Strategic Plan for Multiplying Direct Carbon Capture Capacity with Nuclear Power
Caleb Brooks, April Novack, and Timothy Grunloh (NPRE)
Kevin OBrien, Chinmoy Baroi, and Leslie Gioja (IL Sustainable Technology Center)
Jiajun He (MechSE)
Research Problem
New nuclear microreactors are promising technologies that enable a clean, climate-conscious, and energy-secure future. Fueled by wide bipartisan legislation for advanced nuclear technologies, the Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Defense (DoD), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) all have recent and growing programs related to these advanced microreactors. NPRE and other units across the college are collaborating to be at the forefront of this technology, evaluating the potential for deployment in decentralized energy applications and the diverse technologies they require and enable. One such technology is direct air capture. Direct air capture has seen significant investment stemming from the growing need for negative carbon assets to slow current climate trends.
Vision
This work will (1) promote engagement between GCOE and PRI researchers at the intersection of advanced reactors and carbon capture, (2) initiate the exploration of nuclear-integrated carbon capture technology, (3) develop a preliminary feed study for at-scale demonstration of microreactor-powered carbon capture on campus, and (4) engage critical external agencies, companies, and foundations to secure funding. Three tasks will be executed in parallel to achieve these objectives: Integrate nuclear carbon capture R&D, community engagement and environmental justice, and external stakeholder engagement.
Larger Impact
While the nuclear microreactor and carbon capture efforts have seen strong external funding separately, the natural synergy between the two technologies has clear potential to leverage past success for a large-scale coordinated project in the near future. This effort is designed to align with large, near-term research initiatives with significant opportunities for investment, and has a strong potential to become a high-visibility feature connecting two campus strengths.