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Antares achieves zero-power criticality at INL
Leveraging more than $140 million in private capital fundraising, over 322,000 square feet of operational manufacturing space, and multifaceted partnerships with the Departments of Energy and Defense, reactor start-up Antares has become the first company involved in the Reactor Pilot Program to achieve zero-power fueled criticality—a full month ahead of the July 4 deadline set by President Trump’s Executive Order 14301.
This milestone, announced yesterday, was achieved with the company’s Mark-0: a sodium heat-pipe-cooled, TRISO-fueled microreactor. The Mark-0 is a forerunner to the company’s flagship design, which it calls the R1. For Antares, this development represents a key validation of its reactor physics, control systems, and supply chain.
O. Vincent-Viry, J. André, A. Chobriat, C. Dauteuil, F. Durut, C. Hermerel, S. Meux, M. Theobald
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 73 | Number 3 | April 2018 | Pages 481-487
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2017.1387017
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The variety in the design of laser targets experimented at CEA requires versatile and adaptable target assembly stations. Even if assembly technician know-how remains essential and indispensable, automation appears to be a valuable solution to improve productivity and target quality [Carlson et al., Fusion Sci. Technol. Vol. 70, p. 274 (2016); Lee et al., Fusion Sci. Technol., Vol. 59, p. 227 (2011); and Schmidt, Fusion Sci. Technol., Vol. 55, p. 290 (2009)]. Given the variety of target designs, automation is investigated essentially as an operator support on some specific and repetitive tasks. The gluing of the laser entrance hole membrane on gas targets is a typical example. CEA has developed an automated station dedicated to this specific operation. The main objectives are to increase productivity and reduce sensibility to operator know-how. A concept prototype (for a single holhraum) has been designed and successfully tested and the implementation of multiple devices on the station is about to begin. This paper gives a complete presentation of the station and of the developments achieved.