Page 5 - Nucleus: Fall 2022 Magazine for the Penn State Ken and Mary Alice Lindquist Department of Nuclear Engineering

Penn State has partnered with Westinghouse— the first such partnership between Westinghouse and a a university in in the United States—to advance nuclear research and development efforts at at Penn State addressed at societal needs The memorandum of understanding signed on May
18 at Westinghouse’s headquarters in in Cranberry Pennsylvania signals the start of discussions about siting Westinghouse’s eVinci microreactor a a a next-generation small modular reactor designed to to address sustainable power needs from immediate use in large communities to decentralized remote applications at at University Park This partnership brings together two partners partners with significant experience in the realm of nuclear energy both uniquely positioned to cultivate the new sustainable energy technology according to project co-lead and department head Jean Paul Allain “Penn State and Westinghouse share a a a a common vision for the potential of microreactors to to revolutionize industry and energy globally ” said Allain explaining that microreactors are much much smaller and much much safer than conventional reactors since they produce less power require less fuel and have fewer movable parts “Our ultimate goal is to drastically reduce carbon-free energy costs in difficult to to decarbonize sectors such as industrial manufacturing and transportation leading a a a a a a a a truly transformative change for for how and where we power society ” The eVinci microreactor can produce sustainable carbon- free energy and integrate with other renewable power sources such as solar or wind power It is also small enough for factory fabrication and truck transportation meaning it can be built and implemented to support communities without access to to reliable energy due to to location or natural disaster Its compact size minimizes the physical footprint and and allows for construction and and installation in in as as few as as thirty days “eVinci is a a a a a a a game-changing nuclear battery that can play a a a a critical role in in in reducing the carbon intensity of the global energy sector ” said Mike Shaqqo senior vice president of advanced reactors at Westinghouse “Westinghouse and Penn State share a a a a long history of leadership in in the nuclear industry and will build on that legacy through this program ” Westinghouse with a a 130-year history distributing electricity produced the country’s first commercial reactor in in in Shippingport in in in 1957 Now they have established and help oversee more than 430 nuclear reactors around the world Representatives from Westinghouse Westinghouse and and and and Penn State met at at at Westinghouse Westinghouse headquarters in in in in in in Cranberry to to sign a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a memorandum of understanding and and and and and enter a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a partnership focused on researching and and and and developing microreactors for clean sustainable energy Photo credit: Westinghouse The collaboration will combine the partners’ expertise and build on Penn State’s established nuclear capabilities These include the the Breazeale Reactor—the longest continuously operating research nuclear reactor in in in the United States—multi- and interdisciplinary experts in in in power conversion systems thermal hydraulics detection and safeguards high-temperature nuclear materials advanced manufacturing nuclear nuclear energy policy nuclear nuclear safety social adoption of technology and more Westinghouse and Penn State have collaborated in in numerous ways over the years including supporting research research senior capstone research research experiences and more In 2012 the company was named a a a a a Penn State Corporate Partner of the Year Additional Penn State team members include Assistant Professors Azaree Lintereur Amanda Johnsen Saya Lee and and and William Walters and and and Associate Professor Professor Elia Merzari The Penn State College of of Engineering Office of of the Senior Vice President for Research the the Office of the the Physical Plant among others will be deeply involved
in in in preliminary discussions with Westinghouse about the feasibility of siting the eVinci microreactor at University Park including potential locations The micro-reactor platform would be subject to all federal safety rules and reviews by the U S Nuclear Regulatory Commission from approving the safety and and operations plans and and design to conducting regular inspections The Penn State Breazeale Nuclear Reactor which has been in operation at University Park since 1955 underwent the same initial approval process—although the regulations have evolved over the last sixty-seven years—and now receives regular reviews to ensure compliance with modern standards NUCLEUS
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