Westinghouse eVinci microreactor reaches zero-power criticality

(SpaceEnergy) Westinghouse has achieved zero-power criticality with its eVinci microreactor, validating core design assumptions for a technology the company is adapting for satellite, lunar-surface and nuclear-electric-propulsion applications.

The test was completed on 24 August at the National Criticality Experiments Research Center at the Nevada National Security Site, in partnership with Los Alamos and Idaho national laboratories.

Westinghouse said the experiment validated modelling and key core-design assumptions. Further integrated prototype testing is intended to assess performance, operability and manufacturability and guide subsequent design improvements.

“This zero-power criticality milestone reflects Westinghouse’s heritage of innovation and pushing to the next frontier of nuclear,” chief technology officer Lou Martinez Sancho said.

The terrestrial eVinci platform uses TRISO fuel, graphite core materials, heat pipes and control drums. Westinghouse says the architecture is intended for remote environments including space applications.

Its dedicated space derivative is designed for outputs from 10kWe to 100kWe for satellite and lunar-surface missions, with applications also including nuclear electric propulsion. Westinghouse separately describes a 40kWe space configuration using uranium-nitride fuel, scalable to 2MWe and designed for up to 10 years of continuous operation.