French researchers and companies are developing a new type of small modular reactor (SMR) named Archeos. Unlike most SMR projects, Archeos will not generate electricity but will produce only industrial heat. The design is intended to supply steam at temperatures between 100 and 200 degrees Celsius to large industrial consumers.
Many industrial sectors require vast amounts of heat for their processes. Until recently, this heat was generated mainly from fossil fuels, and increasingly from biomass. French scientists concluded that nuclear energy could be an excellent, low-carbon source for industrial heat, leading to the concept of Archeos.
A reactor built for process heat
Archeos is designed for a thermal output of around 100 megawatts, with no electricity production. Potential customers include chemical, food processing, and paper industries. The cement industry, which needs significant heat for carbon capture processes, is also seen as a key beneficiary. The reactor will deliver steam at temperatures ranging from 100°C to 200°C.
The project team aims to complete the design by the end of this decade. Construction of the first Archeos unit could start in 2032, with operation anticipated in 2035. The developers envisage building ten such reactors in France by 2040.
Market outlook and project partners
The creators of Archeos forecast that the global SMR market could reach a value of 70 to 120 billion dollars annually by 2050. The reactor is being developed by a joint venture established by the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) and Nuvia, a subsidiary of the Vinci construction group. Nuvia employs around 4,100 staff and operates in 17 countries across nuclear energy, civil and military defence, nuclear medicine, and environmental sectors. CEA, a major research institution, employs approximately 22,600 people and focuses on low-carbon energy, digital technologies, future medicine, and defence.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. Gustavo Otsuka / Shutterstock
