Molten salts and nuclear energy production

Abstract

Molten salts (fluorides or chlorides) have been taken in consideration very soon in nuclear energy production researches. This was initially due to their advantageous physical properties: good heat transfer capacity, radiation insensitivity, high boiling point, .. and they can be used in various situations: heat transfer, core coolants with solid fuels, liquid fuel in molten salt reactor, solvents for spent nuclear solid fuel in the case of pyro-reprocessing, fusion. Molten salt reactors which are one of the six innovative concepts chosen by the Generation IV international forum may be particularly interesting in the case of waste incinerators or of the thorium cycle. As the neutron balance is very tight, the possibility to quickly extract poisoning fission products is very attractive. The most important questions addressed to demonstrate the scientific feasibility of Molten Salt Reactor will be reviewed.

Heat-transport properties of molten fluorides: Determination from first-principles

“…Six reactors concepts have been chosen and research and development programmes have been initiated. One of them, the molten salt reactor (MSR), is investigated for use as either waste incinerator or thorium cycle system [1][2][3]. In this concept, molten fluorides are used as both the fuel and coolant (and also as a solvant in the integrated waste reprocessing unit).…”

Evaluating physical properties of molten salt reactor fluoride mixtures

“…MSR can be used efficiently for development of a Th-U breeder as well as for utilization of transuranium elements from the spent fuel of light water reactors [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. Recall that the pioneer R&D on MSR performed in 1960-1970s at ORNL (USA) led to the development of a thorium-uranium 1000 MW Molten Salt Breeder Reactor (MSBR) design [1].…”

“…Compatibility with construction materials and the moderator. 7. Transport properties of the fuel salt composition should ensure efficient removal of the heat generated at operating temperatures.…”

Transport in molten LiF–NaF–ZrF4 mixtures: A combined computational and experimental approach

“…While the other reactors would consist of a solid uranium-based fuel inside a primary coolant (water, liquid sodium, helium), in the MSR the fuel is dissolved in the molten salt; thus the molten salt is both used as a fuel and as a coolant [1]. Because of this particularity, it is possible to use the MSR reactor either in a thorium/uranium or in an uranium/plutonium fuel cycle.…”