DOE Microreactor Program: Summary of Experimental Capabilities Development and Activities

Abstract

This document provides a summary of the experimental capabilities and activities developed and currently performed under the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Microreactor Program. These capabilities, along with other laboratory capabilities, are available to support developer and other stakeholder needs. Specific experimental capabilities described in this document include the single primary heat extraction and removal emulator (SPHERE), the microreactor agile non-nuclear experimental test bed (MAGNET), microreactor applications research validation and evaluation (MARVEL), yttrium hydride fabrication, the Hypatia critical experiment series, and a brief overview of the National Criticality Experiments Research Center (NCERC), which provides the platform to conduct experiments amd training with critical assemblies and fissionable material.

Performance of Microreactor Test Article with Embedded Sensors During Testing in The Single Primary Heat Extraction and Removal Emulator

“…A gas-gap calorimeter was placed in the cooling water loop to measure the heat rejection and determine how much heat was removed from the heat pipe compared with what was being supplied to the cartridge heaters. More information on the assembly and capabilities of SPHERE can be found in previous reports [1,2,27].…”