Project Overview

The objective of this project is to assemble and validate a high-temperature Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) system capable of measuring velocity fields in molten salts under volumetric heating conditions. In the long term, the project aims to develop a fundamental understanding of molten salt thermal-hydraulic behavior to support the design, validation, and licensing of passive decay heat removal systems for small modular reactors (SMRs). Anticipated outcomes include a validated non-intrusive PIV methodology for high-temperature molten salt environments, high-resolution benchmark datasets isolating volumetric from boundary heating effects, and experimentally grounded data for CFD model validation. Collectively, these results will advance knowledge of natural convection in semi-transparent media and provide a critical experimental foundation for safe, low-carbon SMR deployment.