Jacobs has been selected by Moltex Energy to support its development of a new type of nuclear power plant – the Stable Salt Reactor. Jacobs will build a bespoke experimental facility for thermal transfer testing at its R&D facility in the UK.
Based on breakthrough science, Moltex Energy’s Stable Salt Reactor is designed to generate low-cost electricity by burning processed spent fuel pellets which would otherwise have to be stored as radioactive waste.
To assist with validation of thermal transfer modelling, Jacobs’ chemistry, materials, engineering, instrumentation and modelling teams will collaborate to create a technically complex simulation to replicate the heat output of a fuel channel and to validate computational fluid dynamics modelling of the thermal transfer across the fuel assemblies into the coolant.
Moltex already uses Jacobs’ Answers software for radiation transport modelling and simulation of reactor performance.
“We’re looking forward to continuing our support for Moltex into this new phase of development,” said Clive White from Jacobs. “The Stable Salt Reactor design is significant because of its potential to recycle waste in a clean, safe and economical way, generating electricity that will power communities while reducing carbon emissions.”
Moltex has been awarded more than US$6 million in funding from Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy to help develop the reactor.
