Abilene Christian University’s Nuclear Energy eXperimental Testing (NEXT) Laboratory recently acquired a test batch of purified salt from Copenhagen Atomics (CA), another step toward deployment of the Natura Resources-funded Molten Salt Research Reactor.

ACU is part of the Natura Resources Research Alliance – along with the Georgia Institute of Technology, Texas A&M University and The University of Texas at Austin – which  is working to license and deploy the Natura MSR-1, a 1 megawatt thermal Molten Salt Reactor.

In late May, CA delivered highly purified salt to NEXT Lab, and a 250 kilogram test batch was transferred into ACU’s molten salt test system, a Natura Resources-sponsored experimental system designed to circulate over 50 gallons of melted fluoride salt. Highly purified salts are essential to avoid corrosion when operating at extremely high temperatures.

“Working with CA has been an inspiring journey,” said Dr. Rusty Towell, professor of physics and director of NEXT Lab. “We are building a new industry, and collaboration inside the ecosystem is vital to accelerating product development.”

Denmark-based CA is the leading European developer of this technology and has invented methods to produce highly purified salts.

“We are thrilled to see the successful culmination of our collaboration with ACU,” said Mads Steenberg, CEO of Copenhagen Atomics. “This partnership has been a testament to the incredible synergy between our teams and our shared commitment and vision to bring the molten salt reactor to market.”

NEXT Lab
The mission of ACU’s NEXT Lab, powered by Natura Resources, is to provide global solutions to the world’s need for energy, water and medical isotopes by advancing the technology of Molten Salt Reactors while educating future leaders in nuclear science and engineering. Students work alongside faculty seeking creative solutions to complex problems, gaining real-world experience and seeing firsthand how innovation and collaboration can impact the world. NEXT Lab provides extraordinary opportunities through ACU’s departments of engineering and physics, chemistry and biochemistry, and others. 

Natura Resources
Natura Resources LLC is a leading advanced reactor developer committed to answering the world’s increased demand for reliable energy, medical isotopes and clean water by developing commercially deployable molten salt reactors. Natura’s small modular reactors are liquid fueled and molten salt cooled, which increases efficiency and reduces waste. Natura’s first reactor design, Natura MSR-1, is the basis of the first liquid salt-fueled molten salt reactor design ever reviewed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Natura is intensely focused on performance. Founder and president Douglass Robison is a third-generation oilman with a proven track record of revolutionizing the energy industry with innovative technology and results. 

Copenhagen Atomics
CA has developed a thorium molten salt reactor and has taken a product-first approach to developing the supply chain for this energy technology, including purified salts, for the past 10 years.

— Wendy Kilmer
July 12, 2024