Case Study
Dow - Sustainability Academy with University of Cambridge
Investing in sustainability leaders of the future.
U-Battery is an Advanced Modular Reactor (AMR) or High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR), that can help decarbonise large sections of the economy and support the UK Government’s path to net zero by 2050.
This cogeneration unit is capable of providing a low-carbon source of heat and power for energy intensive industry and off-grid locations, as well as hydrogen and synthetic fuel production.
The key innovation is its size, with an output scalable from 10MW thermal/4MW electric and a footprint of just 350m2 (around 1.5 tennis courts). This provides flexibility and makes it ideal for a number of new applicants and markets.
A 2018 Feasibility Study delivered to the Government was based around a novel core design coupled to a gas- turbine to provide both electricity and heat for off-grid communities and industries.
Since then, our design work has confirmed the value of pursuing a simple, robust and reliable design with a strong emphasis on minimising onsite construction through maximising factory build. This is similar to the delivery of offshore wind turbines, delivering parts as modules before they are finally pieced together in-situ.
The most significant investment of engineering resources went into validating the reactor core design and designing the primary circuit components. This confirmed the U Battery is inherently safe with a minimal impact on the environment.
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