Overview
KRONOS MMR™ is a 4th Generation nuclear energy system that delivers safe, clean, and cost-effective electricity to users anywhere.
KRONOS MMR™ compliments NANO Nuclear’s own ‘ZEUS’ and ‘ODIN’ microreactors in development and could be used to provide carbon-free, high-quality process heat for co-located industrial applications, and for high-efficiency hydrogen production. Whereas ‘ZEUS’ and ‘ODIN’ are being designed to be portable and produce 1 to 1.5 megawatts thermal (“MWth”) of power, KRONOS MMR™ is designed as a stationary installation capable of producing power up to 45 MWth.
The acquisition of these assets and related intellectual property and contracts significantly expands NANO Nuclear’s patent portfolio and adds to its existing pipeline of cutting edge small nuclear reactor technologies in development. The assets include 38 issued and pending or published patents, including six issued and four pending or published U.S. utility patents and three issued and four pending Canadian utility patents, as well as associated trademarks.
NANO Nuclear plans to extend an existing MMR® collaboration with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with the aim of demonstrating the reactor’s high technology readiness level at the University. In parallel, NANO Nuclear will continue the MMR® licensing process with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Pending Canadian governmental approvals of the acquisition, further demonstrations of KRONOS MMR® are expected to take place at the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories. KRONOS MMR™ is the first small modular reactor to enter the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission’s formal licensing review.
3.5-15 MWe
Electrical Power
10-45 MWth
Thermal Power
300 MWyr
Energy Content
APPLICATIONS
Power Anything
Like batteries, multiple KRONOS MMR™ units can be linked together to provide as much power as needed. Multiple KRONOS MMR™ units can power communities in the middle of nowhere, large industrial sites, and cities. The modules can be combined in different ways for different sites and needs including integration with renewable micro grids. Need more power? Just add more units.
1. Plant Separation
KRONOS MMR™ consists of two plants, the Nuclear Plant and the Adjacent Plant. The Nuclear Plant contains multiple MMR units including all the equipment required to transport the heat to the Adjacent Plant. The Adjacent Plant contains the equipment that converts heat to electricity or process heat as required.
2. Helium
Helium gas is the KRONOS MMR’s™ primary coolant. The helium passes through the nuclear core and is heated by the controlled nuclear fission process. The helium then transports the heat away from the core to the primary heat exchanger, a smaller pressure vessel to the side of the reactor.
3. Molten Salt Thermal Storage
Heat from the reactor is stored in molten salt tanks similar to concentrated solar powerplants. When demand rises, hot molten salt is used to generate steam and power an electrical turbine. KRONOS MMR™ will typically store up to 10 hours of power plant thermal output and can be supplemented with hydrogen burners. The use of molten salt thermal storage allows for significant flexibility in the supply of both electricity and process heat. While the KRONOS MMR™ unit operates at constant power, electricity and heat are delivered on-demand from the power plant.
4. High Temperature Heat
KRONOS MMR’s™ high temperature heat has many uses beyond generation of electricity. District heating, desalination, and process heat are all possible with the KRONOS MMR™. Any industrial process that uses heat can be fully or partially decarbonized using an KRONOS MMR™. Steam temperatures of 660 °C are simple to deliver, and temperatures up 950 °C are possible in future MMR variants.
9.9-20%
Enrichment
3 – 6 MPa
Pressure
660 °C
Steam Outlet
LOCATION
Power Up Anywhere
KRONOS MMR™ can be parked just about anywhere that humans need power. KRONOS MMR™ uses no water and has no need for an electrical grid or infrastructure support. KRONOS MMR™ is compatible with the harshest climates from arctic to desert to tropical.
Limited Refueling
Operations are simple with minimal maintenance requirements, and no on-site fuel storage, handling, or processing. At the lowest power rating, a fuel core is rated at 20 years of full power. If operation of the Energy System is desired beyond 20 years, a cartridge replacement can be performed.
Standalone
KRONOS MMR™ can operate as a stand-alone off-grid plant to deliver fully dispatchable and resilient power or can be connected to existing grids.
Total Environmental Protection
There is no risk of spills with environmental impacts during accidents.