NANO Nuclear Space (NNS) will focus on optimizing “ZEUS”, a solid core battery reactor, and “ODIN”, a low-pressure coolant reactor, for applications such as power systems for extraterrestrial projects and human sustaining environments, and potentially propulsion technology for long haul space missions. NNS’ initial focus will be on cis-lunar applications, referring to uses in the space region extending from Earth to the area surrounding the Moon’s surface.
Innovative technologies, like the Annular Linear Induction Pump (ALIP) technology developed by Carlos O. Maidana, Ph.D., which was recently acquired by NANO Nuclear, will be leveraged to optimize cooling and heat transfer capabilities and address challenges in high-efficiency thermal fluid management in high temperature applications, including energy generation and even propulsion.
ALIP Technology Overview
ALIPs are electromagnetic pumps that allow the safe use of molten salts and liquid metals as working fluids in high-temperature applications, particularly in the energy, propulsion, and industrial sectors. These pumps operate at temperatures exceeding 850°C (1123 K), enabling higher-efficiency energy conversion cycle.
Development History
From 2008 to 2010, Dr. Maidana was heavily involved in ALIP development at Idaho National Laboratory as part of a joint NASA/DoE project focused on the Fission Surface Power Technology Project. His work was crucial in reviving and advancing ALIP technology in the United States after decades of limited progress
Key Features and Advantages
No moving parts, leading to higher reliability and reduced maintenance requirements
Compact form factor
Ability to operate at high temperatures (550°C using NaK78 in initial designs, later exceeding 1123 K)
Improved efficiency in energy conversion cycles1
Enhanced passive decay heat removal capability using natural circulation3
Recent Developments
Dr. Maidana created the first software and computational tools worldwide for the multiphysics analysis of ALIPs
Since 2015, he has secured several DoE SBIR awards totaling $1.37 million to support this work
In June 2024, NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. acquired the ALIP technology from Dr. Maidana
NANO Nuclear is funding and overseeing an SBIR Phase III project to further develop the ALIP technology, with Dr. Maidana as the Principal Investigator.
Applications
The ALIP technology is particularly relevant for:
NANO Nuclear’s ‘ODIN’ microreactor
Advanced nuclear reactor designs, especially liquid metal and molten salt-based reactors
Space nuclear systems, including nuclear propulsion and power generation technologies
Ongoing Research
Current efforts focus on enhancing thermal management systems through the development of advanced electromagnetic pump solutions. This approach integrates innovative software, robust hardware designs, and optimized manufacturing processes. The ALIP technology developed by Dr. Maidana represents a significant advancement in nuclear reactor cooling and heat transfer systems, with potential applications in both terrestrial and space-based nuclear power generation.
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels.
A frequent speaker at corporations, he has been a TEDx speaker, a Singularity University speaker and guest at numerous interviews for radio and podcasts. He is open to public speaking and advising engagements.
Nuclear has no way to contend with the spent fuel. The non proliferation of nuclear weapons prevents spent fuel reprocessing. Each spent assembly still has 5/7 of recyclable and fissionable fuel that’s what made nuclear cost effective. Since the government prevents reprocessing the cost of nuclear is prohibitive.
My suggestion is conservation,solar with flow batteries,redesign hydro runners and raise the voltage to the end user 5v.
Compact, compartmented, fission based technologies just make sense for so many rational reasons. WE KNOW how to make nuclear fission work. To produce power, or a bomb. No big deal. Point? To do so, in a controlled organized manner, to use energy in a way that both does not scare anyone s******I, and does create reliable power. Lot’s of “smaller” compartmented nuclear reactor’s are by their nature, both predictable and controllable. One reactor does “something silly”, you slap it hard, shut it off, but everyone else, “survives” Works for me…
It shall remain impossible to separate the state from the generation and transmission ‘enterprise’ [the grid]. You will see heavy government involvement in all nations where nuclear has high market penetration [or not]. Take for example Mexico, which has two BWRs that are run by the state, regulated by the state – a semi-commercial venture of the state. It’s similar in France. It’s similar in Russia. It’s similar in China. And when you peel back the drapes, it is similar in the USA (subsidies, licenses, ultimate disposal arrangements). Nuclear power is not a ‘commercial thing’… the tremendous overhead that accompanies it (much is needed, much is bloated) will not be reduced, the enterprise not made more competitive, by moving from oxide fueled 4GW thermal reactors to 1-45MW TRISO or salt/NaK cooled iddy biddy ones. It should be apparent; after all, the approved version of NuScale is 45MWe, and they re-entered the licensing immediately to uprate 70MWe, and still have no customer.
So no. If I cared more I’d write a medium article about it. Micro reactors are dumb. People that promote them do not understand the bureaucracy or the market.
…interstellar travel constant acceleration (to the blue planet)… they arrive, see their occupants and decide to stay on the Moon hidden on the far side. They would have to come for supplies to the “supermarket”, maybe they have cities under the ocean floor, maybe they disguise themselves as humans, maybe they control the Earth, or maybe nothing at all. Where are the lunar satellites? There are none that are operational that we know of, a cloak of silence… They have put “7000” starlink satellites in Earth orbit in a moment, they have sent satellites to asteroids… but to the Moon “noo” that “they are not interested yet” in people watching the continuous live broadcast in UHD from a satellite in low lunar orbit. What rules on Earth?: religion. As soon as people see that the extraterrestrials know nothing about the miserable religious stories, that´s it: goodbye religion. For 50 years the Pope has been “thinking” about how to continue deceiving “astrotheology” with the “it´s just that “the grays” eat people. They left 2 Apollos on the ground after spending the $millions they cost “because there was no longer any interest in going there”. Apollo XI radio secret: “they are here in the crater next door watching us”…
Religion may be outlived by the human race (if we survive that long), but it will be a slow, brutal, vicious process. It’s impossible to scientifically prove a “negative”. “Prove to me God DOES NOT exist” Or Santa Claus, whatever. Can’t. Religion has immense power because as a concept, it transcends death. Since I don’t know anyone who’s come back from the dead, who knows? But if anyone can convince you they DO know? They have great power, over you. Be careful of people like that. And know where the nearest fire exit is, whenever you are. By the way, I did have what is called a “near death experience” as a 5year old. It was actually very anticlimactic.
I was given to much anesthesia gas and my heart stopped for “several minutes”. I “remember” hearing a loud, insect like buzzing sound. Then, as a kid from Chicago, I “saw” what I called, a “multi-colored tornado” (If your from Chicago, you KNOW what a tornado is). But incredible colors? Never heard, or seen a tornado like that, before or since. Years later, when I read about NDE’s, people mentioned “tunnels” I guess my “tornado” could be someone’s tunnel. The “maw”, top of the tornado, sucked me in, and then I woke up.
And barfed my guts out for two days. (I was REALLY sick), Did I see God, gain insight? When I woke up, I was to busy throwing up, to remember, (if anything at all). Told you my NDE, was anticlimactic. I’ll talk about aliens in my next post. I had a stroke 3years ago, it’s very hard to type.
I suppose no moving parts leaves corrosion the likely failure mechanism for the reactor coolant loop. CO2 used as secondary loop, or heat engine working fluid would remove hydrogen from the salts.
As an induction pump, pumping a conductive liquid, you have almost total freedom as to the composition of the liner, because it’s not a functional part of the pump. Everything is done by magnetic induction.
You do kind of want the liner to not be highly conductive, of course, because that would shield the fluid. But materials that can survive corrosive environments at high temperatures don’t tend to be good conductors.
So, corrosion isn’t going to be any more of a problem in the pump than elsewhere.
One of the EBR iterations ran the DC ExB MHD pump until they replaced it with a normal stainless impeller centrifugal type. I read the wet parts looked new after use in the Na.
Exciting times with all these scammy nanny little nuclear widgets. I hope the coming administration dries up some of the funding. If anybody wants something built, then work with GE or Westinghouse, United Technologies or Lockheed and get it built. Show up to the table with $100M to spend and watch everybody get real serious. To quote the great Winston of Ghostbusters, “if there’s a paycheck in it I believe in it.”
I’ve wondered why they do not line the sides with ceramic tiles with many overlapping layers. Behind this would be a high temperature metal. The tiles would keep the metal temperatures down and protect the metal, with the metal being a structural support. I believe the tiles would suffer from embrittlement, but that wouldn’t matter because the metal would be the support and they could be overlapped like shingles so swelling wouldn’t matter either.
What is the goal? Is the goal to safely and reliably generate power and sell it for a profit and the benefit of mankind? Or is the goal a thought experiment about how to barely work around very real material science limitations in a highly oxidizing and otherwise corrosive environment for giggles? It must be for giggles because it’s not helping the bottom line. Is the goal to demonstrate a reactor without cladding separating the zoomies from the workers and the public? Who determined that was a worthy goal? Is the goal to reprocess to conserve a resource that is not scarce? What is the benefit in developing your space shuttle tile fluid circuit?