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DOE OSTI · 3024774

Modeling a Sodium Heat Pipe Experiment at SPHERE Using Sockeye

Hansel, Joshua E [Idaho National Laboratory] (ORCID:0000000167825275)·Sellers, Zachary Don [Idaho National Laboratory]·Hartvigsen, Jeremy Lee [Idaho National Laboratory] (ORCID:0000000293205552)·Sabharwall, Piyush [Idaho National Laboratory] (ORCID:000000032567205X)·Charlot, Lise [Idaho National Laboratory] (ORCID:0000000263436990)·Merzari, Elia [The Pennsylvania State University] (ORCID:0000000301747424)
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Abstract

The Single Primary Heat Extraction and Rejection Emulator (SPHERE) facility at Idaho Na- tional Laboratory was recently utilized to generate data for the startup and steady operation of a high-performance, sodium heat pipe over the course of 1000 hours, as a test of detrimental, long-term effects of heat pipe operation. The setup consists of a single, sodium heat pipe enclosed in a stainless-steel vacuum chamber, heated radiatively via a cylindrical ceramic fiber heater configuration and cooled via a water-cooled calorimeter. Measurements include temperatures at several axial locations along the outer surface of the heat pipe, the power provided to the heaters, and the heat removal rate of the calorimeter. In this work, this data is utilized to validate heat pipe models in the heat pipe application Sockeye, which is based upon the Multiphysics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) framework. Sockeye provides various heat pipe models at an engineering scale appropriate for the multiphysics simulation of microreactors, which may feature several hundred heat pipes. This work details models of this experiment in SPHERE using various heat pipe models with Sockeye, including heat conduction-based models and compressible flow models of the heat pipe interior. These models are compared to the experimental data to assess the accuracy of several aspects of heat pipe modeling, including frozen startup, the effect of non-condensable gases, and the coupling of the heat pipe to its environment.

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BibTeXRIS

Hansel, Joshua E [Idaho National Laboratory] (ORCID:0000000167825275), Sellers, Zachary Don [Idaho National Laboratory], Hartvigsen, Jeremy Lee [Idaho National Laboratory] (ORCID:0000000293205552), Sabharwall, Piyush [Idaho National Laboratory] (ORCID:000000032567205X), Charlot, Lise [Idaho National Laboratory] (ORCID:0000000263436990), Merzari, Elia [The Pennsylvania State University] (ORCID:0000000301747424). 2025-08-31. Modeling a Sodium Heat Pipe Experiment at SPHERE Using Sockeye. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/3024774

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DOE OSTI2026

Alchemy: A Model-Based Approach for 2D to 3D Autonomous Nuclear System Design

Engineering design of nuclear power plant (NPP) piping and equipment systems frequently bypasses crucial 2D system planning, instead moving straight to 3D modeling. This often leads to designs that exceed building envelope constraints, forcing expensive and time-consuming redesigns. When 2D modeling is employed, it typically involves labor-intensive manual workflows that convert 2D drawings into 3D models, resulting in inefficiencies and errors across design iterations. These workflows further suffer from poor software interoperability and dependence on proprietary software ecosystems, thereby contributing to schedule delays and cost overruns. This paper presents Alchemy, an autonomous framework that transforms 2D system definitions into Industry Foundation Classes (IFC)-compliant 3D building information models (BIMs) for expediting nuclear facility design at the conceptual preliminary phase. Using a model-based approach, the framework treats the 2D system diagram as the central reference model employed to automatically generate all subsequent outputs, ensuring consistency between the system definition and the resulting physical design. A web-based interface enables engineers to define hierarchical system topologies including associated equipment, geometric properties, and connectivity requirements. A two-phase equipment layout optimization algorithm automatically computes collision-free spatial configurations within predefined building envelopes. An artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted pipe routing module then generates orthogonal, collision-free routing paths, allowing the user to select either an A* search-based method or an Ant Colony Optimization (ACO)-based method. All outputs are authored natively in IFC format, relying on open-source technologies and standardized formats in order to ensure extensibility and eliminate proprietary software dependencies. The proposed framework is validated on two representative pressurized-water reactor (PWR)-based case studies, for which it autonomously generates IFC-compliant 3D models in minutes, drastically reducing workflows that typically require hours of manual effort. The generated model demonstrates topologically correct equipment placement, physically plausible spatial relationships, and collision-free pipe routing consistent with known PWR loop configurations. This work represents a foundational step toward digital engineering for nuclear facility preliminary design, with future ongoing development targeting design code compliance and expanded system complexity.

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