Utilization of NEUP Data for HTGR Thermal-Fluid Code Validation: A New Resource Platform

Abstract

The high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) is a Generation-IV advanced nuclear reactor design that has received significant attention due to its ability to generate high-temperature heat ranging from 750-950 °C. HTGR designs feature tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) fuel coated with ceramics, including carbon and silicon carbide, which allows for high-temperature operation while maintaining structural and fission product barrier integrity. Since its inception in 2009, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy’s Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP) invested more than $500 million in U.S. university nuclear research, specifically concentrating on advancing advanced reactor technologies, materials, and fuel cycles. By fiscal year 2024, the NEUP funded 36 projects dedicated to HTGR thermal-fluid (TF)¹ research at 13 universities, each contributing significantly to our understanding of this technology. The outcomes of these diverse projects have been disseminated through dissertations and theses, final NEUP reports, peer-reviewed journal articles, and presentations at academic conferences, forming a comprehensive tapestry of knowledge. Despite the substantial value of these projects, their public domain dissemination has been fragmented, posing challenges for accessibility to researchers and policymakers and leading to underutilization of DOE investments. Recognizing this critical gap and its potential value for the future of nuclear research, the DOE’s Advanced Reactor Technologies (ART) Gas-Cooled Reactor (GCR) program has been conducting an extensive survey of completed and ongoing HTGR NEUP projects. This survey enabled the compilation of crucial data, resulting in the development of a new public-access data resource tailored for computational fluid dynamics and system code verification and validation (V&V), specifically designed for HTGR TF applications.

Additionally, the data collection process during the survey process has revealed a significant challenge in central data organization, due to individual researchers from different institutes employing varying standards and preferences for recording and documenting experimental data. Therefore, an urgent need has been identified to establish a standardized reporting format for HTGR experimental projects. Addressing this issue is essential for enhancing collaboration, maximizing the impact of DOE investments, and ensuring the advancement of HTGR research and development (R&D).