diff --git a/src/model/loops.ts b/src/model/loops.ts
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+++ b/src/model/loops.ts
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+/**
+ * Loop engine (C8, ADR-0001) — feedback loops are *derived* from the wiring, not
+ * stored, so they can never disagree with the structure.
+ *
+ * We build a signed directed graph and enumerate its simple cycles, classifying
+ * each by the parity of its negative links: an even number of `−` is a
+ * Reinforcing loop (R), an odd number is Balancing (B) — the sign of the product
+ * of the loop's link polarities.
+ *
+ * Signed edges come from two places (ADR-0001 "every link carries polarity;
+ * inflows/outflows carry inherent polarity"):
+ *   - Information Links contribute their stored `+`/`−` (source → target).
+ *   - A Flow contributes its inherent material polarity: `+` into the stock it
+ *     fills (flow → target) and `−` out of the stock it drains (flow → source).
+ * Clouds have no outgoing edges, so no cycle passes through the model boundary.
+ *
+ * Enumeration is Tarjan SCC (prune acyclic structure) → DFS of simple cycles
+ * within each component, started from each member in id order with descendants
+ * restricted to that order so every cycle is found exactly once (from its
+ * minimum node). Both the result count and the search are capped (T3): pathology
+ * yields "the first N loops", never a blown frame budget (F5 ⊗ F3).
+ */
+import type { Model, Polarity } from "./types"
+
+export type LoopType = "R" | "B"
+
+export interface Loop {
+  /** Canonical id: the cycle's node ids in traversal order, min-id first. */
+  id: string
+  /** Nodes on the cycle, in order (no repeated closing node). */
+  nodeIds: string[]
+  /** Count of `−` links around the loop; its parity decides R vs B. */
+  negatives: number
+  type: LoopType
+}
+
+export interface LoopResult {
+  loops: Loop[]
+  /** True if the result or search cap was hit — there may be more loops. */
+  capped: boolean
+}
+
+/** Max simple cycles reported before we stop (ADR-0001/T3: "+N more"). */
+export const LOOP_CAP = 200
+/** Hard ceiling on edge expansions, so a dense graph can't blow the frame. */
+const STEP_BUDGET = 50_000
+
+interface SignedEdge {
+  to: string
+  polarity: Polarity
+}
+
+function buildGraph(model: Model): Map<string, SignedEdge[]> {
+  const adj = new Map<string, SignedEdge[]>()
+  for (const node of model.nodes) adj.set(node.id, [])
+
+  const add = (from: string, edge: SignedEdge): void => {
+    const list = adj.get(from)
+    if (list) list.push(edge)
+  }
+
+  for (const link of model.infoLinks) add(link.source, { to: link.target, polarity: link.polarity })
+  for (const node of model.nodes) {
+    if (node.kind !== "flow") continue
+    add(node.id, { to: node.target, polarity: "+" }) // fills its target
+    add(node.id, { to: node.source, polarity: "-" }) // drains its source
+  }
+  return adj
+}
+
+/** Tarjan's SCC — components are returned in reverse topological order. */
+function stronglyConnectedComponents(adj: Map<string, SignedEdge[]>): string[][] {
+  const index = new Map<string, number>()
+  const low = new Map<string, number>()
+  const onStack = new Set<string>()
+  const stack: string[] = []
+  const sccs: string[][] = []
+  let counter = 0
+
+  const connect = (v: string): void => {
+    index.set(v, counter)
+    low.set(v, counter)
+    counter++
+    stack.push(v)
+    onStack.add(v)
+
+    for (const { to } of adj.get(v) ?? []) {
+      if (!index.has(to)) {
+        connect(to)
+        low.set(v, Math.min(low.get(v)!, low.get(to)!))
+      } else if (onStack.has(to)) {
+        low.set(v, Math.min(low.get(v)!, index.get(to)!))
+      }
+    }
+
+    if (low.get(v) === index.get(v)) {
+      const component: string[] = []
+      let w: string
+      do {
+        w = stack.pop()!
+        onStack.delete(w)
+        component.push(w)
+      } while (w !== v)
+      sccs.push(component)
+    }
+  }
+
+  for (const v of adj.keys()) if (!index.has(v)) connect(v)
+  return sccs
+}
+
+export function detectLoops(model: Model): LoopResult {
+  const adj = buildGraph(model)
+  const components = stronglyConnectedComponents(adj).filter((c) => c.length > 1)
+
+  const loops: Loop[] = []
+  const seen = new Set<string>()
+  let capped = false
+  let steps = 0
+
+  const record = (nodeIds: string[], negatives: number): void => {
+    if (loops.length >= LOOP_CAP) {
+      capped = true
+      return
+    }
+    const id = nodeIds.join(">")
+    if (seen.has(id)) return
+    seen.add(id)
+    loops.push({ id, nodeIds, negatives, type: negatives % 2 === 0 ? "R" : "B" })
+  }
+
+  for (const component of components) {
+    if (capped) break
+    const members = new Set(component)
+    const order = [...component].sort()
+    const rank = new Map(order.map((id, i) => [id, i]))
+
+    for (let start = 0; start < order.length && !capped; start++) {
+      const startId = order[start]
+      const path: string[] = []
+      const onPath = new Set<string>()
+      const polarities: Polarity[] = []
+
+      const walk = (v: string): void => {
+        path.push(v)
+        onPath.add(v)
+        for (const edge of adj.get(v) ?? []) {
+          if (capped) break
+          if (++steps > STEP_BUDGET) {
+            capped = true
+            break
+          }
+          if (!members.has(edge.to) || rank.get(edge.to)! < start) continue
+          if (edge.to === startId) {
+            const negatives =
+              polarities.filter((p) => p === "-").length + (edge.polarity === "-" ? 1 : 0)
+            record([...path], negatives)
+          } else if (!onPath.has(edge.to)) {
+            polarities.push(edge.polarity)
+            walk(edge.to)
+            polarities.pop()
+          }
+        }
+        path.pop()
+        onPath.delete(v)
+      }
+
+      walk(startId)
+    }
+  }
+
+  return { loops, capped }
+}