Robert E. Prince, CEO David Carlson, COO/Chief Nuclear Officer
Website
gen4energy.com no longer valid.
The company went out of business on the 1st of April 2018,[2] after losing out on a second round of grants from the Department of Energy in January 2016.[3]
Hyperion announced in November 2009 that, despite their continued intentions to pursue the self-moderated uranium hydride reactor, an improvement need for a licensable and deployable reactor were causing them to choose another LANL design for initial commercialization. They shifted focus to a more conventional Generation IVreactor design: a uranium nitride fueled, lead-bismuth cooled reactor. They believed that using a liquid-metal-cooled fast reactor would speed the time to commercialization over the uranium hydride, self-moderating design that had previously been publicly discussed.[4]
USNRC concept illustration of a Hyperion Power Module plant.[5]
According to Hyperion, the uranium nitride fuel incorporated in the design is generally similar in physical characteristics and neutronics to the standard ceramic uranium oxide fuel that is used at present in modern light water nuclear reactors. However, it has certain beneficial traits – higher thermal conductivity – and thus less retained heat energy – that make it preferable over oxide fuels when used at temperature regimes that are greater than the 250 to 300 °C (482 to 572 °F) temperatures found in light water reactors.[6] By operating at higher temperatures, steam plants can operate at a higher thermal efficiency. The presentation by Hyperion at the ANS 2009 conference mentions the use of the Doppler inherent negative temperature coefficient of reactivity in this reactor as a means of control.[7] Nuclear scientist Alexander Sesonske states that nitride fuels have both received very little development (as of 1973) and seem to have a very favorable combination of physical properties – especially in fast reactors.[8] Whether this carries over to lead-bismuth cooled reactors is a question not answered in the reviewed literature, though the Soviet Union has worked with this type of reactor before in naval service; in particular, the Alfa class submarine – well known in the West for its high speed operation – was driven by such a lead-bismuth reactor which is known to have worked very effectively.[6]
The Hyperion module has sufficient fuel for 3,650 full power days at 70 MWth, is capable of load following, and is meant to be built in pairs; one module can be at power, while another can be under installation or uninstallation at the same time.[6]
Hyperion planned to use natural circulation of the lead-bismuth coolant through the reactor module as a means of primary cooling. Coolant temperatures within the primary loop should be approximately 500 °C (932 °F). Powered intermediate heat exchangers, also using lead-bismuth coolant, are located within the reactor and run an intermediate loop going to a third ex-reactor heat exchanger (the steam generator), where heat is transferred to the working fluid, heating it to approximately 480 °C (896 °F). Two schemes of power generation exist at this point: either using superheated steam or supercritical carbon dioxide to drive Rankine cycle or Brayton cycleturbines. In addition to the classical use of power generation, further uses for the heated working fluid can include desalinization, process heat, and district heating and cooling.
The thermal hydraulics of the lead-bismuth reactor are dictated by the high heat capacity and properties of the lead-bismuth eutectic coolant. This coolant is opaque to gamma radiation, but transparent to neutron flux; it melts at a low temperature, but does not boil until an extremely high temperature is reached; it does not greatly expand or contract when exposed to heat or cold; it has a high heat capacity; it will naturally circulate through the reactor core without pumps being required – whether during normal operation or as a means of residual decay heat removal; and it will solidify once decay heat from a used reactor has dropped to a low level.[6]
^ abcdAdams, Rod; Rudin, Forrest; Trapp, TJ (2010-01-21). . The Atomic Show. Adams Atomic Engines, Inc./The Podcast Network. Archived from the original on 2010-10-15. Retrieved 2010-01-24.
^Campagna, Mark S. (2009-11-18). "Presentation (PDF format)". American Nuclear Society Meeting 2009. Denver, Colorado, USA: Hyperion Power Generation. pp. 6, 8.
^Sesonske, Alexander (November 1973). "7.161". Nuclear Power Plant Design Analysis(PDF) (Technical report) (1st ed.). Technical Information Center, Office of Information Services, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. p. 373. doi:10.2172/4417437. ISBN0-87079-009-9. OSTI 4417437. TID-26241.
External linksedit
. Gen4 Energy. Archived from the original on 23 February 2018.
January 01, 1970
gen4, energy, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, needs, updated, please, help, update, this, article, reflect, recent, events, newly, availa. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article needs to be updated Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information January 2016 This article contains content that is written like an advertisement Please help improve it by removing promotional content and inappropriate external links and by adding encyclopedic content written from a neutral point of view January 2016 Learn how and when to remove this message Learn how and when to remove this message Gen4 Energy Inc formerly Hyperion Power Generation Inc 1 was a privately held corporation formed to construct and sell several designs of relatively small 70 MW thermal 25 MW electric nuclear reactors which they claimed would be modular inexpensive inherently safe and proliferation resistant According to news coverage these reactors could be used for heat generation production of electricity and other purposes including desalination Hyperion Power Generation Inc Company typePrivateIndustryNuclear powerFoundedSanta Fe New Mexico USAHeadquartersDenver ColoradoKey peopleRobert E Prince CEO David Carlson COO Chief Nuclear OfficerWebsitegen4energy com no longer valid The company went out of business on the 1st of April 2018 2 after losing out on a second round of grants from the Department of Energy in January 2016 3 Contents 1 Early designs 2 Competing designs 3 References 4 External linksEarly designs editHyperion announced in November 2009 that despite their continued intentions to pursue the self moderated uranium hydride reactor an improvement need for a licensable and deployable reactor were causing them to choose another LANL design for initial commercialization They shifted focus to a more conventional Generation IV reactor design a uranium nitride fueled lead bismuth cooled reactor They believed that using a liquid metal cooled fast reactor would speed the time to commercialization over the uranium hydride self moderating design that had previously been publicly discussed 4 nbsp USNRC concept illustration of a Hyperion Power Module plant 5 According to Hyperion the uranium nitride fuel incorporated in the design is generally similar in physical characteristics and neutronics to the standard ceramic uranium oxide fuel that is used at present in modern light water nuclear reactors However it has certain beneficial traits higher thermal conductivity and thus less retained heat energy that make it preferable over oxide fuels when used at temperature regimes that are greater than the 250 to 300 C 482 to 572 F temperatures found in light water reactors 6 By operating at higher temperatures steam plants can operate at a higher thermal efficiency The presentation by Hyperion at the ANS 2009 conference mentions the use of the Doppler inherent negative temperature coefficient of reactivity in this reactor as a means of control 7 Nuclear scientist Alexander Sesonske states that nitride fuels have both received very little development as of 1973 and seem to have a very favorable combination of physical properties especially in fast reactors 8 Whether this carries over to lead bismuth cooled reactors is a question not answered in the reviewed literature though the Soviet Union has worked with this type of reactor before in naval service in particular the Alfa class submarine well known in the West for its high speed operation was driven by such a lead bismuth reactor which is known to have worked very effectively 6 The Hyperion module has sufficient fuel for 3 650 full power days at 70 MWth is capable of load following and is meant to be built in pairs one module can be at power while another can be under installation or uninstallation at the same time 6 Hyperion planned to use natural circulation of the lead bismuth coolant through the reactor module as a means of primary cooling Coolant temperatures within the primary loop should be approximately 500 C 932 F Powered intermediate heat exchangers also using lead bismuth coolant are located within the reactor and run an intermediate loop going to a third ex reactor heat exchanger the steam generator where heat is transferred to the working fluid heating it to approximately 480 C 896 F Two schemes of power generation exist at this point either using superheated steam or supercritical carbon dioxide to drive Rankine cycle or Brayton cycle turbines In addition to the classical use of power generation further uses for the heated working fluid can include desalinization process heat and district heating and cooling The thermal hydraulics of the lead bismuth reactor are dictated by the high heat capacity and properties of the lead bismuth eutectic coolant This coolant is opaque to gamma radiation but transparent to neutron flux it melts at a low temperature but does not boil until an extremely high temperature is reached it does not greatly expand or contract when exposed to heat or cold it has a high heat capacity it will naturally circulate through the reactor core without pumps being required whether during normal operation or as a means of residual decay heat removal and it will solidify once decay heat from a used reactor has dropped to a low level 6 Competing designs editSee List of small nuclear reactor designs NuScale Toshiba 4S mPower by Babcock amp Wilcox Company TerraPowerReferences edit Hyperion Power Generation Inc Announces Change of Company Name to Gen4 Energy Inc 13 March 2012 BusinessWire Gen4 Energy Company Profile Valuation amp Investors PitchBook Llewellyn King Beware of the Loving Embrace of the Government Hyperion launches U2N3 fuelled Pb Bi cooled fast reactor Archived 2009 11 26 at the Wayback Machine 20 November 2009 Nuclear Engineering International Hyperion Power Module HPM Nuclear Regulatory Commission filing February 10 2010 accessed 2010 03 10 a b c d Adams Rod Rudin Forrest Trapp TJ 2010 01 21 The Atomic Show 148 Hyperion Power Module Update Audio Interview The Atomic Show Adams Atomic Engines Inc The Podcast Network Archived from the original on 2010 10 15 Retrieved 2010 01 24 Campagna Mark S 2009 11 18 Presentation PDF format American Nuclear Society Meeting 2009 Denver Colorado USA Hyperion Power Generation pp 6 8 Sesonske Alexander November 1973 7 161 Nuclear Power Plant Design Analysis PDF Technical report 1st ed Technical Information Center Office of Information Services U S Atomic Energy Commission p 373 doi 10 2172 4417437 ISBN 0 87079 009 9 OSTI 4417437 TID 26241 External links edit About Us Gen4 Energy Archived from the original on 23 February 2018 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gen4 Energy amp oldid 1216411204, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
