Image: U-Battery/Cavendish Nuclear
Hyde Group companies Hollygate Fabrications and Manchester Precision Engineering have manufactured the first mock-up of the main vessels of the U-Battery Advanced Module Reactor (AMR).
The full-scale model was revealed by Hyde’s customer Cavendish Nuclear at the end of September.
U-Battery is a small module reactor that provides a locally-embedded, reliable and cost-effective source of power and heat by utilising proven high-temperature gas cooled reactor technology and highly accident tolerant TRISO fuel. Its 350 square metre footprint and relative portability makes it ideal for supplying power to remote locations, mining sites and off-grid communities.
This new nuclear innovation progressed through Phase 2 of the UK Government AMR programme in July 2020 and has established a service agreement with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission for pre-licensing Phase 1 vendor design review. The United Kingdom and Canada are just a couple of ‘sizeable’ markets the U-Battery aims to penetrate, with Japan, India and Poland all identifying the reactors as potential solutions for their future energy plans. Furthermore, the IAEA report an increase in the number of emerging nuclear countries, increasing the potential market opportunities for the U-Battery across a wider range of geographies.
Hyde Group is proud of its contribution towards the U-Battery as it provides an alternative to fossil fuel-based energy sources, enabling a low-carbon, hydrogen economy that works towards a greener world. The U-Battery supports the UK Government’s ‘Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution’ as Hyde Group continues its work in support of exciting nuclear innovation.