DeepGEO and Copenhagen Atomics have signed a collaboration agreement that will see the companies work together on thorium reactor technologies. The deal between the repository developer and advanced reactor designer is a first of a kind and will see the pair jointly working to better understand the radioactive materials and fuel needs of the Copenhagen Atomics reactor design.
Copenhagen Atomics’ thorium reactors are designed to consume the transuranic elements in spent nuclear fuel from conventional light water nuclear reactors. To achieve this the company intends to separate spent nuclear fuel into four streams: zircaloy, uranium, fission products and transuranics. By using the transuranic element plutonium it can ‘kickstart’ the use of thorium and radically reduce the amount of long-lived nuclear waste. Important aspects of the collaboration include technology, fuel and waste characterisation and the legislation and regulations of handling, transporting and disposing of these materials between countries.
Initially, the collaboration will help establish a better understanding of the economy and requirements of the process, determining those materials which are waste and those which have commercial value.
DeepGEO is providing services related to medium and low-level waste management and disposal as Copenhagen Atomics begins its testing and demonstration development phases.
The company expects to demonstrate the viability of its ultra efficient thorium reactor sooner than its competitors while DeepGEO is aiming to assist both advanced reactor and small modular reactor developers in commercialising their technologies. The establishment of multinational interim storage facilities and repositories that can host a variety of waste forms would provide vital flexibility in support of novel nuclear technologies, applications and business models.
The companies have also welcomed interest from other nuclear technology and project developers that are also ready to explore innovative and multinational solutions to their future waste challenges.
Commenting on the agreement Thomas Jam Pedersen, CEO and co-founder of Copenhagen Atomics, said: “Copenhagen Atomics reactors are able to burn spent nuclear fuel and get 10 times more energy out of it, than when that same fuel is used in a traditional nuclear reactor. Together with DeepGEO, Copenhagen Atomics will explore how we can make international handling of spent nuclear fuel radically more efficient and at the same time handle all waste streams responsibly.”
Link Murray, President of DeepGEO, added: “Working together we can better understand the value of different fuel and waste needs of advanced nuclear reactors, help to accelerate their deployment and ensure the future sustainability of nuclear energy.”
