PICOGRID, INC. — Department of Energy SBIR Phase I: C56-40l

Description

Problem Statement: The Department of Energy recognizes the importance of advanced and small nuclear reactors for the future of nuclear energy in the United States but acknowledges that the physical protection costs associated with these reactors pose a significant challenge to their deployment. To address this, the DOE is looking to improve nuclear reactor security and reduce physical protection costs to increase their competitiveness with other electrical generation sources while reducing the risk of nuclear proliferation. The adoption of surveillance and AI technologies presents opportunities for improving nuclear reactor security by analyzing large amounts of surveillance data, automating certain security processes, and reducing the need for manual security patrols and personnel, which can help enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of physical security systems, reduce costs, and improve overall safety and security of nuclear facilities. How the Problem is Being Addressed: A distributed network of small nuclear reactors will require effective command and control (C2) systems to oversee physical security operations. The next generation of nuclear facilities will address this critical operational need by adopting the Picogrid Platform as the Modular Operational Command/Control System (MOCS). MOCS will be a highly-interoperable and modular software that will provide a single pane of glass for physical security. Picogrid Platform is a field-proven command and control software highly adaptable for various use cases. Commercial and military customers rely on the Picogrid Platform today for use cases including physical security, environmental compliance, and automation of routine inspections. The Picogrid Platform consists of two main components (Figure1): 1) Orion, an AI-powered, command and control software solution, and 2) Lander, a remotely-operated machine-to-machine terminal configurable with various COTS/GOTS sensor and equipment (e.g. visual/IR cameras, radar, RF) to fulfill various mission requirements. Together, Lander and Orion deliver cost-effective physical security coverage that elegantly scales from single-site security to force protection across entire regions with thousands of sites. The platform enables existing personnel to spend their time responding to events, not searching for them. The benefits of MOCS will include (1) allowing unattended and remote operations of microreactors, (2) providing reliable, integrated physical security and (3) providing significant reductions in operating costs. Phase I Work to Be Accomplished: During Phase I, Picogrid will (1) document the future processes (e.g. integration with police departments, private security & the military) and technologies (e.g. sensors/surveillance) for microreactor physical security, (2) design an adaptation of the Picogrid Platform for the mission needs of the Department of Energy Advanced and Small Reactor Sites and (3) carry out preliminary feasibility studies leading up to field demonstration during Phase II. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: The continuation of the project into Phase II and III will have public benefits, including the development of advanced and small nuclear reactors that are more competitive with other electrical generation sources, reduced physical protection costs, and increased nuclear security. The adoption of surveillance and AI technologies can enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of physical security systems, reduce costs, and improve the overall safety and security of nuclear facilities. These innovations can also enable the development of cost-effective and robust security solutions, leading to more secure and safer microreactor designs