Former engineers from SpaceX are working on a portable microreactor that is lightweight and cost-effect. They call it the “world’s first portable, zero-emissions power source.”
The microreactor project was originally intended to be a develop a power source for a Martian colony. The group of engineers decided that Earth needed it more. They founded a company named Radiant to continue work on the microreactor for terrestrial applications. It could provide instant power to hard-to-reach places and quick installation in populated areas.
John Gehin is the Chief Scientist at the Nuclear Science & Technology Directorate at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). He issued a statement that read “In some areas of the world, reliance on diesel fuel is untenable, and solar and wind power are either unavailable or impractical. Clean, safe nuclear microreactors are emerging as the best alternative for these environments. Unlike diesel generators, it doesn’t require frequent fuel deliveries, since the fuel in the portable microreactor can last more than four years.”
Battelle Energy Alliance is the contractor that manages operations at the INL. They are collaborating with Radiant on the microreactor project.
Home generators emit more pollutants that trucks and industry combined. They also pose a more significant risk to human health. This is because they are located in or near a home and run for long periods. Engineers and startups are searching for low-cost, portable solutions to replace current home generators. Possibilities include solar-powered batteries being used in Nigeria, microgrids in a box, or hybrid solutions that could maintain local power during grid outages.
Radiant’s portable microreactor could provide a clean solution to a range of power challenges. The portable microreactor is better for the environment without compromising on performance. In addition, it is small enough to fit in a shipping container.
The microreactor could be deployed to remote regions where fossil-fuel generators would ordinarily be employed. Unlike diesel generators, it does not require frequent fuel deliveries. The fuel in a portable microreactor can last more than four years.
Doug Bernauer is the co-founder of Radiant. He recently said, “The nuclear industry can benefit greatly from aerospace technologies and software developments that have occurred over the past 20 years, and have not made their way into nuclear.”
Bernauer was researching energy sources for a possible Martian colony when he realized that there was a need for the same kind of flexible, economical power source right here on Earth. He was motivated to team up with two other former SpaceX engineers and co-found Radiant.
The Radiant portable microreactor will produce over one megawatt. This would be enough electricity to power about one thousand homes for up to eight years. A group of microreactors could power a small town. The microreactors use an improved fuel that can withstand higher temperatures than most nuclear fuels and does not melt which allows for safer operation.
Radiant is among many public and private organizations that are working on compact nuclear reactors. However, to date, none have been able to develop a truly compact, economical and long-lasting portable microreactor.