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LLNL, Ampera partner to develop thorium-based TRISO fuel
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has formed a strategic partnership with Ampera to develop the company’s nuclear fuel concept through a project named THUNDER, for Thorium Unimodal Droplet Ejection for Reactors.
The focus of THUNDER is fabricating TRISO made with kernels of thorium rather than the usual uranium. LLNL and Ampera will evaluate and optimize liquid metal–jetting technology to produce highly uniform, spherical kernels of thorium-232 for later processing into TRISO fuel.
Stephen A. Ajah, Lateef Akanji, Jefferson Gomes
Nuclear Technology | Volume 211 | Number 11 | November 2025 | Pages 2668-2698
Review Article | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2025.2454104
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Severe accidents (SAs) continue to pose a significant threat to the nuclear industry despite advancements in reactor design. This paper provides a comprehensive review of research on SA prediction, focusing on the limitations of traditional modeling approaches and the potential of machine learning (ML). We analyze the evolution of nuclear reactor generations, considering economic viability, safety, lifespan, and fuel reprocessing. Existing predictive models, primarily based on experimental data and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools like RELAP5 and MELCOR, have been effective for certain conditions but struggle to accurately capture complex multiphase flow phenomena during SAs.
To address these challenges, we explore interface capturing techniques and higher-order multiphase models as promising avenues for enhancing CFD simulations. Additionally, we survey the role of ML in improving model accuracy, particularly for predicting flow parameters during phase changes.
This review highlights the need for integrated models combining CFD, interface capturing, and ML techniques to achieve robust SA prediction. By potentially incorporating ML into computational multifluid dynamics frameworks, we aim to enhance numerical stability, computational efficiency, and predictive capabilities for multicomponent systems. Ultimately, this research contributes to the development of advanced tools for SA prevention and mitigation, improving nuclear reactor safety.