The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has officially opened the Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments (DOME) nuclear test bed.
This facility is located at the laboratory’s Materials and Fuels Complex and serves as a site for the testing and demonstration of advanced nuclear reactors developed by private companies.
The test bed was established to provide a location where experimental reactor designs can be evaluated in a controlled environment.
The physical structure of the DOME uses the repurposed Experimental Breeder Reactor-II dome. This building has a diameter of 80 feet and a height of 100 feet.
By utilizing an existing containment structure, the project was able to establish a testing environment without constructing an entirely new shell.
The facility is designed to support microreactor experiments that generate up to 20 megawatts of thermal energy. This thermal capacity allows for the testing of various reactor concepts at operational temperatures and power levels.
Facilitating the collection of performance data
The primary objective of the DOME is to facilitate the collection of performance data from new reactor designs. Companies use this data to verify their technical calculations and to prepare for the licensing process required by regulatory agencies.
