• French firm’s sodium test rig to replicate nuclear reactor’s temperatures reaching 1,382°F ELISE is the first installation on Blue Capsule Technology’s development roadmap and is set to run for several years. • A French company is taking a key step in the development of its sodium-cooled, high-temperature small modular reactor (SMR). • For this, Blue Capsule has started the construction of a new full-sized test rig for sodium at high temperatures. • Called “ELISE”, the test rig will replicate the conditions of the Blue Capsule high-temperature reactor (HTR), with temperatures reaching 1,382 °F (750°C). • Blue Capsule’s small modular reactor can provide 150 MW of heat at 700°C, steam/vapour to 650°C, and 50 MW of electricity. • First installation on Blue Capsule Technology’s development roadmap “This full-size installation will stand at nine metres high when completed, and provide valuable data on thermo-hydraulics and the natural circulation of liquid sodium at high temperatures,” said Domnin Erard, Blue Capsule’s technical director.
Article Summaries:
- French company Blue Capsule has begun constructing “ELISE,” a full‑size sodium test rig that will replicate the high‑temperature conditions of its planned sodium‑cooled, high‑temperature small modular reactor (SMR). The rig will reach 1,382 °F (750 °C) and stand nine metres tall, providing data on thermo‑hydraulics and natural circulation of liquid sodium. ELISE is the first installation on Blue Capsule’s development roadmap and is expected to operate for several years. Built in collaboration with France’s CSTI Group, the project supports the company’s goal of delivering 150 MW of heat, 50 MW of electricity, and high‑temperature steam for energy‑intensive industries.
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