Construction of the National Reactor Innovation Center’s (NRIC’s) Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments (DOME) test bed at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has now been completed. The new facility will enable the rapid development, testing and demonstration of privately developed advanced nuclear reactors.
NRIC’s DOME was constructed around the containment system of the decommissioned Experimental Breeder Reactor-II and is designed to host experimental reactors up to 20 MWt using high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) in an environment that safely supports nuclear systems going critical for the first time.
NRIC is developing an end-to-end reactor testing ecosystem to support reactor developers from the initial design, through testing, and decommissioning. NRIC is working with the first group of reactor developers to complete engineering and experiment design, and to draft nuclear safety documentation to prepare their technology for potential testing in DOME, which is 100 feet tall and 80 feet in diameter.
The test bed features a containment building to house reactor experiments, a control room area, and a yard with ancillary equipment such as power and radiological ventilation. The NRIC-DOME has penetrations that connect utilities, electricity, instrumentation and control wiring, and ventilation in the yard and in the control room area to systems and equipment inside the facility. One set of penetrations is for developers. An equipment hatch allows installation and removal of reactor experiments.
“The DOME testbed will be a cornerstone of the Department of Energy’s comprehensive strategy to re-establish US leadership in advanced nuclear technologies,” said Dr Rian Bahran, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Reactors.
INL Director John Wagner noted: “DOME represents the kind of bold and creative infrastructure investment that America’s nuclear resurgence demands. We are accelerating the next generation of nuclear innovators from concept to demonstration at a pace the industry has not seen in decades.”
NRIC Director Brad Tomer stated: “With the information gathered from their testing at DOME, reactor developers will turn pioneering ideas into validated technologies to advance nuclear energy. We are extremely proud to offer this capability and cannot wait to see the impact it has on the nuclear industry.”
DOME will now open its doors to reactor developers, starting with Radiant, which has started their scheduled year-long test campaign of the Kaleidos Demonstration Unit. Staging will begin later this spring with initial startup of the reactor anticipated in the summer.
DOME experiments are scheduled through an annual competitive application process. The sequencing of experiments is based on several criteria, including technology readiness, fuel availability, regulatory approval plan and the ability of applicants to self-fund their testing campaigns. The next request for applications will open this spring.
