As part of its technological development efforts, part of the HEXANA team visited the PAPIRUS hall at CEA IRESNE, located on the Cadarache site.
This state-of-the-art experimental platform, dedicated to sodium technology research, hosts several strategic test loops:
- PEMDYN: A loop designed to study linear induction electromagnetic (EM)
pumps, with the aim of analyzing magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow
instabilities in sodium and validating numerical models for the ASTRID project. - DIADEMO-Na: Derived from the adaptation of the DIADEMO platform, this
loop features a complete sodium circuit, enabling tests of a 40 kWth
sodium/gas heat exchanger. - DOLMEN: A platform dedicated to developing under-sodium visualization
systems and monitoring instruments for sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs),
operating at temperatures up to 550 °C.
Exploring CEA’s Experimental Capabilities
This visit provided our team with an opportunity to discover CEA’s facilities and engage with the experts operating them. These setups replicate sodium-cooled reactor conditions, allowing the evaluation of material and component behavior in this specific environment.
We gained valuable insights into these testing capabilities — a key asset for qualifying our technologies and anticipating the challenges of operating our innovative SMR-type reactor.
Technical Discussions Fostering Synergies
The visit also served as a platform to explore potential collaboration opportunities with CEA, particularly regarding future tests and the validation of critical components. The expertise of the teams and the high-quality infrastructure reinforced our belief that these synergies are essential for developing next-generation nuclear solutions.
