Two year project results in design of test facility to confirm
thermal hydraulic behavior in next generation reactors
Gen4 Energy (GEN4) announced that it has completed the conceptual design
and final report for a Natural Circulation Experimental Facility (NCEF)
to support the thermal hydraulic testing of a Lead Bismuth cooled,
pumped flow Generation IV advanced reactor. This work was the result of
a cost share grant from the Department of Energy (DOE) to conduct
research and development on natural circulation designs for advanced
nuclear reactors that utilize a lead bismuth coolant. GEN4, a small
business based in Denver, Colorado, was selected by DOE in 2013 along
with General Electric, Westinghouse and General Atomic as one of the
first recipients of a competitively sponsored, industry lead R&D
initiative.
Gen4 Energy assembled a strong University, National Laboratory,
commercial and international team that included the University of South
Carolina; Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Idaho National
Laboratory; URS and SRS USA LLC (a subsidiary of SRS Servizi di Ricerche
e Sviluppo) to complete the scaling and design for the NCEF.
In October, GEN4 submitted a 5 year plan to the Department of Energy
(DOE) to complete the thermal hydraulic testing and model validation for
a Lead Bismuth cooled Generation IV reactor. This proposal supports Gen4
Energy’s overall initiative to design, license and test a 25-MWe, LBE
Cooled Generation IV prototype reactor by 2030.
GEN4 was founded in 2007, to develop an advanced design nuclear reactor
referred to as the Gen4 Module (G4M). The G4M produces 25 MW of
electricity to power remote mining or oil and gas operations, large
government complexes, and isolated and island communities. The design
intent for the G4M is to provide safe and reliable power that is
available 24/7, emitting no greenhouse gasses. The G4M is a safe,
low-cost and efficient advanced reactor design that provides a viable
small-scale alternative to current LWR’s and advances the licensing for
next generation nuclear concepts. Its short time-to-market makes it
deployable as the current fleet retires.
Investment in advanced nuclear reactors is part of the Obama
Administration's all-of-the-above strategy to accelerate clean energy
leadership, enable a low-carbon economy, cut carbon pollution, and it
supports the President's plan to spark innovation across a wide variety
of energy technologies, including emerging nuclear technologies.
Bob Prince, President and CEO of Gen4 Energy said, “We believe the
compact size and safety of the G4M provides DOE with a foundational
building block for advanced reactor licensing and early deployment.
Early deployment leverages DOE’s current investment in advanced reactor
technology and delivers earlier to market, speeds cost recovery,
attracts investors and generates commensurate savings in development
costs.”
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151216005820/en/
Copyright Business Wire 2015
Source: Business Wire
(December 16, 2015 - 10:36 AM EST)
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