Redox potential control in molten salt systems for corrosion mitigation

Zhang, Jinsuo; Forsberg, Charles W.; Simpson, Michael F.; Guo, Shaoqiang; Lam, Stephen T.; Scarlat, Raluca O.; Carotti, Francesco; Chan, Kevin J.; Singh, Preet M.; Doniger, William; Sridharan, Kumar; Keiser, James R.

doi:10.1016/j.corsci.2018.08.035

Cited by 122 publications

(78 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…In each case, neutrons interact with LiF to generate tritium in the form of 3 HF and helium. Hydrogen fluoride is highly corrosive so a chemical redox agent 33 is added to the salt to convert the 3 HF to 3 H 2 . Section V discusses the common technologies for tritium control.…”

Section: Safety Basismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The only way to prevent corrosion of the metal is to have the chemical redox conditions in the salt more reducing than the metals of construction; that is, the metals must be noble relative to the salt. 33 Figure 5 shows the chemical redox potential of various elements. The materials of construction determine the redox conditions required to minimize corrosion.…”

Section: Vc Corrosionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fusion Blankets and Fluoride-Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactors with Flibe Salt Coolant: Common Challenges, Tritium Control, and Opportunities for Synergistic Development Strategies Between Fission, Fusion, and Solar Salt Technologies

et al. 2019

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Recent developments in high-magnetic-field fusion systems have created large incentives to develop flibe (Li 2 BeF 4) salt fusion blankets that have four functions: (1) convert the high energy of fusion neutrons into heat for the power system, (2) convert lithium into tritium-the fusion fuel, (3) shield the magnets against radiation, and (4) cool the first wall that separates the plasma from the salt blanket. Flibe is the same coolant proposed for fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature reactors that use clean flibe coolant and graphite-matrix coated-particle fuel. Flibe is also the coolant proposed for some molten salt reactors (MSRs) where the fuel is dissolved in the coolant. The multiple applications for flibe as a coolant create large incentives for cooperative fusion-fission programs for development of the underlying science, design tools, technology (pumps, instrumentation, salt purification, materials, tritium removal, etc.), and supply chains. Other high-temperature molten salts are being developed for alternative MSR systems and for advanced Gen-III concentrated solar power (CSP) systems. The overlapping characteristics of flibe salt with these other salt systems create significant incentives for cooperative fusion-fission-solar programs in multiple areas. We describe the fission and fusion flibe-cooled systems, what has created this synergism, what is different and the same between fission and fusion in terms of using flibe, and the common challenges. We review (1) the characteristics of flibe salts, (2) the status of the technology, (3) the options for tritium capture and control in the salt, heat exchangers, and secondary heat transfer loops, and (4) the coupling to power cycles with heat storage. The technology overlap between flibe systems and other high-temperature MSR and CSP salt systems is described. This defines where there are opportunities for cooperative programs across fission, fusion, and CSP salt programs.

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Section: Safety Basismentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Vc Corrosionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fusion Blankets and Fluoride-Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactors with Flibe Salt Coolant: Common Challenges, Tritium Control, and Opportunities for Synergistic Development Strategies Between Fission, Fusion, and Solar Salt Technologies

et al. 2019

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“…That, in turn, determines the total number of heat pipes required for each application. Sodium is a strong chemical reducing agent that will reduce beryllium fluoride and many other fluorides that may be salt components 46 of the coolant salt to metals. Most of these metals have some solubility in the coolant salt.…”

Section: Ivb Sodium Heat Pipe Experiencementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most of the tritium is generated by neutron adsorption by lithium in lithium fluoride; thus, the chemical form of the tritium is 3 HF. All proposed salt reactors have chemical redox control systems 46 to convert corrosive 3 HF into 3 H that then becomes 3 H 2 or 3 HH if hydrogen gas sparging is used for tritium removal. Tritium becomes a dissolved gas ( 3 H 2 ) in the liquid salt.…”

Section: Tritium Controlmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heat-Pipe Heat Exchangers for Salt-Cooled Fission and Fusion Reactors to Avoid Salt Freezing and Control Tritium: A Review

2019

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The fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature reactor and some proposed fusion reactors use clean fluoride salts as reactor coolants that have melting points above 450°C and generate tritium. Tritium diffuses through most hot metals, thus methods to capture tritium and prevent its release to the environment are required. Molten salt reactors (MSRs) use fluoride or chloride salts with high melting points where the fuel is dissolved in the coolant. MSR systems produce volatile fission products (Xe, Kr, etc.) and some produce significant tritium. We examine the use of heat exchangers with multiple heat pipes for salt-cooled fission and fusion systems that serve four functions: (1) transfer heat from primary coolant to power cycle, secondary loop, or environment; (2) provide the safety function of a secondary loop by isolating the reactor salt coolant from the high-pressure power cycle; (3) stop heat transfer if the reactor coolant approaches its freezing point to prevent blockage of the primary loop; and (4) block tritium escape to the environment with recovery of the tritium. Each of these capabilities in some form has been demonstrated in a heat pipe system, but not all the functions have been demonstrated in a single system because there has been no need for all of these capabilities in a single system. We review the status of heat pipe technology and the limits of heat pipe technology as the starting points for decisions on the development of such heat pipe systems.

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“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] Mixed molten salts have high heat-capacity, are chemically stable at elevated temperatures, and exhibit a tailorable melting point through compositional changes. A large body of work has been performed on uoride, nitrate, and carbonate salt mixtures, such as lithium beryllium uoride (FLiBe), [8][9][10][11] sodium potassium nitrate (NaNO 3 -KNO 3 ), 7,[12][13][14] lithium potassium carbonate (LiKCO 3 ), 15,16 and many others. [17][18][19] Chloride-based salt mixtures have several advantages over nitrates, carbonates, and uorides.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%