NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) said the primary helium circulator for its KRONOS MMR reactor has moved from preliminary engineering into detailed design, an engineering milestone in the subsystem's path toward manufacturing. The work is being done with Howden, a provider of air and gas handling equipment that became part of Baker Hughes through its acquisition of Chart Industries.
The helium circulator moves helium coolant through the reactor so heat generated in the core can be carried out and used. NANO Nuclear describes it as one of the main components behind the plant's efficiency, thermal performance, and long-term reliability.
What the design phase covered
Howden is leading the circulator's engineering design, drawing on its work in helium turbomachinery and high-temperature gas-cooled reactor technology. To reach detailed design, the company completed engineering evaluations, built three-dimensional design models, ran supporting engineering analyses, and held formal design reviews with NANO Nuclear's engineering team. NANO Nuclear said this work gives the two companies more confidence in the subsystem's performance, manufacturability, and its fit within the wider KRONOS MMR system.
The next steps on the circulator include component qualification, materials and performance testing, further design optimization, and manufacturing planning.
Second subsystem update this cycle
The circulator announcement follows earlier progress on the KRONOS reactor's Fuel Handling & Storage System, developed with Fortil, which handles the storage and management of nuclear fuel during reactor operation. NANO Nuclear said the two subsystem efforts together support standardizing components across future units and build out the engineering base behind the KRONOS program.
James Walker, the company's chief executive, called the move into detailed design "another important milestone in the continued development of the KRONOS MMR Energy System." Jay Yu, the company's founder and chairman, said the Howden collaboration brings together complementary expertise on a subsystem central to the reactor's design.
