Friday, November 29, 2024
The Deimos experiment at Los Alamos National Laboratory is the first criticality experiment using highly concentrated, low-enriched uranium fuel in the United States in more than 20 years, and will help develop public data and criticality benchmarks for the material.
_39136.jpg "LANL researchers complete HALEU critical experiment 8")
Criticality benchmarks are essential for nuclear design and safety assessments required by industry and regulatory agencies, but few use Highly Analytical Low Enriched Uranium (HALEU). The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission are collaborating on the development of criticality data for HALEU. In August, DOE awarded $17 million in funding to 16 projects to support the development of public data and criticality benchmarks related to use and storage. , transportation of HALEU fuel.
The Deimos Criticality Demonstration was funded by Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Institute-Directed Research and Development Program and was conducted at the National Criticality Experimental Research Center at the Nevada National Security Site. The center has four criticality instruments and is the only general-purpose criticality laboratory in the United States capable of conducting experiments with critical or near-critical fissile material.
One of the key assembly machines at the center has been modified to accommodate a new graphite core and a “cup” that holds HALEU-based fuel pellets containing TRISO (triple structural isotropic) fuel particles. Ta. After demonstrating the criticality of the system, the experiment was measured at room temperature and heated to over 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93.3 degrees Celsius) to generate new criticality safety data for HALEU fuel.
Assembling the Deimos experiment (Image: Department of Energy (DOE))
“The Deimos experiment is an important step toward fielding HALEU-fueled reactors,” said Chris Stanek, Nuclear Energy Program Manager at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). “We are excited and proud to leverage our unique LANL capabilities to advance the nation’s advanced nuclear reactor goals. We look forward to future experiments that Deimos will enable. .”
Many advanced reactors require HALEU to achieve smaller designs, longer operating cycles, and increased efficiency than existing nuclear technologies. The data developed from projects funded through the DOE and Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Critical Benchmarking Call will enable efficient reviews of future designs and safety, and will help the nuclear industry create new Open to the public to help develop novel solutions.
