As the lauric acid was melting, heat was being added to it but the temperature did not rise. Where did the heat energy go?

During the phase change, when solid melts into liquid, its temperature remains constant as the heat energy is stored as potential energy. Likewise, as heat is added to a liquid, its temperature increases as the molecules, once again, move faster.

a boiling water reactor does not boil the water. a pressurized water reactor boils the water faster. a pressurized water reactor is heated directly by the core. a pressurized water reactor does not use fission.