The project aims to capitalize on the successful fabrication of large scale crack-free yttrium-hydride through the design of an yttrium-hydride moderated micro-reactor. The micro-reactor will provide reliable, mobile, autonomous, safe operation for rapid deployment scenarios. Yttrium hydride is an optimal choice for heat pipe cooled, compact reactors. It has a high thermal stability which is required while using sodium filled heat pipes. It has a moderation ratio that is high in comparison to other hydride metals.

The purpose of this project is to design a micro nuclear reactor that can be used for future use to address the problem of minimizing personnel for reactors that are powering small and remote locations. Dymola was used as the modeling environment for the microreactor design, with the TRANSFORM library used within the environment. The goal is that the modeled reactor in Dymola will produce a solid output from the simulation for the purpose of being used in future AI work. Overall, a simple reactor design will be used.

The intent of this project is to gather and assess alternative measurement systems. The process of designing a new idealized system will include comparing new technologies and previous Nuclear Regulatory Committee (NRC) approved methods. The goal of this project will be to consider reliability, cost effectiveness, and simplicity to design an improved downcomer water level measurement system. This project will culminate in providing GEH a recommendation for the BWRX- 300 system.

The group is focusing on modeling the RCF in a 3-dimensional world. The goal is to have the major parts of the facility 3D-modeled with corresponding technical schematics of every part also drawn. The goal is also to have these parts put together with one another so as to have the entire RCF fully assembled and virtual reality ready. This 3D-modeled facility must be true in size compared to the real RCF, and should be assembled and modeled nearly exactly to the real RCF.