Hylenr, a Hyderabad‑based deep‑tech company, said it has finished Phase 1 of an independent validation study on its BRT‑NiUCS‑2 lattice‑confinement fusion (LCF) reactor at Texas A&M University's Nuclear Engineering Department. The small modular system uses hydrogen‑loaded nickel‑palladium catalyst materials and was examined under controlled laboratory conditions.
The Phase 1 investigation recorded elevated thermal output, with thermocouple and calibrated infrared imaging showing the active reactor running hotter than a calibration device at comparable input power. Residual gas analysis detected helium, argon and neon signals two to three orders of magnitude above background, while nitrogen levels remained unchanged, suggesting the gases were not due to atmospheric leakage. Post‑reaction SEM/EDX scans revealed morphological and compositional changes in the catalyst, and radiation monitoring found no detectable gamma, X‑ray or neutron emissions over a five‑day period.
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Co‑Founder and CEO Ram Ramaseshan emphasized that the study provides an external data point across thermal, gas and material diagnostics, reinforcing Hylenr’s focus on reproducibility, quantitative measurement and scientific transparency. Professor Lin Shao of Texas A&M noted that the suite of analytical techniques broadens the experimental basis for assessing the observed phenomena. Hylenr now plans Phase 2, which will test multiple independent reactors, employ quantitative calorimetry, refine loading parameters and add isotopic‑ratio, SIMS and ICP‑MS analyses.
