Photonis Aids in TerraPower’s Mission of Low-Cost and Carbon-Free Energy Solutions With Key Components of Operation

STURBRIDGE, Mass., November 27, 2023 (Newswire.com) - Photonis, a subsidiary of Exosens, a market-leading global provider of electro-optic solutions used in the detection and amplification of photons, ions, electrons, and neutrons, is thrilled to announce a pivotal milestone in its journey toward advancing nuclear reactor technology. The company is providing TerraPower, a renowned leader in nuclear innovation, high-temperature ionization chambers to be tested at Ohio State University Research Reactor, as part of the Molten Chloride Reactor Experiment (MCRE) project. The MCRE project is a combined effort under a Risk Reduction award (Department of Energy Award Number DE‑NE0009045) under the US DOE Advanced Reactor Development Program with TerraPower, Southern Company (Prime on Award), Idaho National Laboratory, Core Power, Orano Federal Services, EPRI and 3M as project partners.  

TerraPower and Southern Company’s Molten Chloride Reactor Experiment (MCRE) represents a paradigm shift in the nuclear energy landscape, being the first molten-chloride fast reactor built in the world, aimed at measuring key reactor physics parameters and testing key hypotheses to support commercial demonstration of the Molten Chloride Fast Reactor (MCFR). 

The MCRE project leverages cutting-edge technology and innovation to enhance the capabilities of nuclear reactors in addressing the critical challenge of carbon reduction. 

“We are proud to announce that a commercial agreement has been signed between Photonis and TerraPower for the supply of ionization chambers as part of their Molten Chloride Reactor Experiment (MCRE) project. This experimental reactor to be built at Idaho National Laboratory is intended to provide foundational knowledge towards the design of Molten-Chloride Fast Reactors (MCFRs) in the United States.

"Thereby, TerraPower’s Molten Chloride Fast Reactor (MCFR) project expands the ability of nuclear reactor technology to decarbonize the economy in sectors including and beyond electricity. The MCFR technology operates at higher temperatures than conventional reactors, thus generating electricity more efficiently and without emissions.” - Cyril Barre, Director of Nuclear Instrumentation at Photonis. 

Photonis’ ionization chambers are renowned for their precision, reliability, and long operating life, making them the ideal choice for a project as groundbreaking as the MCRE project. 

Detectors have been tested at OSURR (Ohio State University Research Reactor) in September 2023. 

Photonis is again proud to be part of this exciting achievement. 

With its high level of knowledge, Photonis’ engineers will continue to contribute to overcoming the limits of science and work towards getting tomorrow’s clean energy running.

This first step not only marks a significant achievement for both Photonis/Exosens and TerraPower, but also signifies a crucial milestone in the global pursuit of cleaner and more sustainable energy solutions.

About Exosens

Exosens is a market-leading provider of technologies used in the detection and amplification of photons, ions, electrons, and neutrons. We innovate and engineer the highest quality technology solutions for integration into a wide variety of applications, such as mass spectrometry, night vision optics, digital cameras, nuclear instrumentation, life-science and physics research, space exploration, and many others. With over 80 years of experience in partnering with our customers to provide the world's leading detection systems, Exosens has the experience to meet the specific challenges of the many markets we serve.

Source: Photonis