Nuclear Test Loop Concept Development

Overview

The state of materials testing in nuclear reactors in the United States is currently highly inaccessible due to high price points. Our group, with the help of the Nuclear Application Technology Company (NATC), developed a cost-effective nuclear test loop for the Penn State Breazeale Reactor (PSBR). This product is capable of exposing a material sample to radiation in the reactor core and simulate additional conditions including stress and heat. The team developed SolidWorks models and performed tests to ensure the viability of such a device. This system will allow companies and researchers to test materials in an efficient way, increasing the advancements that can be made in the nuclear sector.

Objectives

Design a cost-effective material testing system for use in the PSBR. This system has two main components, a test loop and test chamber:
– Design a test loop that will transport water down into the reactor core and back up to an external tank for sampling.
– Design a sample chamber that will be inserted into the bottom of the test loop, in the reactor core, and will expose the sample to high temperatures, stress, and neutron radiation.

Test the design using simulations and calculations to ensure engineering standards and design requirements are met.

Approach

– Reviewed literature of similar systems currently used around the world. The team reviewed the Halden Reactor, BR2 Reactor, and MIT Reactor for inspiration for the design.
– Discussed design requirements with Dr. Schwarz (NATC) and Dr. Geuther (PSBR) for design requirements and specifications. These discussions gave the team a perspective for the needs of both the company and the university.
– Utilized brainstorming and an AHP matrix to generate and select the design. This allowed the team to choose the best combination of systems in an unbiased manner based on their fulfillment of the design requirements.
– Created SOLIDWORKS models for the sample chamber and loop system, including an assembly of all necessary parts of the sample chamber. This allowed us to test via calculation and simulation if the design was capable of meeting the design requirements.
– 3D printed three iterations of the sample chamber.
– Tested multiple design requirements and specifications with a combination of simulation and calculation-based methods.

Outcomes

– The project resulted in a baseline design for a test loop and sample chamber that is capable of testing materials in a quicker and cheaper manner than previously done.

– A marketable prototype to showcase the functions of the system to begin a dialogue with investors to further develop the design.