Engineering large Burns & McDonnell has entered into an settlement with nuclear expertise specialist BWXT Applied sciences to advance the design and improvement of the BWXT Superior Nuclear Reactor (BANR). The microreactor mission is an integral a part of a contract with the Wyoming Vitality Authority (WEA), which is assessing the viability of deploying small-scale nuclear reactors within the state.
BWXT has been growing the BANR high-temperature gasoline reactor (HTGR) microreactor since 2021 as a part of the Division of Vitality’s (DOE’s) Superior Reactor Demonstration Program’s (ARDP’s) Threat Discount program, with an $85.3 million award furnished over seven years.
As envisioned by BWXT, BANR will probably be a “modular, factory-fabricated system that’s small and light-weight sufficient to be transported by way of rail, ship or truck.” The 50 MWth reactor will probably be scalable to website wants, make the most of versatile energy conversion to provide warmth and energy, and use high-density TRI-structural ISOtropic particle gas (TRISO) gas particles.
The ARDP mission scope for BANR has up to now included growing a feasibility research to evaluate uranium oxycarbide (UCO) TRISO gas kernels coated with a number of layers of pyrocarbon (PyC) and silicon carbide (SiC), in order that they will face up to “excessive temperatures nicely past the brink of present nuclear fuels.”
A key goal, nonetheless, is to improve BANR to higher-density uranium nitride (UN) gas kernels that would present twice the gas density in comparison with UCO or uranium oxide, which might enhance its energy and lengthen the BANR’s core life. Idaho Nationwide Laboratory (INL) and Oak Ridge Nationwide Laboratory (ORNL) are key individuals within the ARDP effort, together with for testing the prepare design, irradiating UN TRISO prismatic gas within the Superior Take a look at Reactor (ATR), and performing post-irradiation examination. The mission is now in its third 12 months of the seven-year program.
Wyoming Setting the Stage Microreactor Cogeneration
In keeping with BWXT, BANR has immense potential to supply cogeneration for navy operations, knowledge facilities, and distant mining operations. The microreactor expertise is also utilized to naval and area nuclear propulsion and energy efforts, it says.
In September 2023, as a key step to additional its deployment, BWXT introduced WEA awarded it a $20 million two-phase, two-year contract beneath a cost-share program to “assess the viability of deploying small-scale nuclear reactors within the state as a supply of resilient and dependable power to reinforce current energy era sources.” The primary part, accomplished earlier this 12 months, concerned work by BWXT, in collaboration with Wyoming industries, to determine necessities for nuclear purposes to fulfill base energy and warmth wants for distant, off-grid purposes within the state.
The contract kicked off with a particular emphasis on trona mining operations. (Wyoming is among the largest producers of trona, a naturally occurring mineral that could be a key ingredient in numerous industrial processes like glass manufacturing, chemical compounds, paper, and detergents.) However whereas BWXT signed an settlement with soda ash producer Tata Chemical substances Soda Ash Companions, it has additionally since signed a joint improvement settlement with L&H Industrial, an industrial options agency centered on mining and heavy industrials.
In April, L&H mentioned the collaborative effort—harnessed by a framework laid by INL’s Frontier’s Initiative and the WEA’s Matching Fund—will deal with the “improvement and potential deployment” of the BANR in “cogeneration units.” The trouble marks the initiation of a brand new mannequin of microreactor deployment that may take into account the enterprise and monetary fashions required to “meet the power wants, reliability and resiliency of mining and different important industries” within the area, it mentioned.
“Collaborating with BWXT represents a novel alternative for L&H to prepared the ground within the nuclear power provide chain and additional develop Evercore Vitality, the operational firm that may personal, function, and lease the power offered by these groundbreaking cogen units,” mentioned Mike Wandler, president and CEO of L&H Industrial Inc.
Section 2 Will Contain Essential Engineering Work to Additional BANR
Below part one, nonetheless, BWXT additionally carried out essential engineering work to additional the BANR built-in system design, in addition to work to establish the place Wyoming’s current provide chain can reveal capabilities for reactor element manufacturing. As well as, BWXT evaluated websites “tailor-made to end-user necessities,” assessed a “tough order of magnitude” estimate, and offered a licensing roadmap and technique.
On June 17, given success within the first part, BWXT introduced WEA awarded it the second part of the contract. “Section 2 of the contract contains finishing the conceptual design of a lead microreactor unit, growing a regulatory engagement plan and microreactor fleet mannequin, and demonstrating the Wyoming provide chain’s potential to fabricate nuclear parts,” the corporate famous. Section 2 is slated to be accomplished by the third quarter of 2025.
Below the settlement unveiled on July 22, Burns & McDonnell mentioned it could help BWXT in growing the balance-of-plant (BOP) programs for the microreactor, producing the facility plant structure, and performing preconstruction planning. “Burns & McDonnell’s mission scope contains growing the facility cycle structure and figuring out important parts such because the steam turbine generator and air-cooled condensers,” the corporate mentioned. “Burns & McDonnell scope additionally contains website integration design and assist for steam and energy distribution infrastructure and reactor constructing buildings.”
Scott Strawn, vice chairman and normal supervisor of the Energy Group at Burns & McDonnell, steered the mission may play a pioneering position in supercharging the deployment of microreactors. BWXT, he famous, is “a premier nuclear producer that’s been designing, constructing, and delivering reactors for many years.” The mission “has so many distinctive facets to it, together with cogeneration, which might be the primary home nuclear software that produces each electrical energy and steam for industrial use,” he mentioned.
BWXT Evaluating Areas for TRISO Manufacturing in Wyoming
BWXT is, in the meantime, additionally evaluating places for a possible new TRISO nuclear gas manufacturing facility in Wyoming. On July 18, the corporate revealed it signed a cooperation settlement with the state to “consider the necessities for siting a gas fabrication facility within the state.” The 18-month effort “will consider such issues as potential manufacturing facility places, product specs, facility design and engineering, estimated capital expenditures and working prices, staffing and employee talent necessities, provide chain requirements, licensing, and different necessities,” it mentioned.
The announcement is a notable first for BWXT, marking a definitive foray into the manufacture of TRISO gas to assist the rising superior reactor market. “BWXT owns and operates the one two Nuclear Regulatory Fee Class 1-licensed business nuclear services within the U.S., and we additionally manufacture gas for the extremely profitable Canadian nuclear energy market,” mentioned Joe Miller, president of BWXT Superior Applied sciences LLC. “For roughly 40 years, BWXT has furnished nuclear gas throughout quite a few authorities and business markets, giving the corporate a novel and extremely credible background from which to attract on as we evaluation choices for a possible new facility.”
The corporate added that the brand new effort “will assist set up the baseline for services vital to fulfill anticipated demand for this specialised nuclear gas and contains establishing the size vital for financial viability.”
For Wyoming, the potential of a nuclear gas fabrication facility is extremely engaging. “Because the world’s power calls for proceed to rise, Wyoming should keep centered on defending our core industries whereas frequently augmenting our sources of power,” mentioned Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon.
“Wyoming has all of it. Nuclear has been a stalwart in our power portfolio, and like coal, can begin with uncooked supplies mined in Wyoming, processed in Wyoming, and utilized in Wyoming. A real trifecta,” he mentioned.
—Sonal Patel is a POWER senior editor (@sonalcpatel, @POWERmagazine).
