85-kW MARVEL microreactor gets liquid-metal coolant ahead of criticality test

[Marlin]

85-kW MARVEL microreactor gets liquid-metal coolant ahead of criticality test

https://interestingengineering.com/energy/marvel-microreactor-idaho-coolant

[Core Content]

85-kW MARVEL microreactor nears criticality as coolant arrives

Engineers at Idaho National Laboratory integrated a new liquid-metal coolant vessel and secured federal safety approval for the Department of Energy project. The team scheduled initial low-power physics tests for December to collect baseline operational data from the compact system.

DOE's MARVEL microreactor is entering a new testing phase after a key coolant vessel milestone and federal safety approval.

A small nuclear reactor at Idaho National Laboratory is approaching its first criticality test after engineers received its primary coolant vessel. The primary coolant vessel for the Department of Energy's MARVEL microreactor reached INL in mid-September. Its arrival gives engineers another major component to integrate before the reactor enters initial testing, which the project currently expects in December.

Read the full article at Interesting Engineering:
https://interestingengineering.com/energy/marvel-microreactor-idaho-coolant