Research Highlights Details

Accelerating the Production of Clean Energy: KFUPM’s Groundbreaking Innovations in Nuclear Energy

Interdisciplinary Research Center for Industrial Nuclear Energy,
September 2024
 
KFUPM is at the forefront of innovation with a new modeling and simulation platform to revolutionize Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology.

 

Saudi Arabia aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2060 through a strategy of diversifying its energy sector with various forms of clean energy. Nuclear energy is pivotal in this endeavor, as it has the highest capacity factor among all energy sources, making it exceptionally reliable. Leveraging nuclear energy will support the Kingdom’s efforts to meet the sustainability targets outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Small modular reactors (SMRs) are advanced nuclear fission reactors with a maximum power capacity of up to 300 MW(e) per unit, which is about one-fifth to one-third of the power generating capacity of conventional nuclear power reactors. Their compact design allows the deployment at locations where large conventional nuclear plants are impractical. SMRs could make a crucial contribution to the Kingdom’s energy mix and play a significant role in achieving the goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2060.

Nuclear power plants, regardless of type, operate in a complex and multi-disciplinary environment with stringent safety and stakeholder expectations. SMR designs, while advanced and innovative, are no exception. They necessitate rigorous analyses and 		 testing across a wide range of scenarios to fully understand their capabilities, ensure functional efficacy, and anticipate and address potential challenges. Several ongoing SMR design projects worldwide have highlighted the urgent need for integrated simulation platforms tailored for SMRs. Although a range of simulation tools exist, each focusing on different aspects of reactor design and functionality, the lack of a unified platform that integrates these tools into a cohesive ecosystem presents a significant challenge to achieving a comprehensive understanding of reactor dynamics and behavior. The Interdisciplinary Research Center for Industrial Nuclear Energy (IRC-INE) at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) is developing a groundbreaking integrated multi-physics and multi-scale modeling and simulation platform for SMR design and safety analyses. The IRC-INE team at KFUPM believes that this integrated platform is the first of its kind and will significantly accelerate the design phase of SMR technology, enabling the exploration of various layouts, operating conditions, and safety scenarios with a minimal economic burden. Additionally, it will establish Saudi Arabia as a regional pioneer in SMR technology and a competitive player on the global stage.