Doug Bernauer, CEO of Radiant Nuclear, explains the inherent passive safety physics of high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear microreactors during a discussion on public education around nuclear safety.
“If that helium pump fails, the system will start to heat up. And as it heats up, it doesn't even need to heat up very much. It heats up a little bit. The reactor goes subcritical and shuts itself off. And this is
this is true for most reactor technologies because this is the behavior of the uranium itself right? You will get less fission when it heats up. This is called a negative thermal coefficient of reactivity and it makes the technology extremely simple and safe.”
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More from Doug Bernauer
Opinion
Bernauer: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is not blocking nuclear innovation
“The way I see it, the NRC are not really blocking things.”
Doug BernauerMay 31, 2024▶ 22:23Radiant CEO Doug Bernauer on Portable Nuclear Microreactors & the Future of Clean Energy · Sourcery with Molly O'Shea
AssertionOpen · timeframe May 2027
Radiant microreactors meet NRC radiation limits outside a 35-foot perimeter
“We are down at one megawatt, so enough power for 1000 homes. And we can mass produce these in a factory, deliver them to a site, and with no infrastructure just outside of a 35 foot fence line, you can operate them and be at the NRC public dose limit for a rea…”
Doug BernauerMay 31, 2024▶ 27:30Radiant CEO Doug Bernauer on Portable Nuclear Microreactors & the Future of Clean Energy · Sourcery with Molly O'Shea
Opinion
Bernauer: Making life multi-planetary requires nuclear technology to succeed
“The mission of making life multi-planetary It needs to have nuclear technology for that to really blossom and to succeed”
Doug BernauerMay 31, 2024▶ 9:17Radiant CEO Doug Bernauer on Portable Nuclear Microreactors & the Future of Clean Energy · Sourcery with Molly O'Shea
Disclosure
Bernauer: Microreactors can be factory-built at 50 units per year
“You can make a one megawatt reactor that is factory constructed, 50 units a year, so a reactor every week coming off the line, and then you can transport that by land, sea, or air to any place in the world.”
Doug BernauerMay 31, 2024▶ 9:37Radiant CEO Doug Bernauer on Portable Nuclear Microreactors & the Future of Clean Energy · Sourcery with Molly O'Shea
AssertionSupported
Ceramic-coated TRISO nuclear fuel cannot melt down up to 1600°C
“The temperature limit of the fuel becomes this extremely high value, and you can go to about 1600 Celsius before there's an appreciable failure rate of the ceramic coated fuel. So what it means is you can't melt down the fuel.”
Doug BernauerMay 31, 2024▶ 11:53Radiant CEO Doug Bernauer on Portable Nuclear Microreactors & the Future of Clean Energy · Sourcery with Molly O'Shea
AssertionContradicted
No new nuclear reactor design has been fueled in 50 years
“There's no new nuclear design that has been fueled in the U S in the last 50 years.”
Doug BernauerMay 31, 2024▶ 20:49Radiant CEO Doug Bernauer on Portable Nuclear Microreactors & the Future of Clean Energy · Sourcery with Molly O'Shea
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