactor
This project addresses that gap by allowing students and members of the public to interact with a model nuclear power plant and visualize the neutron chain reaction that takes place in modern fission reactors, as well as the safety features that make this reaction controllable
The proposed System Physics Advanced Reactor Critical (SPARC) facility at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) aims to address a significant gap in nuclear data for large and leaky system applications using a Horizontal Split Table (HST) assembly. The team created a conceptual design for a HST criticality experiment with a high sensitivity to molybdenum in the intermediate energy ranges.
The objective of this project is to develop an interactive virtual reality simulation of the RCF by combining 3D modeling, VR integration, and physics based reactor behavior