Heat-pipe microreactor
Heat moved by sealed heat pipes rather than pumped coolant or forced convection. No primary pumps and no coolant loop, which suits very small transportable reactors. Heat-pipe describes how heat is moved, not the neutron spectrum. Moderator and fuel vary by design: some designs are fast and unmoderated, others use a graphite or beryllium oxide moderator, with TRISO or metal fuel, usually HALEU.
In the record: 4 companies, 0 laboratories and programmes, 0 reactors and 3 reactor designs.
Not yet in the record for this approach: reactors or measurements.
Related approaches
Broader: Fission
Companies 4
Reactor designs 3
Size class is worked out from the electrical output of one unit: up to 10 MWe is a microreactor, up to 300 MWe a small modular reactor. A design with no stated output is not classed.
| Design | Developer | Electrical output per unit | Size class | Licensing stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| eVinci | Westinghouse Electric Company | 5 MWe planned | Microreactor | No milestone recorded |
| MoveluX | Toshiba | 3 to 4 MWe planned | Microreactor | No milestone recorded |
| R1 Microreactor Antares R1 | Antares Nuclear | 0.1 to 1 MWe planned | Microreactor | No milestone recorded |
Guides
- Microreactors What microreactors are, how heat-pipe, gas-cooled and sodium-cooled designs work, what they are meant for, why most need HALEU or TRISO fuel, and where the leading projects actually stand.
- Reactor types explained The three questions that classify any fission reactor, and how pressurised water, boiling water, heavy water, gas-cooled, salt-cooled, molten-salt, sodium, lead and heat-pipe reactors each answer them.
Heat-pipe microreactor in the glossary · Fission overview · All approaches