Examples and Perspectives on High-Fidelity Simulations for Fission and Fusion

Abstract:

This seminar will review recent projects in high‑fidelity modeling and simulation of fission and fusion systems. The first example presents a full‑resolution model of the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE), integrating neutronics and thermal‑hydraulics to capture the experiment’s configuration in minute detail. This model enables both the re‑examination of historical data and new insight into MSRE behavior. The second example turns to inertial fusion energy, examining the reactor chamber’s response to target pulses and the physics that govern its evolution. Across both cases, the seminar will emphasize the specific insights that high‑fidelity simulations can deliver. The discussion will then broaden to consider the role of such simulations in the emerging nuclear renaissance, highlighting their advantages, limitations, and practical impact. Finally, the seminar will introduce foamForNuclear, the open‑source multiphysics platform that underpins much of this work.

Bio:

Carlo Fiorina is an Associate Professor at Texas A&M University. He received his BS, MS, and PhD degrees from Politecnico di Milano, Italy. Prior to joining TAMU, he was an R&D Program Manager at EPFL, Switzerland, and a postdoctoral researcher at the Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland. In his current position, he teaches Nuclear Reactor Theory and conducts research on the modeling, design, and analysis of advanced reactors and fusion energy systems. Since 2015, he has been actively supporting and promoting open-source software development and has played a key role in establishing the IAEA ONCORE initiative. He has been the lead developer of the GeN-Foam multiphysics solver since 2014 and a co-developer of the OFFBEAT fuel behavior solver since 2017.