en.Wedoany.com Reported - French innovative reactor developer Newcleo has announced that the main vessel for its PRECURSOR non-nuclear demonstration reactor has been installed at the ENEA Brasimone Research Centre near Bologna, Italy.
PRECURSOR was jointly designed by Newcleo and SRS Servizi di Ricerche e Sviluppo Srl, while the main vessel was manufactured by Fucina Italia srl in Piombino, Tuscany, Italy. All these companies are part of the Newcleo Group. PRECURSOR is scheduled for completion in 2026. It is a 10 MW pool-type non-nuclear test system that will use electric heaters to simulate nuclear fuel, replicating the operating characteristics of Newcleo's demonstration reactor, LFR-AS-30, at a reduced scale.
Prior to this, SRS completed the installation of the OTHELLO facility. OTHELLO is a 2 MW loop-type lead-cooled test facility, primarily used for testing and qualifying components and material performance in a lead-cooled environment. With the PRECURSOR main vessel in place, Newcleo has advanced another step in the validation of lead-cooled fast neutron reactor technology.
According to reports, PRECURSOR is slightly smaller in size than Newcleo's planned 200 MW commercial lead-cooled fast neutron reactor, LFR-AS-200. The main vessel has an empty weight of just over 20 tonnes, and once loaded with lead and internal components, its total mass will exceed 155 tonnes.
Newcleo CEO and founder Stefano Buono stated that a special feature of PRECURSOR is that it will be paired with a turbine to generate electricity. The turbine is the only component in the project not manufactured by Newcleo and will be supplied by partner FINCANTIERI. He believes this could make PRECURSOR a facility capable of demonstrating reactor functions more comprehensively.
Newcleo stated that the PRECURSOR project also demonstrates the company's vertical integration capabilities, covering engineering design, manufacturing, transportation, and installation.
Meanwhile, Newcleo is also advancing its demonstration reactor project, LFR-AS-30. This reactor, with a power output of 30 MW, is planned for construction in the Chinon-Vienne-Loire region of Indre-et-Loire in western France. In addition to generating electricity, this first-of-its-kind reactor will also be used for advanced scientific research services and medical isotope production. The company is continuing to cooperate with local elected officials to advance the relevant administrative procedures, with a target of commissioning in 2031.
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