Transitioning toward clean energy is crucial to address climate change, and Nuclear Energy is especially getting attention. After overcoming its safety challenges, nuclear energy could serve as a reliable power source, generating a massive amount of energy from a relatively small amount of fuel. Most importantly, there are no direct carbon footprints.
Still under development, Westinghouse’s eVinci microreactor could be a steadfast solution for harnessing cost-competitive energy. Its innovative and compact design requires no complex construction, allowing its rapid on-site deployment. Its small size permits easy transportability, enabling its set-up even in remote areas.
The eVinci boasts minimal site footprints and can generate 5MWe with a 15MWth core design. The core design is scheduled to run for eight years before refueling. When it runs out of fuel, the entire eVince microreactor, including the used fuel, is transported back to the factory for refueling. eVinci is fully factory-assembled and transportable in shipping containers via rail or truck.
Westinghouse has seamlessly and reliably paired eVinci Microreactor with wind, solar, and hydropower generation with grid forming or following capabilities. It can swiftly increase or decrease power generation, matching the fluctuations in renewable energy sources. eVinci can help stabilize the grid by acting as a reliable baseload power source. Moreover, its scale-up and scale-down capability stores the excess energy during high production hours and releases it during low production.
Unlike other microreactors that demand coolants like pressurized water or molten salt, eVinci needs no external cooling methods, eliminating the risk of high system pressures and accidents due to the loss of coolant. During the operation, heat from the fuel is transferred to the new heat pipe technology, where heat is deposed.
It uses Tri-structural isotropic particle fuel, or TRISO, which is a blend of 19.75% enriched Uranium isotopes mixed with carbon and oxygen to form fissile fuel pellets. These pellets are then filled into rods and inserted into the core. This proficient fuel eliminates flow-induced corrosion and vibration, and the energy produced is always under control.
“Westinghouse has developed and continues to advance heat pipe technology and manufacturing processes through design, analysis tools, and test capabilities, with our recent success in manufacturing the first ever 12-foot nuclear-grade heat pipe.”, says Westinghouse.
New fusion reactor endurance record for tungsten tokamak WEST: eVinci™ Microreactor: The Next Generation Nuclear ReactoreVinci’s greatly simplified design and safety measures proliferate its installation in various fields:
- Remote or Edge of Grid Communities
- Mining Operations
- Industrial Process Heat
- District Heating
- Hydrogen Generation
- Research Reactors
- Critical Infrastructure
- Strategic Military Installations
- Data Centers
As eVinci runs for 8+ years without coolants and the used fuel is returned to manufacturers, Westinghouse claims that the microreactor “will reduce up to 55,000 tons of C02/year.”
