US-based Terrestrial Energy announced on 18 December that it had awarded BWXT Canada Ltd a design services contract to support the development of key components in its Generation IV Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR).
BWXT Canada will offer Terrestrial Energy with technical consultation and design assistance for the development of steam generators and heat exchangers.
Terrestrial Energy CEO Simon Irish said: “Steam generators and heat exchangers are critical components of any power plant, and the IMSR is no exception. We identified this work early in our development as important to achieve a practical and efficient design that can be deployed quickly, and we are fortunate to be able to engage with BWXT Canada’s world-class expertise in these areas.”
Terrestrial Energy aims to commission first IMSR power plants in the 2020s. The agreement between Terrestrial Energy and BWXT Canada sets the framework for the companies’ long-term collaboration.
BWXT Canada has over 60 years of experience in the design, manufacture, commissioning and servicing of nuclear power generation equipment. This includes Candu and pressurised water reactor steam generators, heat exchangers, nuclear fuel and fuel components, other critical plant components, parts and related plant services.
Read more about the IMSR design
Photo: Diagram showing how the IMSR works