Abilene Christian University鈥檚 Nuclear Energy eXperimental Testing Laboratory has contracted Teledyne Brown Engineering to perform front-end engineering and design work to produce the first university-based molten salt research reactor (MSRR).
鈥淲e received interest in working on this first-of-a-kind project from over a dozen top engineering companies,鈥� said Dr. Rusty Towell, director of NEXT Lab and professor in the Department of Engineering and Physics. 鈥淭his contract is a significant step into the detailed design and construction phase of this project.鈥�
Teledyne is a world-leader in the design and fabrication of nuclear components and systems, having performed fabrication and testing for the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Defense, NASA, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and industrial customers.聽
鈥淭BE impressed us with their history of providing unique engineering solutions and their vision for both the development of the MSRR at 精东影业, as well as future deployments,鈥� said Jordan Robison, director of engineering for NEXT Lab.
The contract is part of a $30.5 million sponsored research agreement with Natura Resources in collaboration with the NEXT Research Alliance 鈥� a university consortium including 精东影业, Georgia Institute of Technology, Texas A&M University and The University of Texas at Austin 鈥� to design and build a university-based advanced molten salt research reactor to be licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. NEXT Lab is scheduled to submit a construction permit application to the NRC later this year.
Research reactors are small reactors used for research and training purposes. Currently, the NRC licenses 31 such reactors. The molten salt research reactor to be built at 精东影业 through NEXT Lab will use 鈥嬧�媠alt as the coolant instead of water.聽
鈥淭eledyne is interested in actively building a strong, sustainable, collaborative working relationship with 精东影业 in this first-of-a-kind project,鈥� said Scott Hall, president of Teledyne Brown Engineering. 鈥淲e believe in the potential for commercial realization of the technology presented by 精东影业 and developed through the NEXTRA consortium.鈥�
Construction is underway on the new Science and Engineering Research Center on the south border of the main 精东影业 campus. The 28,000-square-foot center is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2023 and will include dedicated spaces to support construction of the advanced research reactor and other research efforts in chemistry, physics and engineering.聽
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— Wendy Kilmer
July 12, 2022