Sist. de computação digital

Texto 1: New Research Center to Increase Safety and Power Output of U.S. Nuclear Reactors
12 May, 2011
Team Uses Supercomputers to Improve Reactor Design and Performance
Oak Ridge, Tenn. – Today the Department of Energy dedicated the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL), an advanced research facility that will accelerate the advancement of nuclear reactor technology. CASL researchers are using supercomputers to study the performance of light water reactors and to develop highly sophisticated modeling that will help accelerate upgrades at existing U.S. nuclear plants. These upgrades could improve the energy output of our existing reactor fleet by as much as seven reactors' worth at a fraction of the cost of building new reactors, while providing continued improvements in reliability and safety.
The facility, headquartered at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), brings together four national labs, three industry partners and three universities in a highly collaborative effort to develop tools that will advance new generations of nuclear reactors and safely extend the life and reliability of existing plants.“Nuclear energy is our nation’s largest source of carbon-free power and will continue to play a role in meeting the demands of a clean energy future,” said Secretary of Energy Steven Chu. “Work done at this facility will help make our fleet of reactors even safer and more efficient while creating jobs, fueling the economy and saving consumers money on their utility bills.”
The Department announced today that CASL has completed the first “virtual reactor.” This highly innovative software will provide improved insight into the operations of reactors, helping the industry reduce capital and operating costs, minimize nuclear waste volume, safely extend the lifetime of the current nuclear fleet and develop new materials for next-generation reactors.
Partners in the CASL hub include Electric Power Research Institute, Idaho National