Rolls-Royce nuclear Small Modular Reactors: an overview

Tom Peacock "An Overview of Rolls-Royce SMR"

A component engineer’s perspective on RR SMR’s power station design, by Tom Peacock, Component Lead, Steam Generator & Heat Exchangers, Rolls-Royce SMR.

The world is facing an unprecedented demand for clean energy as we transition to Net Zero. The demand is for energy that is always on and which generates no emissions. Nuclear energy is the most powerful source of always on clean energy, however, it must be safe, deliverable, scalable and cost competitive for it to be widely embraced.

To meet this demand, Rolls-Royce SMR has developed a repeatable factory-built power station, that relies on tried and tested nuclear technology. This allows it to be constructed and made operational far more quickly than conventional bespoke nuclear design and build technology. The Rolls-Royce SMR approach lowers cost, reduces uncertainty and risk for developers and crucially, allows countries around the world to address their urgent need for low carbon energy.

In this lecture, Tom will provide an overview of the Rolls-Royce SMR power station and how it meets its design objectives in supporting the transition to Net Zero.

Tom is a Chartered Engineer with 11 years’ experience in the nuclear industry. After graduating from the University of Bristol he joined the nucleargraduate scheme. As a nucleargraduate Tom gained work experience with Rolls-Royce Submarines, BAES and Magnox, as well as completing a Post Graduate Certificate in Nuclear Technology with the University of Manchester and launching a not-for-profit business with other graduates to encourage more women into engineering.

Following completion of nucleargraduates, Tom joined Rolls-Royce Submarines as a Steam Generator Design Engineer for the Pressurised Water Reactor 3 programme. He was primarily involved in design and safety justification, and new product introduction in support of manufacture. Tom then went on to lead the Steam Generator concept design programme for the Astute replacement programme before moving to Rolls-Royce SMR in 2020 as the Steam Generator and Heat Exchangers Component Lead.

As a Component Lead, Tom is responsible for the design, justification, and delivery of the Steam Generators and all the Heat Exchangers within the Rolls-Royce SMR power station.

For more information about upcoming lectures see www.csar.org.uk