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SAMDAILY.US - ISSUE OF APRIL 03, 2024 SAM #8163
SPECIAL NOTICE

99 -- Technology Opportunity: Liquid Metal-Suspended UO2 Fuel

Notice Date
4/1/2024 8:15:35 AM
 
Notice Type
Special Notice
 
Contracting Office
ORNL UT-BATTELLE LLC-DOE CONTRACTOR Oak Ridge TN 37831 USA
 
ZIP Code
37831
 
Solicitation Number
2024-04-01-A
 
Response Due
6/1/2024 2:00:00 PM
 
Archive Date
06/02/2024
 
Point of Contact
Eugene R. Cochran, Phone: 8655762830
 
E-Mail Address
cochraner@ornl.gov
(cochraner@ornl.gov)
 
Description
Technology Summary Current fuel used in nuclear light water reactors that generate energy for the grid use a solid form of uranium that is heated and processed to form pellets. The fission reactions they make when burned generate a large amount of heat, but uranium oxide is a very poor heat conductor. So reactors must be cooled by a constant flow of water and power that can never be disrupted. This technology proposes to mix UO2 with a liquid metal that conducts heat more efficiently. This fuel would form the basis of a new reactor design that does not require constant, uninterrupted cooling, resulting in a simpler and potentially safer nuclear reactor.� Description This technology proposes a new type of nuclear fuel as a basis for designing a new type of nuclear reactor that would be simpler and potentially safer than current technology. Current nuclear reactor fuel technology uses sintered uranium dioxide (UO2) pellets that are fissioned to create energy. But UO2 is a poor heat conductor, and reactors must be cooled by constant flow of cooling water. This technology would use a fuel of unsintered UO2 particles suspended in a liquid metal, either a Bi-Pb-Sn or a Pb-Sn alloy. Reducing the uranium size from pellets to particles improves heat conductivity and reduces temperatures of the fuel so the reactor would not require constant cooling. Reactors using this fuel would require fewer safety systems than conventional light water reactors. A model of such a reactor is proposed as well.� Benefits Safer, simpler nuclear reactors than what exist today� Requires no new structural materials� Constant cooling not required� More efficient and cost-competitive nuclear power� Applications and Industries Electric utilities using nuclear reactors to produce energy� Medical isotope production� Any industry that makes use of nuclear reactors�
 
Web Link
SAM.gov Permalink
(https://sam.gov/opp/99259d47e0274a8485ae733b73ebfa1a/view)
 
Place of Performance
Address: Oak Ridge, LA, USA
Country: USA
 
Record
SN07015280-F 20240403/240401230042 (samdaily.us)
 
Source
SAM.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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