NANO Nuclear opens N.Y. site to demonstrate microreactor technology
To better educate customers and stakeholders on its technology, NANO Nuclear Energy has opened a new demonstration facility in Westchester County, N.Y., that offers an up-close look at nonnuclear parts and components of the four microreactors the company has in development.
NANO Nuclear’s management and technical teams at the company’s new advanced demonstration facility in Westchester County, N.Y. (Photo: Nano Nuclear)
NANO Nuclear Energy is an advanced technology–driven company seeking to become commercially focused on nuclear microreactors—along with fuel fabrication, fuel transportation, applications for space, and industry consulting services, according to its website.
The nearly complete facility will also support the company’s ongoing Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase III project for its annular linear induction pump (ALIP) technology. NANO Nuclear acquired the ALIP intellectual property in January 2024 and plans to use it in its ODIN microreactor.
“We are excited to announce this additional significant milestone to our journey as a company and the advancement of our technology,” said James Walker, chief executive and head of reactor development for NANO Nuclear. “The facility will provide our technical teams with invaluable opportunities to gather physical data and optimize designs to integrate nonnuclear components effectively. This is a critical step in accelerating our reactor development and ensuring the seamless integration of all components in the final product.”
A closer look: “The facility will also be used to advance commercialization efforts surrounding our ALIP technology, which could have a significant impact on the wider nuclear energy sector in addition to being a key enabling technology for our own proprietary suite of microreactor technologies,” said Jay Yu, founder and chair of NANO Nuclear, adding that it will “play a major role in our development efforts, providing our technical teams with access to key physical data.”
ALIP technology addresses challenges in high-efficiency thermal fluid management for clean energy and high-temperature industrial processes. It is based on electromagnetic (rather than mechanical) pumps. NANO Nuclear hopes to accelerate its transition from research to practical products and services, the company said in a news release.
NANO Nuclear’s reactor products in development include ZEUS, a solid-core battery reactor; ODIN, a low-pressure coolant reactor; the KRONOS MMR (micro modular reactor); and the space-focused, portable LOKI MMR.
Opportunities in N.Y.: NANO Nuclear is one of the companies that responded to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s request for information on plans to develop advanced nuclear energy technologies. The company partnered with Digihost Technology in the submission.
“We are excited to announce our joint response to New York’s Request for Information,” Yu said in December. “Our proprietary microreactors in development are designed to produce reliable, scalable, and sustainable energy that companies like Digihost can use to power their operations. We are delighted to work alongside Digihost to provide New York state with a template for viable and cost-effective alternatives to highly polluting carbon-based energy forms and variable sources like wind or solar.”
