The Request for Expression of Interest (RFEOI) invites technology developers and other interested stakeholders to submit their insights and feedback about the innovative reactor designs and technologies, which collectively have broad applications that include electricity generation, district heating, isotope production and physics research.
Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) said its Slowpoke - from Safe Low-Power 'Kritical' Experiment - technology is a family of low-pressure, pool-type reactors. It was designed by Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) in the 1960s for neutron activation analysis, trace radioisotope production and as a tool for teaching nuclear science and engineering. AECL said it is a small, simple, inexpensive and inherently safe reactor design that has years of operations experience, and which has been successfully licensed and operated safely in Canada for decades.
"The success of small Slowpoke research reactors has also motivated exploration of the potential for larger versions of the concept, which could be used for district heating," it noted.
AECL's Nuclear Battery technology is a solid-state, graphite moderated heat-pipe-cooled microreactor concept that would be able to produce a combination of electricity (up to 600 kWe) and heat (up to 2400 kWth at about 400°C) for up to 15 years without refuelling. Largely envisioned for electricity or industrial heat processes, the concept was developed and advanced by AECL in the 1980s and 90s.
With initial research suggesting that both reactors may have broad appeal within the international technology development community, AECL and CNL are now interested in learning more about market interest in these technologies, including reactor design, engineering and sales, as well as end-use applications, such as district heating, electrical generation, isotope production and neutron activation analysis.
Participants are required to submit their Notice of Intent to Participate by 31 January and CNL will also be hosting an optional workshop and tour for registered participants on 19 February at the Chalk River Laboratories campus. Final RFEOI responses will be due on 12 March.
"Through our programme of work, including the small modular reactor siting programme and Canadian Nuclear Research Initiative, CNL has leveraged its resources to help develop and deploy the next generation of nuclear reactors here in Canada," said CNL Vice-President of Corporate Affairs and Business Development Lou Riccoboni. "With that goal in mind, we see real opportunity and value in AECL's Slowpoke and Nuclear Battery designs, which have tremendous potential to help combat climate change, and to advance research in physics and health sciences.
"This RFEOI process allows us to engage technologies developers to determine whether there is commercial interest in exploiting these innovative designs, which would help advance these important causes, while making the most of AECL's Intellectual Property on behalf of Canadian taxpayers."
