Kairos Power unveils nuclear training simulator inside Zeanah Engineering Complex at UT, Knoxville
The simulator models KP-FHR dynamics, coupled with real hardware test systems, to provide a rich learning experience using simulated and actual system data.
Kairos Power unveiled a new Operator Training Simulator Laboratory in partnership with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) Tickle College of Engineering during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday. The facility will train reactor operators for Kairos Power’s Hermes low-power demonstration reactor in nearby Oak Ridge, and serve as a training hub for UTK students entering the advanced nuclear industry.
In April of last year, Kairos Power signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the university and gave an endowment to host the facility inside the Zeanah Engineering Complex on UTK’s campus.
Kairos Power official said the Operator Training Simulator Laboratory is mutually beneficial. It will enhance the UT Nuclear Engineering department’s programming by providing a shared asset for students and Kairos Power employees to gain hands-on experience with fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (KP-FHR) operations.
“The Operator Training Simulator Laboratory will be an important tool in realizing Hermes’ objectives as a stepping-stone to the commercial fleet. Kairos Power is proud to partner with the University of Tennessee to build on the region’s distinguished nuclear legacy, strengthening the pipeline for students and operators that will be the future of our nuclear workforce,” said Mike Laufer, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Co-Founder of Kairon Power.
The lab workstations will feature Kairos Power’s human-machine interfaces, providing students a realistic control room experience. The simulator models KP-FHR dynamics, coupled with real hardware test systems, to provide a rich learning experience using simulated and actual system data. When it’s not being used to train operators, the simulator will be made available to graduate students and postdocs to conduct their own research and model development using Kairos Power’s modeling and simulation code. Kairos Power will also supplement the simulator-based training with introductory courses on nuclear fundamentals. The foundational course offerings will provide industry-relevant education for emerging professionals exploring advanced nuclear careers within their respective engineering disciplines.
“East Tennessee is at the heart of launching advanced small modular reactor technology to demonstrate the promise of nuclear to meeting energy security needs for our region and the nation. The Nuclear Engineering Department is enthusiastic about the partnership with Kairos Power and the new educational and career opportunities this will provide for our students and faculty. The new operator training simulator laboratory represents a win-win scenario to train both our students and future Kairos employees,” said Brian Wirth, the Head of the Tickle College of Engineering Nuclear Engineering Department.
Operators trained in these programs will have to pass a rigorous examination before they can be licensed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to operate the Hermes reactor, which is still currently under construction.
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