High Temperature Alloy-Interface Characterization in Small Modular Reactors by Radiation Resistant Fiber Optic Sensors

Innoveyda's team, including material science, nuclear engineering and guided-ultrasound modeling and analysis experts, proposes to customize our in-situ real-time reactor monitoring system for NANO Nuclear Energy (NANO)ĺs Small Modular Reactor. This would prevent shut-down for safety parameter requalification and increase the safe continuously operating duration of reactors. During the work performed thus far, where Innoveydaĺs team accomplished transducersĺ operation on a thermal convection loop testbed, measurements were successfully acquired up to 800 °C, exceeding the proposed goal of 700 °C. In-Situ extreme temperature and radiation resistant sensors, operational to 800 ºC, already demonstrated in our work, will be tested on NANOĺs reactor. It will measure temperature profiles of reactor cores, at a dense adjacent spacing. A control algorithm for autonomous tracking of the transducers and temperature reference standards will be implemented for higher accuracy temperature monitoring and material degradation analysis. Anomalous temperature profiles will be determined with high accuracy sensor calibration combined with NIST-calibrated conventional reference standards, and differences from predicted temperature profiles. After recording anomalous profiles with high confidence, anomalous data will be correlated with material changes of reactor elements that could lead to unsafe operating conditions if not corrected urgently. The Phase IIC goal is to complete a turnkey hardware and integrated software implementation by integrating optoelectronics and transducers, and calibration of packaged sensors, into an automated, continuously operating system for real-time extreme temperature monitoring. Phase IIC will be validated on NANOĺs high-temperature solid core battery reactor testbed for = 1000 hours of operation. The completion (improvements and mounting techniques specific to NANOĺs reactor, plus beta-testing) of Innoveydaĺs sensor system operating up to 900 °C in a turnkey productization-ready format is proposed, as follows: Extremely high-temperature diagnostic systems operation on NANOĺs test bed reactor is to be demonstrated, with real-time monitoring and analysis of fluctuating temperatures throughout the portable SMR reactor core during operation. The tasks outlined to achieve this are: a. installation, calibration, and validation to 900 ºC of Innoveydaĺs extreme temperature- & radiation- resistant diagnostic systems for continuous, in-situ reactor monitoring; with b. data analysis for identification of anomalies or deviations. This will ensure safety and efficiency while maintaining system compliance with safety standards.