First Place : CritiCality

CJ Cruz, Dennis Rodriguez, Destiny Howell, Esther Ollennu, Nisa Rahnuma Aziz, Thomas Viscovich

Nuclear energy plays a key part in ensuring the sustainable future of energy and yet it remains shrouded in mystery and misconceptions. Most kids have very limited to no exposure to the peaceful usage of nuclear energy which in turn affects their choice of career paths and overall understanding of nuclear technologies. CritiCality aims to change this.

Set in the control room of a nuclear reactor, this role-playing game allows the player to safely bring the reactor to criticality and not only teaches them the process of how electricity is generated from the splitting of atoms but also its role in the reduction of greenhouse effects.

Isocycle

Jordan Giese, Kinjal Dave, George "Lea" Booth, Maciej Sobczyk, Yu Fujiwara

Isocycle is a research-based and verified process to convert landfilled coal-fly ash (CFA) into yellowcake uranium (primarily as U3O8) for the fabrication of the nuclear fuel. The median uranium concentration in the CFA is estimated around 60 ppm in the US, 30-to-50 ppm in the EU, and roughly 80 ppm in China. The uranium recovery can be done through just a three step sequential process - mechano-magnetic separation of the paramagnetic U-bearing minerals such as monazite and xenotime, acid-leaching of the separated uranium bearing fraction, and finally the reprecipitation of the pure uranium compound via addition of the nitric acid and/or sodium hydroxide to the “yellowcake”.

NextGen Nuclear Solutions

Amy Drake, Julia Sweatman, Riccardo Villa, Turner Clarke, Ian Gilley

NextGen Nuclear Solutions responds to the demand for clean, reliable energy by channeling existing trade school and technical college students in rural areas into our fast-tracked nuclear training module. We will bring nuclear energy technical training services to rural areas, addressing both nuclear workforce and rural economic needs. We offer comprehensive, hands-on training in nuclear technology, safety protocols, and reactor operation and maintenance to equip general technical students with the specialized training they need to join the nuclear workforce. This specialized training institution would bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical skills, ensuring graduates are ready to meet the challenges of modern nuclear energy production.

RenU - Hydrogen Solutions

Anh Nguyen, Jacob Kirby, Alberto Gil Cordevo, Simone Albanese

RenU – Hydrogen Solutions offers a groundbreaking approach to the challenge of spent nuclear fuel by enhancing the PUREX process, used for nuclear fuel reprocessing. The system employs the Aerther Cell™ to dilute wasted fuel in nitric acid and utilizes catalysts to boost hydrogen production through the radiolysis process. A secondary coolant water layer aids in heat extraction and electricity generation. Production estimates are 89.71 kg/day/ton, which means a typical PWR reactor refueling could produce approximately 22.65 tons of hydrogen daily. This system efficiently recycles nuclear waste, producing Purple Hydrogen™, electricity, and recycled nuclear fuel. It not only addresses the nuclear waste problem but also contributes to the emerging hydrogen economy.

NucAI

Alexey Burbasov, Majeedoo Aljasim, Om Jagtap, Ahnaf Tahmid Chowdhury

In the rapidly evolving nuclear industry, the demand for advanced risk assessment, operational efficiency, and stringent regulatory compliance has never been greater. We present a high-fidelity, reliable AI assistant tailored to meet the multifaceted needs of stakeholders within the nuclear sector. This innovative AI system supports professionals in policy and law-making, engineering, big data assessment, education, risk assessment, research, and reactor operations, providing a comprehensive solution to enhance safety, efficiency, and informed decision-making.

Our AI assistant employs advanced Machine Learning (ML) and Large Language Models (LLM) to deliver precise, data-driven insights and recommendations. Unlike existing models that often hallucinate with complex queries and lack depth, our AI system ensures accurate, trustworthy, and reliable information tailored to the unique requirements of the nuclear industry. This reliability is achieved through rigorous training on high-quality, domain-specific datasets, including open-source and purchased data such as industry reports, safety records, and regulatory documents.