Tech Licensing Opportunity: ViBRANT: Visual Benign Reactor As Analog for Nuclear Testing
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The Department of Energy (DOE), through Battelle Energy Alliance (INL), has issued a Special Notice for a Tech Licensing Opportunity for ViBRANT: Visual Benign Reactor As Analog for Nuclear Testing. This technology offers a revolutionary LED-based analog model for simulating and understanding nuclear reactor behaviors. Responses are due July 16, 2026.
Scope of Technology
ViBRANT is a physical apparatus designed to mimic the core configuration of nuclear reactors, such as the SNAP-10A and MARVEL reactors, using 20,000 individually addressable LED lights. This model facilitates a direct, intuitive connection between digital simulation and physical phenomena, enabling rapid iterations of design, testing, and refinement in a safe, accessible format. It represents a significant step forward in nuclear reactor development, training, and educational tools by bridging the gap between digital approximations and physical reality.
Key Advantages
- Provides a geometrically accurate representation of nuclear reactor cores.
- Enables rapid, agile iterations between concept ideation and analog validation.
- Reduces the hazards and protocols associated with full-scale nuclear reactor deployment.
- Improves understanding and integration of digital and physical development processes.
- Enhances human interaction with complex nuclear systems through visual and sensory engagement.
Problems Solved
- Long, sequential development cycles in nuclear reactor design and testing.
- Uncertainties and approximations inherent in purely digital simulation methods.
- Accessibility and safety concerns associated with direct interaction with nuclear reactors.
- Lack of intuitive, hands-on learning tools for nuclear physics and engineering education.
Market Applications
- Training and education tools for nuclear reactor operation and safety protocols.
- Development and testing platforms for microreactor automated control systems.
- Simulation and modeling tools for advanced nuclear reactor design and research.
- Public engagement and educational exhibits on nuclear technology and safety.
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Special Notice (Tech Licensing Opportunity)
- Development Status: TRL 8
- Set-Aside: Not applicable (licensing opportunity)
- Response Due: July 16, 2026, 3:00 PM Z
- Published: April 13, 2026, 9:44 PM Z
- Patent: US Patent Application No. 18/538,864, “BENIGN REACTIVITY ANALOGS FOR NUCLEAR MODELING,” BEA Docket No. BA-1398
Additional Notes
INL's Technology Deployment department focuses on licensing intellectual property and partnering with industry collaborators capable of commercializing their innovations. This is not a call for external services, purchasing, manufacturing, or funding. Interested parties should learn more at https://inl.gov/technology-deployment/ or contact Javier Martinez (javier.martinez@inl.gov) for specific discussions.