TECH LICENSING OPPORTUNITY: VIBRANT: VISUAL BENIGN REACTOR AS ANALOG FOR NUCLEAR TESTING

ViBRANT: Visual Benign Reactor As Analog for Nuclear Testing 

ViBRANT offers a revolutionary approach to simulating and understanding nuclear reactor behaviors using a geometrically accurate, LED-based analog model.

The Challenge:

In the intricate world of nuclear reactor design and testing, the gap between theoretical models and tangible applications presents significant hurdles. Traditionally, this process involves a lengthy and rigid sequence of design, build, test, refine, and repeat, fraught with potential hazards and inefficiencies. Enter ViBRANT (Visual Benign Reactor As Analog for Nuclear Testing), a solution designed to streamline and safeguard this process. Through its innovative use of geometrically accurate, LED-based models, ViBRANT offers a safer, quicker, and more intuitive way to understand and iterate nuclear reactor behaviors and systems.

How it Works:

ViBRANT is a physical apparatus designed to mimic the core configuration of nuclear reactors, such as the SNAP-10A and MARVEL reactors, using 20,000 individually addressable LED lights. This model facilitates a direct, intuitive connection between digital simulation and physical phenomena, enabling rapid iterations of design, testing, and refinement in a safe, accessible format. It represents a significant step forward in nuclear reactor development, training, and educational tools by bridging the gap between digital approximations and physical reality.

Key Advantages:

• Provides a geometrically accurate representation of nuclear reactor cores.
• Enables rapid, agile iterations between concept ideation and analog validation.
• Reduces the hazards and protocols associated with full-scale nuclear reactor deployment.
• Improves understanding and integration of digital and physical development processes.
• Enhances human interaction with complex nuclear systems through visual and sensory engagement.

Problems Solved

• Long, sequential development cycles in nuclear reactor design and testing.
• Uncertainties and approximations inherent in purely digital simulation methods.
• Accessibility and safety concerns associated with direct interaction with nuclear reactors.
• Lack of intuitive, hands-on learning tools for nuclear physics and engineering education.

Market Applications

• Training and education tools for nuclear reactor operation and safety protocols.
• Development and testing platforms for microreactor automated control systems.
• Simulation and modeling tools for advanced nuclear reactor design and research.
• Public engagement and educational exhibits on nuclear technology and safety.

Development Status: TRL 8

US Patent Application No. 18/538,864, “BENIGN REACTIVITY ANALOGS FOR NUCLEAR MODELING,” BEA Docket No. BA-1398

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