Thermal-Hydraulic Research Laboratory

Department of Nuclear Engineering

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You are here: Home / Current Projects / Pebble Bed Test Facility

Pebble Bed Test Facility

Large Pebble Bed Facility

The Advanced High-Temperature Reactor (AHTR) concept leverages a particle-based fuel format consisting of discrete spherical graphite pebbles arrayed in a packed bed architecture. Thermal regulation achieved via flow of gas (e.g., helium) or liquid (e.g., molten salt) coolants through the void spaces between pebbles in the bed (characteristic pebble diameters: ~ 6 cm, gas cooled; ~ 3 cm, liquid cooled).

Texas A&M is conducting pressure drop and velocity measurements in the versatile experimental facility of randomly packed spheres at various Reynolds numbers. High-fidelity velocity measurements using Time-resolved Stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry (TR-SPIV) at the pore scales and near the wall boundary are performed in the matching-refractive-index (MRI) facility.

Visitors at Pebble Bed

Tagged With: high temperature gas cooled reactors

Our Current Projects

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HTGR Upper Plenum Natural Circulation Facility

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Helical Coil Steam Generator Test Loop

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Wire Wrapped Fuel Assembly

The Water-Cooled Reactor Cavity Cooling System (RCCS)

Pebble Bed Test Facility

Thermal-Hydraulic Research Laboratory

Department of Nuclear Engineering                 3380 University Drive East
College Station, TX 77845

ph. 979-845-4109

Texas A&M University Department of Nuclear Engineering

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