US-based start-up NANO Nuclear Energy has drawn attention to its recently acquired intellectual property pertaining to its modular microreactor technologies under development, now encompassing patents granted across multiple jurisdictions. The patent portfolio includes Patent No. US 10,229,757 B2, titled “Modular Transportable Nuclear Generator” granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as well as related patents issued in Canada, the Russian Federation, Japan, the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea and by the World Intellectual Property Organisation. The patents were recently acquired by NANO Nuclear the collapse of US nuclear start-up Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC).
NANO Nuclear said the patent portfolio grants additional protections surrounding its transportable, compact modular nuclear generator systems and supports variable operations with multiple core configurations and applications, including the generation of electric power and process heat.
USNC initiated the process to sell its assets in November 2024 through a public auction under a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. NANO executed a definitive agreement to acquire the nuclear energy technology assets from USNC and some of its subsidiaries on 24 December. The acquired assets include USNC’s patented Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) system, along with all associated patents and other intellectual property rights, as well as its Pylon reactor technology and related intellectual property, and certain demonstration project partnerships related to the MMR system. The assets were acquired for $8.5m in cash.
The assets acquired by NANO included 38 issued and pending or published patents, including six issued and four pending or published US utility patents and three issued and four pending Canadian utility patents, as well as associated trademarks. Earlier in January, NANO Nuclear said the MMR Energy System be rebranded as the KRONOS MMR and Pylon as the LOKI MMR.
“This intellectual property is expected to enhance the protections for NANO Nuclear’s own proprietary advanced portable ZEUS and ODIN microreactors, as well the KRONOS MMR and LOKI MMR reactors, all of which are currently in development,” NANO said. “The energy systems are designed to be easily transportable and retrievable, including systems developed to passively ensure core cooling under all accident scenarios and may provide power ratings from 10 to 45 MWt. Their design aims to reduce the balance of plant, shrinking the maximum size of the reactor by simplifying its cooling systems and decreasing the system’s footprint on site.”
The company added that the patented design enables multiple microreactors to be clustered to match site-specific energy or process heat demands. Applications for these innovative energy systems range from securely powering industrial processes, such as mining, oil and gas extraction, and ship propulsion, to energizing data centres, providing residential power for remote communities, serving as microgrids for island nations, and supporting military bases with reliable, on-demand power.
“We are pleased to expand our intellectual property portfolio with these recently acquired patents, further strengthening the protections surrounding our proprietary, portable and modular microreactor technologies in development.,” said NANO Nuclear Energy Founder & Chairman Jay Yu. “The addition of these patents, issued in the United States and internationally, will help to safeguard our technologies as we continue to develop, refine, and advance our nuclear energy systems toward demonstration, regulatory licensing and eventual commercialisation. It also bolsters our goal of positioning NANO Nuclear as a global leader in advanced nuclear energy technology.”
James Walker, CEO and Head of Reactor Development at NANO said the newly acquired patents would support research and development efforts. “The addition of these patents further underscores our steadfast commitment to innovation in the advanced nuclear energy sector and emphasizes our ambition to establish NANO Nuclear as a leading, global player in advanced nuclear energy technologies. By expanding our intellectual property portfolio, we aim to bolster our capacity to develop next-generation nuclear energy solutions that address evolving market needs and drive transformative change in the industry.”
NANO Nuclear’s reactor products now in development include ZEUS, a solid core battery reactor, and ODIN, a low-pressure coolant reactor as well as the patented stationary KRONOS MMR Energy System and space focused, portable LOKI MMR.
NANO also works through three subsidiaries.
- Advanced Fuel Transportation aims to build a North American transportation company that will provide commercial quantities of high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel to small modular reactors, microreactor companies, national laboratories, military, and US Department of Energy programmes.
- HALEU Energy Fuel focuses on the future development of a domestic source for a HALEU fuel fabrication pipeline for NANO’s microreactors and the broader advanced nuclear reactor industry. nuclear fuel business of its kind in North America.
- NANO Nuclear Space is exploring the potential commercial applications of NANO Nuclear’s developing micronuclear reactor technology in space. It is focusing on applications such as the LOKI MMR system and other power systems for extraterrestrial projects and human sustaining environments, and potentially propulsion technology for long haul space missions.
