en.Wedoany.com Reported - Tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) fuel manufactured by Standard Nuclear to Radiant specifications has arrived at the Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments test bed (DOME) for summer testing of Radiant's Kaleidos reactor. The fuel will reach full power and full temperature during this test, followed by a rigorous validation phase lasting several months to collect key performance data.

The fuel was manufactured earlier this year to Radiant specifications. Radiant stated that with the fuel arriving on site, Kaleidos is now ready for operation. The DOME facility is a 100-foot (30-meter) tall, 80-foot diameter structure that utilizes the containment shell of the Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II), which operated from 1964 to 1994, providing a safe environment for experimental reactor testing. The performance data collected can be used for future commercial license applications to accelerate development, save costs, and reduce project risk.

Radiant will execute a five-phase reactor development test plan at DOME, sequentially conducting zero-power criticality, 1 MW thermal power, full power, and full heat tests, followed by operation at full power for at least 150 hours without operator intervention, serving as a key milestone for verifying commercial maturity. These tests will support the application for a commercial license from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Rita Baranwal, Chief Nuclear Officer at Radiant, stated that receiving the newly manufactured custom fuel is a significant milestone in reducing product risk, and the company is de-risking a commercial product that will be manufactured and delivered within 18 months. The test plan is strictly focused on prototype fuel, coolant, and power levels to ensure on-time delivery to customers in 2028. Data collected from DOME will also play a key role in Radiant's Part 70 license application for its R-50 manufacturing facility in Tennessee, which is under accelerated review by the NRC. Upon approval, Radiant will be able to handle and load fuel in the Kaleidos reactor and achieve standardized batch production. Kaleidos is a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor using TRISO fuel, helium coolant, and prismatic graphite blocks, designed with a thermal power of 3 MW and an electrical power of approximately 1 MW, fully transportable in a standard shipping container. Since 2022, the NRC has been engaged in pre-application activities with Radiant regarding the reactor, and Kaleidos was selected in 2023 as one of three microreactor designs to receive U.S. federal funding or DOME front-end engineering and experimental design.