2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The energy sector is experiencing a revival in interest toward nuclear power as an attractive compromise between fossil fuels and renewables, particularly to address concerns about energy independence and carbon emissions. Conceptually, nuclear engineering fundamentals are challenging to teach to undergraduates as it requires a multi-disciplinary approach. Yet, it is a field that continues to power much of the world. Therefore, there is a continued need to educate engineering students in the field of nuclear power; and this paper presents a software emulation tool for nuclear power plant design. Engineering undergraduates can use the platform to explore fundamental nuclear engineering concepts and better prepare themselves for careers in and around nuclear power. A high-level controls interface allows for real-time adjustments by students, and, for detailed or long-term controls, the Python source code is also provided to the students. Modeling of the different plant subsystems and their interactions are illustrated and discussed. Sample experimental procedures are discussed and results from the simulator are presented. In summary, with the goal of increasing nuclear engineering education beyond post-graduate and on-the-job training, the interactive tool allows for hands-on experimentation at different levels of detail. Adoption of the tool into undergraduate power and energy courses seeks to accelerate undergraduate students’ understanding of the integrated behavior between key disciplines of nuclear power plant design.