43 Nuclear Batteries Emile Germonpre, Nikita Klimenko Technology Overview Nuclear microreactors are small-scale nuclear reactors with a power output of a few megawatts (Testoni, Bersano, and Segantin 2021). Their working principle is the same as that of traditional power plants: nuclear fission produces heat, which in turn drives a turbine to generate electricity. The microreactors are similar in size to a shipping container and can run for several years without refueling. Microreactors and their auxiliary components are designed to be transportable, so they can be shipped to potentially-remote sites and installed with minimal on-site construction – not much more than a concrete reactor bay is needed. Thanks to this modularity, the reactors can be installed quickly without the construction and budget overruns that plague their bigger cousins. Figure 9.1 shows the site layout of the eVinci reactor proposed by Westinghouse. When a reactor has used all its fuel, it is swapped for a new one; much like replacing traditional batteries, hence the name. The spent reactor is then transported to a central facility for refueling and maintenance. Moreover, the reactor is licensed and operated by an experienced vendor, so energy can be delivered as a service. Figure 13 The eVinci site layout rendering, annotated to show typical microreactor modules. As a compact, stable, emissions-free power source, microreactors are expected to become a versatile energy platform to, e.g., power remote communities or provide heat and power for industrial processes. Thus, they are an ideal candidate for decarbonizing university campuses. The industry is pursuing several designs at varying technological readiness levels. In 2021, several designs including Westinghouse's eVinci, Xe-Mobile by X-energy, and Aurora by Oklo reported a technological readiness level of 4. However, the industry shows an aggressive schedule, with plans for the first commercial deployment by 2023 (Testoni, Bersano, and Segantin 2021). This work is based on the eVinci design – a 5 MWe design with an 8-year refueling cycle – because it is one of the closest to deployment.
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