A salt-cooled reactor and swimming pools heated by computers

The Kairos Power startup is working on a new type of nuclear reactor cooled by a salt mixture. The first large-scale test cooling system of such type was put into operation at the beginning of this year for 1000 hours. Last December, The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a permit to build the company’s first nuclear reactor. Kairos Power intends to use an alternative fuel called TRISO. TRISO fuel is durable and resistant to high temperatures, radiation and corrosion. Moreover, molten salt is used instead of water in the reactor cooling system.

Scientists from the American Northwestern University have developed a new type of microbial fuel cell that provides infinite power and generates electricity from bacteria naturally occurring in the soil. The book-sized device can be used, for example, in agriculture and remote Internet of Things devices.

Following Octopus Energy’s £200 million investment in green technology startup Deep Green, 150 public swimming pools in the UK will be heated by heat from computer data centres. Under a pilot scheme, an Exmouth swimming pool has reduced its heating bills by over 60%. In return, Deep Green receives free computer cooling, giving it a competitive advantage over traditional data centres.