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SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Oklo Inc. (NYSE: OKLO) (“Oklo”), an advanced nuclear technology company, has conducted full-scale flow testing of a prototypical fuel assembly at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Argonne National Laboratory (“Argonne”) under a DOE Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) voucher. The program has generated experimental data to validate computer models, demonstrate manufacturing parameters, and advance Oklo’s fuel assembly design toward production.
Working with Argonne’s thermal-hydraulics team and test facilities, Oklo is studying how coolant flows through a fuel assembly across a range of operating conditions. The tests measured parameters such as pressure drop and flow distribution, providing data that will benchmark Oklo’s simulations with full-scale performance.
“These full-scale, prototypical tests are vital in moving us from design into production,” said Jacob DeWitte, co-founder and CEO of Oklo. “The work we’re doing through GAIN at Argonne delivers real-world data that will ultimately inform the manufacturing parameters of our fuel-assembly design.”
By combining Argonne’s experimental capabilities with Oklo’s ability to design and build prototypic Aurora components as part of its design, build, and test cycle, the effort supports the company’s cost-effective approach to building large-scale parts for its powerhouses.
About Oklo Inc.: Oklo Inc. is developing fast fission power plants to deliver clean, reliable, and affordable energy at scale, establishing a domestic supply chain for critical radioisotopes, and advancing nuclear fuel recycling to convert nuclear waste into clean energy. Oklo was the first to receive a site use permit from the U.S. Department of Energy for a commercial advanced fission plant, was awarded fuel from Idaho National Laboratory, and submitted the first custom combined license application for an advanced reactor to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Oklo is also developing advanced fuel recycling technologies in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. National Laboratories.