Eben Mulder, PhD
Dr. Eben Mulder is the co-founder and Chief Scientist of X-energy, where he leads the company’s technology strategy for expanding the applicability of its high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) platform. In his executive leadership role, he oversees the R&D roadmap focused on advanced fuel cycle designs, minimizing the Xe-100 waste profile, enhancing cyber security and proliferation resistance, and developing a long-term HALEU supply strategy. His work supports the deployment of the Xe-100 across both electrical and non-electrical energy markets.
Under Dr. Mulder’s direction, X-energy is advancing industrial process heat applications, leveraging the Xe-100’s high-temperature capabilities to realize two key economic advantages:
- Medium-temperature applications (up to 600 °C): Steam for enhanced oil recovery, petroleum refining, and processing of oil sands and oil shales.
- High-temperature applications (up to 900 °C): Steam reforming of methane and light hydrocarbons, coal gasification, thermochemical hydrogen production, and olefin manufacturing.
These endothermic industrial processes typically require 40–50% of their input energy as thermal process heat-demand which the Xe-100 can meet directly via its helium circuit, using helical coil steam generators, intermediate heat exchangers, or steam reformers.
Dr. Mulder draws from extensive practical experience, including his work on the AVR prototype reactor (46 MW), which operated successfully for 21 years and demonstrated average helium outlet temperatures of 950 °C during its final decade.
A recognized global expert in HTGR design and deployment, Dr. Mulder has authored over 30 technical papers, produced hundreds of design-based reports, and delivered more than 55 keynote and invited talks. Before co-founding X-energy, he served as CEO and Director of Steenkampskraal Thorium Ltd., and prior to that, as Chief Scientific Officer of South Africa’s Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) program.
He has also been a Corporate Consultant to Eskom, Director of the Postgraduate School for Nuclear Sciences and Engineering at North-West University, and Professor in the School of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering. Dr. Mulder currently serves as Adjunct Professor at NC State University, contributing to the academic advancement of nuclear engineering.
He holds undergraduate and master’s degrees in mathematics.
