Dual Fluid Reactor
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The Institut für Festkörper-Kernphysik GmbH (Institute for Solid-State Nuclear Physics), IFK, is a German non-profit company that promotes the research in the field of nuclear physics and pioneers applications in nuclear technology. In this context, the company owners opened an international patent procedure for a cardinally novel nuclear reactor concept, the Dual Fluid Reactor (DFR), which is a complete re-design of a NPP for maximized energy efficiency with respect to nowadays industrial skills in mechanical engineering, material and fabrication technology, thus ready for rapid implementation.
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Leader: Dr. Armin Huke, CEO Headquarters: Berlin, Germany Reactor type: Dual Fluid Reactor Market entry: 10 years after start of operations Employees: 4-8 Website: Dual-Fluid-Reactor.org |
The Dual Fluid Reactor (DFR)
The Dual Fluid principle combines all benefits of a liquid fuel with an in-core liquid metal cooling. This results in a simplified compact reactor design uniting passive safety with a very high power density. The DFR is not a variant of the usual molten-salt designs, and the Dual Fluid principle does not even need molten-salt at all. Hence the DFR is developed in two versions: the conservative DFR/s which utilizes an undiluted actinide chloride-37 salt, and the DFR/m featuring a liquid actinide metal alloy - both being cooled by liquid lead.
Thus, in addition to all advantages from other reactor concepts like very low environmental impact and reliable, long-term energy supply, the DFR is designed to maximize the economic efficiency. For the DFR, this is estimated to be two orders of magnitude higher than fossil fired power plants, which gives it the potential to penetrate the world power plant marked outside the present small nuclear niche. Additionally, the high operating temperature of 1000 °C enables the economically competitive synthesis of fuels for automotive applications, also non-carbon based.
The DFR can completely consume versatile nuclear fuels, i.e. Thorium, natural or even depleted Uranium and spent nuclear fuel. Its hard neutron spectrum even eases the poor neutron economy of the Th-U cycle, yielding reasonable doubling times. It allows for the production of custom nuclides including the scarce Molybdenum-99/Technetium-99m for medical scintigraphy.
The Dual Fluid principle combines all benefits of a liquid fuel with an in-core liquid metal cooling. This results in a simplified compact reactor design uniting passive safety with a very high power density. The DFR is not a variant of the usual molten-salt designs, and the Dual Fluid principle does not even need molten-salt at all. Hence the DFR is developed in two versions: the conservative DFR/s which utilizes an undiluted actinide chloride-37 salt, and the DFR/m featuring a liquid actinide metal alloy - both being cooled by liquid lead.
Thus, in addition to all advantages from other reactor concepts like very low environmental impact and reliable, long-term energy supply, the DFR is designed to maximize the economic efficiency. For the DFR, this is estimated to be two orders of magnitude higher than fossil fired power plants, which gives it the potential to penetrate the world power plant marked outside the present small nuclear niche. Additionally, the high operating temperature of 1000 °C enables the economically competitive synthesis of fuels for automotive applications, also non-carbon based.
The DFR can completely consume versatile nuclear fuels, i.e. Thorium, natural or even depleted Uranium and spent nuclear fuel. Its hard neutron spectrum even eases the poor neutron economy of the Th-U cycle, yielding reasonable doubling times. It allows for the production of custom nuclides including the scarce Molybdenum-99/Technetium-99m for medical scintigraphy.
Achievements in 2014 - DFR
The main focus in 2014 was establishing a scientific community for the Dual Fluid Reactor (DFR). The DFR concept was presented in many conferences and institutions, including universities and nuclear societies. Close R&D partnerships have been formed with the University Szczecin, Poland, the National Nuclear Research Centre (NCBJ) Warsaw, Poland and with the nuclear technology departments of the Technical Universities of Munich and Dresden, Germany.
The DFR is not only a modification of known reactor concepts but the first basically novel reactor concept for decades and as such patent worthy. Consequently, following the successful patent initiation the main achieved goal in 2014 was the finalization of a first fully peer-reviewed paper for this novel concept in the "Annals of Nuclear Energy" which has now been published in Volume 80, June 2015, pp. 225–235.
The development of the DFR is in the CAE phase. So reactor simulations have been performed in order to further refine the design with its mechanical and thermohydraulic parameters. Several workshops have been organized with high-ranking institutions for reactor physics calculations in which working packages have been prepared.
The highly innovative development of the DFR produced already new spin-off technologies which are ready to be commercialized beyond the nuclear industry, too.
For dissemination of the DFR concept, several popular articles have been published, PR material has been produced, and the website has been improved.
The DFR is not only a modification of known reactor concepts but the first basically novel reactor concept for decades and as such patent worthy. Consequently, following the successful patent initiation the main achieved goal in 2014 was the finalization of a first fully peer-reviewed paper for this novel concept in the "Annals of Nuclear Energy" which has now been published in Volume 80, June 2015, pp. 225–235.
The development of the DFR is in the CAE phase. So reactor simulations have been performed in order to further refine the design with its mechanical and thermohydraulic parameters. Several workshops have been organized with high-ranking institutions for reactor physics calculations in which working packages have been prepared.
The highly innovative development of the DFR produced already new spin-off technologies which are ready to be commercialized beyond the nuclear industry, too.
For dissemination of the DFR concept, several popular articles have been published, PR material has been produced, and the website has been improved.
Goals for 2015 - DFR
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A solid funding is the main goal for 2015.
The main scientific task for 2015 is the advancement of the metal fuel development thread DFR/m. Recent findings indicate its overall superiority over the salt variant DFR/s, backed by additional simulations. Furthermore, full fuel cycle and transient calculations will be performed. The results will be published in follow-up papers. Safety scenarios and safety concepts for the DFR will be developed in more detail. The now-established scientific collaboration will be extended particularly to industrial partners. This requires a closer collaboration and organization of extended workshops as well as the possible organization of a larger conference. Partners for the commercialization of the spin-off technologies are to be sought. |
The best way to protect nature is efficiency. With the Dual Fluid Reactor it is possible to exploit the potential of nuclear power a factor of at least 20 times more efficient than today. This would also have a strong impact on the human's wealth and economy. |