Scientists in the US have recently developed a powerful new digital test bed, the Griffin reactor physics modelling and simulation software, that could significantly speed up the development of advanced nuclear reactors.

The novel tool should enable accurate predictions of reactor performance across various designs. It was jointly created by the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL).

 According to the joint research team, the platform is set to enable engineers to simulate complex reactor behavior with unprecedented detail. It should also cut the need for expensive prototypes and long testing cycles.

“Griffin can simulate a lot of the processes that are happening in a real-world operating reactor,” Changho Lee, PhD, a principal nuclear engineer at Argonne, said. “It’s closer to a real-life scenario where high temperatures, pressures and neutron flux in the harsh environment of a reactor core are causing changes to fuels and reactor materials.”

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