| The project objective is to develop a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model describing
temperature and fluid velocity distribution for the primary and secondary coolant behavior of the
MARVEL core using STAR-CCM+. The MARVEL reactor thermal-hydraulic core behavior has
been investigated using RELAP5-3D. Though the results provided by RELAP5-3D convey
significant information about the natural circulative and heat transfer capabilities of the MARVEL
reactor core, flaws such as hot spots, dead circulative zones, and circulatory instabilities caused by
geometrical primary coolant system (PCS) components are not detected. Since the core is
symmetric, only ¼ of the core was modeled to minimize the complexities. The usage and
functionality of lead, LBE, and Galinstan (a eutectic mixture of alloy constituting gallium (Ga),
indium (In), and tin (Sn)) as secondary coolants are investigated. Stirling engine’s heat removal
capability with metal coolant is also explored to identify potential freezing condition |