Thermal-Hydraulic Experiment at TUM

by Dr Christian Reiter

Monday 30 Jun 2025, 14:30 → 15:30 Europe/Berlin

PH HS 3 (Physics Department)

The Forschungs-Neutronenquelle Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II), operated by the Technical University of Munich (TUM), is a high-flux research reactor that currently uses high-enriched uranium (HEU) fuel. In line with international nuclear nonproliferation goals, a major initiative is underway to convert the reactor to low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel while preserving its unique performance characteristics. This ambitious transition requires a solid scientific and engineering foundation, particularly in the area of thermal hydraulics.

This seminar will present TUM's thermal-hydraulics research program supporting the FRM II conversion. The seminar will cover recent experimental campaigns aimed at characterizing flow behavior, heat transfer, and critical safety parameters in representative FRM II core geometries. The design and commissioning of specialized test facilities, the challenges of scaling and instrumentation, and the use of experimental data to validate system codes and guide LEU core design will be discussed.

The talk will particularly highlight how thermal-hydraulic results contribute to safety analyses, licensing strategies, and demonstrating performance parity between the HEU and proposed LEU cores. These efforts are a key part of TUM’s commitment to safely converting reactors based on science and creating sustainable research infrastructure.