Newswise — Argonne is shaping the future of clean and reliable energy solutions.
Research into nuclear energy is gaining attention as a critical piece of the solution to climate change. As part of this trend, nuclear engineers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory have received three new funding awards from the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) initiative. These awards recognize the valuable contributions of Argonne’s world-class nuclear engineers and facilities in this field.
Among the seven companies selected by GAIN, Argonne’s researchers are excited to partner with the following businesses:
- ARC Clean Technology Inc — Argonne and DOE’s Idaho National Laboratory will support the qualification of ARC’s fuel to deploy in their reactor system. The team will demonstrate the possibility of adding a coating barrier between the fuel and surrounding cladding to prevent their chemical interaction. The work will directly impact licensing and deployment of those systems. Abdellatif Yacout, manager of the Fuel Development and Qualification department, will oversee the project for Argonne.
- Alpha Tech Research Corp — Alpha Tech will partner with Argonne to determine the suitability of deploying Argonne’s Advanced Moderator Module (AMM) technology into their molten salt microreactor system. When successfully deployed, the AMM technology could reduce the amount of material as well as reduce the size of Alpha Tech’s reactor. Abdellatif Yacout will oversee the project for Argonne.
- Moltex Energy USA LLC — Argonne will collaborate with Moltex Energy to study conjugate heat transfer within their Stable Salt Reactor — Wasteburner design. This research will enable informed decision-making to enhance the safety and reliability of their reactor. Thanh Hua, principal nuclear engineer, will oversee the project for Argonne.
"These projects highlight the expertise and capabilities of our nuclear engineers at Argonne,” said Temitope Taiwo, director of Argonne's Nuclear Science and Engineering division. “We are excited to work with our industry partners to advance the development of more secure and efficient nuclear technologies."
The GAIN initiative, established by DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy, plays a vital role in providing technical, regulatory and financial support to accelerate the commercialization of innovative nuclear energy technologies. This initiative ensures the continued safe, reliable and economically viable operation of existing nuclear power plants while fostering the development of cutting-edge solutions.
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