TECHNOLOGY LICENSING OPPORTUNITY: Heat Pipe Reactor Fire Mitigation and Suppression System

The Heat Pipe Reactor Fire Mitigation and Suppression System from Los Alamos National Laboratory, transforms the heat pipes inside an alkali metal-cooled nuclear reactor from passive thermal conduits into active, sensor-driven fire defense components, giving designers of advanced small and microreactors a layered, automated safeguard against one of the most challenging hazards in their systems. By combining an inert gas buffer, a phase change material jacket, automated suppressant injection at multiple points and optional neutron-absorber dispersion into the reactor core, the system delivers redundant protection that responds within milliseconds of detecting fire-like conditions. This…