Artificial intelligence in nuclear: How computer and data scientists are enhancing the industry
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) feature prominently in advancing technological development across many industries. Data is used to train algorithms, which are a set of digital rules, so tools can perform tasks that can imitate human behavior or enhance tasks generally performed by them: Think ChatGPT and how it can help plan a […]
Fabrication underway for the MARVEL test microreactor
There’s a 12-foot-deep pit in the floor of the Transient Reactor Test (TREAT) Facility at Idaho National Laboratory. Already home to a test reactor that puts up to 20 gigawatts of power into nuclear fuel in a short pulse to test its safety, the TREAT building is awaiting another nuclear reactor that will occupy the […]
Louisiana looks to Idaho National Laboratory for a nuclear strategy
Louisiana leaders are working with Idaho National Laboratory’s (INL) Frontiers Initiative to help the state — known for its hydrocarbon and chemical industries — become a national leader in advanced nuclear energy. INL experts will help the state develop a strategic plan to use nuclear energy to power its manufacturing sector and support growing grid-scale […]
A smooth ride to the future of nuclear
If you’ve ever driven to a remote area, you may have noticed that the drive time is much longer on dirt roads. But once those roads are paved, you can get where you need to go much more quickly. The path to deploying advanced nuclear reactors isn’t a straight line, but a new supercomputer named […]
A catalyst for success: A molten salt researcher’s journey at INL
Among the impressive nuclear energy scientists at Idaho National Laboratory, Bill Phillips stands out as a particularly gifted molten salt researcher. His journey from intern to staff scientist was marked by unique research findings and growing influence on the scientific community, and clearly illustrates how INL can facilitate a researcher’s development and success. Phillips’ graduate […]
Landmark event initiates a cohesive approach to fundamental molten salt research
On a crisp spring morning, professionals from across the country gathered at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Meeting Center for a novel event. The topics discussed over this two-day meeting aimed to open the door to a new generation of widely applicable technologies. The key? Molten salt. John Carter, INL advanced technology of molten salts […]
Experimental Breeder Reactor-I opens May 24 for 2024 season
For the scientist in all of us, Experimental Breeder Reactor-I will open for the 2024 season starting Friday, May 24. The museum, located 50 miles west of Idaho Falls at Idaho National Laboratory on U.S. 20, is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Labor Day. There is no cost for admission. The […]
GAIN vouchers at INL support two dramatically different industry projects
With assistance from the Department of Energy’s Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) voucher program, Idaho National Laboratory researchers are lending their expertise to two very different companies. In one corner is Dow, the giant plastics and chemicals manufacturer, that is exploring using microreactors to reduce carbon emissions. In the other corner, Curio Solutions, […]
Diverse collaborations expand employees’ professional development
For 75 years, Idaho National Laboratory has been at the forefront of nuclear energy and technology research. This research includes the nuclear fuel cycle, a multistep process that covers the entire life cycle of nuclear fuel, from mining uranium for use in a reactor to the safe management and disposal of spent, or used, fuel. […]
Idaho National Laboratory prepares to operate its first new reactors in 50 years
In 1951, the desert of eastern Idaho hosted Experimental Breeder Reactor-I, the first nuclear reactor to generate a usable amount of electricity. Four years later, researchers followed that success with BORAX-III, the first reactor to power an American city. The next two decades saw a flurry of research and development at that desert site — […]
