ARPA-E seeks input from a broad range of disciplines and fields, including, but not limited to nuclear science and engineering, materials science and engineering, sensor science and technology, instrumentation and control engineering, automation science and engineering, power systems engineering, and safety by design for innovative concepts for technical innovation that will enable accelerated development and regulatory acceptance of modular nuclear energy options involving either Gen III+ or Gen IV design features. If made technically and economically viable, modular nuclear reactor technologies can augment large-scale reactors in providing clean, safe, secure, carbon-free electricity as well as heat energy for various non-electrical applications (e.g., industrial processes, mining activities, hydrogen production, and seawater desalination).
ARPA-E is particularly interested in innovations that enable reactor designs to be: 1) inherently safe (beyond passive safety) with multiple safety mechanisms to prevent core melting in case of a loss of coolant accident (LOCA); 2) extremely secure without exposure of radioactive nuclides in case of LOCA or an enclosure breach with a zero or near zero emergency planning zone (EPZ); 3) quickly responsive to external load variations with control mechanisms that can also add safety beyond passive cool down; 4) long-lasting with operational durations of 10 to 20 years without refueling; 5) substantially autonomous in operations with minimal operator intervention; and 6) proliferation resistant. Consistent with the agency’s mission, ARPA-E is seeking information on disruptive, novel technologies, relatively early in the R&D cycle, and not integration strategies for existing technologies.
ARPA-E will not pay for any information submitted under this RFI. All responses provided will be taken into consideration, but ARPA-E will not respond to individual submissions or publish publicly a compendium of responses. Respondents shall not include any information in the response to this RFI that might be considered proprietary or confidential. Based on the input provided in response to this RFI and other considerations, ARPA-E may decide to issue a FOA. If a FOA is published, it will be issued under a new FOA number. THIS NOTICE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT (FOA). NO FOA EXISTS AT THIS TIME.
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION GUIDELINES:
Responses to this RFI should be submitted in PDF format to the email address ARPA-E-RFI@hq.doe.gov by 5pm Eastern Time on June 17th, 2016. ARPA-E will not review or consider comments submitted by other means. Emails should conform to the following guidelines:
Please insert “Responses for RFI for FOA DE-FOA-0001598” in the subject line of your email, and include:
- Your name;
- Title;
- Organization;
- Type of organization (e.g. university, non-governmental organization, small business, large business, federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), government-owned/government-operated (GOGO), etc.);
- Email address, telephone number, and area of expertise in the body of your email;
- Responses to this RFI are limited to no more than 10 pages in length (12 point font size);
- Responders are strongly encouraged to include preliminary results, data, and figures that describe their potential methodologies