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Open-source microreactor design models for technoeconomic assessments

Journal Article · · Nuclear Engineering and Design
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [1];  [3];  [1];  [1];  [3];  [1]
  1. Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
  2. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
  3. Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations
Technoeconomic analyses for advanced nuclear technologies are essential for identifying cost drivers which allow for optimizing the technology to achieve better economic performance. Microreactors are emerging as a promising and reliable-energy solution, offering inherent safety, low capital investment, and rapid deployment capabilities. Past studies have conducted technoeconomic analyses for microreactors, but there remains a need for open-source technoeconomic models that can enhance collaboration, transparency, and consistency when performing this type of analysis. The present article introduces an open-source technoeconomic model for microreactors based on bottom-up cost estimation. Since no real cost data for microreactors exists, this model leverages cost data and insights gleaned from the Microreactor Applications, Research, Validation and Evaluation (MARVEL) project. It estimates the first-of-a-kind cost of two microreactor technologies and can also calculate the Nth of a kind (NOAK) cost via accounting for learning and mass factory production. The two technologies considered in this paper are the liquid–metal thermal reactor (LTMR) and the gas-cooled microreactor (GCMR). In conclusion, the goal of this study is to demonstrate bottom-up cost estimation of these microreactor technologies and provide the cost estimation models that other users can leverage for various applications such as design optimization and financial planning.
Research Organization:
Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program; USDOE Office of Electricity (OE); USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC07-05ID14517
OSTI ID:
3017259
Report Number(s):
INL/JOU--25-83264
Journal Information:
Nuclear Engineering and Design, Journal Name: Nuclear Engineering and Design Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 442; ISSN 0029-5493
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

22 - GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
Gas-cooled Reactor
Gas-cooled microreactors
Liquid Metal Thermal Reactor
MARVEL
Microreactors
Nuclear economics
Technoeconomic analysis
Technoeconomics