Purdue Reactor Tests AI for Next-Generation Nuclear Plants

Engineers are conducting experiments at Purdue University Reactor Number One, a facility that generates about the equivalent of 10 microwaves yet is important for the future of nuclear power. Though modest in output, the reactor is unique as the nation’s only all-digital installation, a distinction earned in 2019 that positions it as a testing ground for technologies intended for future plants. Purdue engineers are leveraging this digital infrastructure to explore capabilities that could lower costs, increase safety, and extend reactor lifespan. Seungjin Kim, the Capt. McCarthy Head of Purdue’s School of Nuclear Engineering and facility director of PUR-1, explained that researchers aim to accelerate the deployment of advanced reactors and carbon-free electricity generation. While the reactor’s physical output remains modest, its significance lies in the advanced capabilities it possesses, features that will define the next generation of nuclear plants. Purdue’s reactor…