A team from the US Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) have visited Carolina Fabricators Inc (CFI) in West Columbia (South Carolina) to launch the fabrication process for the primary coolant system of INL’s Microreactor Applications Research Validation & EvaLuation (MARVEL) test bed. Battelle Energy Alliance, which manages INL, awarded the CFI contract in January. In August 2024, CFI was selected to fabricate the first large component for MARVEL – the guard vessel that will surround the core.
The MARVEL project is a planned sodium-potassium–cooled reactor that will generate 85 kilowatts of thermal energy. The project will help developers demonstrate and evaluate systems for microreactor technologies. MARVEL’s primary coolant system manages the heat produced in the reactor core, and its fabrication is considered the most complex process of the project.
After the coolant system, the next components scheduled for fabrication are the reactor support frame and the reactivity control system. MARVEL is to be installed at INL’s Materials and Fuels Complex in 2027. John Jackson, national technical director for the DOE-NE Microreactor Program, said the coolant contract “continues a collaboration with Carolina Fabricators that not only helps MARVEL maintain schedule but also helps set the stage for potential fabrication support of commercial microreactor concepts.”
Patrick Halligan, CFI sales manager, added, “Following our performance on the guard vessel, the award of the primary coolant system contract represents a significant vote of confidence from the [Batelle]/INL team in CFI’s capabilities as a nuclear quality assurance fabricator. We are very encouraged that the established team will remain largely intact as we transition into fabrication of the primary coolant system. As the primary coolant system turns the complexity factor up several notches, the relationships and trust developed will be necessary for successful execution.”
Jess Gehin, INL associate laboratory director for Nuclear Science & Technology, commented, “We are excited to partner with Carolina Fabricators on the MARVEL primary coolant system. This milestone is crucial for advancing the MARVEL microreactor project and highlights the importance of industry collaboration in achieving innovative energy solutions.”
The fuel for the reactor is also in production by TRIGA International, a joint venture between Framatome and General Atomics, with delivery anticipated in the spring of 2025. The commissioning of MARVEL is targeted for 2027.
