Ilaria Rosella Pagliaro Canada innovates with AECL Nuclear Battery, a safe and compact micro-reactor that provides energy and heat for 15 years without the need for refueling
©CNL
Imagine a new technology that could fundamentally change how we think about creating energy-the AECL Nuclear Battery, designed in Canada, that can provide both electricity and heat for 15 years without refueling. This first-of-a-kind solid-state reactor, now under development by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, may eventually become a preferred solution for both the remote community in need of power and assured sustainable industrial processes.
The Nuclear Battery will be a member of the SLOWPOKE family of reactors-a technology developed in Canada, operating successfully for decades in several countries around the world, including Jamaica. These low-pressure, pool-cooled reactors boast intrinsic safety, or “safe by physics,” that enables simplified operations and unsupervised functioning for as long as 24 hours.
The core of this technology will be the development of a consistent and safe manner of energy production without human interference, providing another alternative to using fossil fuels-especially in inaccessible areas.
According to CNL, micro-reactors like the Nuclear Battery could be game-changers in the fight against climate change, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and opening up new opportunities in everything from physics to nuclear medicine.
How the micro-reactor works and where it could be used
The concept of a nuclear battery is not new: as early as the 1980s and 1990s, scientists explored the idea of a reactor capable of continuously generating energy for over a decade. The current design envisions a reactor capable of producing up to 800 horsepower (600 kWe) of electricity and 8.2 million BTU (2400 kWth) of heat, with an operating temperature of approximately 750°F (400°C).
Thanks to its design, the micro-reactor is deployable for a wide variety of applications, including:
- Supplying power in remote and off-grid communities
- Urban and district heating systems
- Production of medical isotopes
- Scientific research through neutron activation analysis
Its genius, though, is its ability to go without maintenance for years at a time, hence guaranteeing the supply of energy in locations where traditional solutions cannot be applied easily.
In a bid to commercialize this technology, AECL and CNL are holding discussions with companies and stakeholders through an RFEOI process to provide feedback on the potential of micro-reactors, evaluate the most promising applications, and develop ways to bring the Nuclear Battery to market.
Source: CNL
