The prototype reactor canister for Deep Fission’s Gravity reactor arrived at the company’s Parsons, Kan. site on Tuesday, which the company said marks a milestone in its “Proof-of-Concept Well” program and development of its Gravity reactor.
Berkeley, Calif.-based Deep Fission said in a press release the factory-built prototype canister completed fabrication, hydrostatic testing and was delivered to Kansas for non-nuclear testing.
The Gravity reactor technology that Deep Fission is developing is a pressurized-water small modular reactor that will generate 15 megawatts. The reactor canister is a major component of the reactor’s design as thermal energy is transferred through a closed-loop system from the canister to a heat exchanger, Deep Fission said. In the heat exchanger, the thermal energy will rise to the surface in a secondary closed-loop system for conversion into electricity, similar to geothermal systems, the company said.
According to the release, the “Proof-of-Concept Well” is the company’s nearly comprehensive validation program, intended to demonstrate a large-diameter borehole, a deep shaft drilled into the ground. It also includes end-to-end installation workflow using commercial-grade, non-nuclear components preceding fuel loading, Deep Fission said.
“The program is intended to validate each stage of underground deployment under real-world conditions while confirming engineering assumptions at scale and supporting the company’s broader commercialization timeline,” Deep Fission said in the release.
Now that the reactor canister is at the Parsons site, Deep Fission said the prototype testing will take place while the company progresses its groundwork for its large-diameter drilling program. The company is working with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to permit its non-nuclear borehole.
Deep Fission was one of ten companies that were selected by the Department of Energy under its reactor pilot program. While the company missed the July 4 criticality deadline set out by DOE, it is still continuing its work on the Gravity reactor and future commercialization.