ThorEA - Towards an Alternative Nuclear Future.pdf

Chapter 4: Value Capture and IP: from ADSRs to Medicine and beyond
4.1 Introduction
As innovative devices, thorium-fuelled ADSRs pose a number of technological challenges, the solutions to which will, in turn,
lead to significant IP potential and value being captured for the UK. Figure 10 summarises the existing experience and technical
challenges along the value chain for the thorium-fuelled ADSR . These challenges are discussed in more detail in Appendix VII.
Thorium
extraction
barriers, large
reserves and
expertise in
extraction
production and thermal
neutron irradiation
Limited experience
in long burn-ups and
fast spectra; further
research on:
– cladding materials
– fuel concepts
(e.g. pellets)
cyclotrons and LINACs,
with declining costs
Need for a reliable
and economic high
intensity accelerator:
– Ns-FFAG may be a
viable solution
– Prototype built in
Japan in 2000
fueled reactors and leadbismuth
cooled systems
Several technical issues
to still be addressed:
– window/windowless
– heavy metal coolant
(corrosion issues)
– fast reactor control
(low ß)
Figure 10. Existing experience and technical challenges along thorium-fuelled ADSR value chain.
4.2 Intellectual property landscape
The IP landscape outlined herein concentrates on patented
technologies in fields relevant to the thorium-fuelled ADSR
programme and gives a strong indication that the position
for generating IP is very favourable. On the one hand the
programme will be able to use existing patented technologies
which have expired or are nearing the end of their life, and
on the other it is close enough to market to be able to protect
some of the first IP in this field to have real commercial value.
Intellectual Property Rights, resulting from intellectual activity
in scientific and industrial endeavours throughout the thoriumfuelled
ADSR programme will emerge in a variety of forms:
Industrial property which includes inventions
(patents), trademarks and associated brands,
industrial designs in the form of detailed drawings,
and know how (tangible and in tangible) trade secrets.
Copyright and related rights in the form of software,
papers, technical specifications, safety and quality
documentation, training manuals, process flow
documents bill of materials etc.
32 Towards an Alternative Nuclear Future
Fuel
production
Particle
accelerator
Nuclear
reactor
Spent fuel
management
process to recycle spent fuel
Research in partitioning
necessary prior to a
commerical Th-fuel cycle:
– Three-stream separation
process (Th, U, Pu)
– Remote handling due to
strong gamma emitters from
U-232 byproducts
In exploring the IP landscape indications are that the
race for patents and papers in the field of nuclear power
generation appears to be taking place largely outside the
UK. This project is an ideal opportunity to consolidate the
UK’s existing knowledge and build the UK’s knowledge base
and IP portfolio in this key energy field.
In a research sector such as this tacit knowledge, high barriers
to entry, and a high potential for tight commercial secrecy are
all real and realizable benefits. Copyright and know-how will
therefore be at least as relevant and profitable as patents to
the UK in terms of valuable IP, creation of technological
leadership, skilled staff, facilities and experience that will
mark out the UK as global leader in thorium-fuelled ADSR
power generation, and hence advanced nuclear engineering.