WorldWideScience

Sample records for salt reactor program

  1. Reactor physical experimental program EROS in the frame of the molten salt applying reactor concepts development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hron, Miloslav; Kyncl, Jan; Mikisek, Miroslav

    2009-01-01

    After the relatively broad program of experimental activities, which have been involved in the complex R and D program for the Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) - SPHINX (SPent Hot fuel Incinerator by Neutron fluX) concept development in the Czech Republic, there has been a next stage (namely large-scale experimental verification of design inputs by use of MSR-type inserted zones into the existing light water moderated experimental reactor LR-0 called EROS project) started, which will be focused to the experimental verification of the rector physical or neutronic properties of other types of reactor concepts applying molten salts in the role of liquid fuel and/or coolant. This tendency is based on the recently accepted decision of the MSR SSC of GIF to consider for further period of its activity two baseline concepts- fast neutron molten salt reactor non-moderated (FMSR-NM) as a long-term alternative to solid fuelled fast neutron reactors and simultaneously, advanced high temperature reactor (AHTR) with pebble bed type solid fuel cooled by liquid salts. There will be a brief description of the prepared and performed experimental programs in these directions (as well as the preliminary results obtained so far) introduced in the paper. (author)

  2. The molten salt reactor adventure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    MacPherson, H.G.

    1985-01-01

    A personal history of the development of molten salt reactors in the United States is presented. The initial goal was an aircraft propulsion reactor, and a molten fluoride-fueled Aircraft Reactor Experiment was operated at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in 1954. In 1956, the objective shifted to civilian nuclear power, and reactor concepts were developed using a circulating UF 4 -ThF 4 fuel, graphite moderator, and Hastelloy N pressure boundary. The program culminated in the successful operation of the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment in 1965 to 1969. By then the Atomic Energy Commission's goals had shifted to breeder development; the molten salt program supported on-site reprocessing development and study of various reactor arrangements that had potential to breed. Some commercial and foreign interest contributed to the program which, however, was terminated by the government in 1976. The current status of the technology and prospects for revived interest are summarized

  3. The United States fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature reactor program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holcomb, David E.

    2013-01-01

    The United States is pursuing the development of fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature reactors (FHRs) through the Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE). FHRs, by definition, feature low-pressure liquid fluoride salt cooling, coated-particle fuel, a high-temperature power cycle, and fully passive decay heat rejection. FHRs, in principle, have the potential to economically generate large amounts of electricity while maintaining full passive safety. FHRs, however, remain a longer-term power production option. A principal development focus is, thus, on shortening, to the extent possible, the overall development time by focusing initial efforts on the longest lead-time issues. While FHRs represent a distinct reactor class, they inherit desirable attributes from other thermal power plants whose characteristics can be studied to provide general guidance on plant configuration, anticipated performance, and costs. Molten salt reactors provide experience on the materials, procedures, and components necessary to use liquid fluoride salts. Liquid-metal reactors provide design experience on using low-pressure liquid coolants, passive decay heat removal, and hot refueling. High-temperature gas-cooled reactors provide experience with coated-particle fuel and graphite components. Light-water reactors show the potential of transparent, high-heat-capacity coolants with low chemical reactivity. The FHR development efforts include both reactor concept and technology developments and are being broadly pursued. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) provides technical leadership to the effort and is performing concept development on both a large base-load-type FHR as well as a small modular reactor (SMR) in addition to performing a broad scope of technology developments. Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is providing coated-particle fuel irradiation testing as well as developing high-temperature steam generator technology. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT

  4. Development status and potential program for development of proliferation-resistant molten-salt reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Engel, J.R.; Bauman, H.F.; Dearing, J.F.; Grimes, W.R.; McCoy, H.E. Jr.

    1979-03-01

    Preliminary studies of existing and conceptual molten-salt reactor (MSR) designs have led to the identification of conceptual systems that are technologically attractive when operated with denatured uranium as the principal fissile fuel. These denatured MSRs would also have favorable resource-utilization characteristics and substantial resistance to proliferation of weapons-usable nuclear materials. The report presents a summary of the current status of technology and a discussion of the major technical areas of a possible base program to develop commercial denatured MSRs. The general areas treated are (1) reactor design and development, (2) safety and safety related technology, (3) fuel-coolant behavior and fuel processing, and (4) reactor materials. A substantial development effort could lead to authorization for construction of a molten-salt test reactor about 5 years after the start of the program and operation of the unit about 10 years later. A prototype commercial denatured MSR could be expected to begin operating 25 years from the start of the program. The postulated base program would extend over 32 years and would cost about $700 million (1978 dollars, unescalated). Additional costs to construct the MSTR, $600 million, and the prototype commercial plant, $1470 million, would bring the total program cost to about $2.8 billion. Additional allowances probably should be made to cover contingencies and incidental technology areas not explicitly treated in this preliminary review

  5. Development status and potential program for development of proliferation-resistant molten-salt reactors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Engel, J.R.; Bauman, H.F.; Dearing, J.F.; Grimes, W.R.; McCoy, H.E. Jr.

    1979-03-01

    Preliminary studies of existing and conceptual molten-salt reactor (MSR) designs have led to the identification of conceptual systems that are technologically attractive when operated with denatured uranium as the principal fissile fuel. These denatured MSRs would also have favorable resource-utilization characteristics and substantial resistance to proliferation of weapons-usable nuclear materials. The report presents a summary of the current status of technology and a discussion of the major technical areas of a possible base program to develop commercial denatured MSRs. The general areas treated are (1) reactor design and development, (2) safety and safety related technology, (3) fuel-coolant behavior and fuel processing, and (4) reactor materials. A substantial development effort could lead to authorization for construction of a molten-salt test reactor about 5 years after the start of the program and operation of the unit about 10 years later. A prototype commercial denatured MSR could be expected to begin operating 25 years from the start of the program. The postulated base program would extend over 32 years and would cost about $700 million (1978 dollars, unescalated). Additional costs to construct the MSTR, $600 million, and the prototype commercial plant, $1470 million, would bring the total program cost to about $2.8 billion. Additional allowances probably should be made to cover contingencies and incidental technology areas not explicitly treated in this preliminary review.

  6. Molten salt reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bouchter, J.C.; Dufour, P.; Guidez, J.; Simon, N.; Renault, C.

    2014-01-01

    Molten salt reactors are one of the 6 concepts retained for the 4. generation of nuclear reactors. The principle of this reactor is very innovative: the nuclear fuel is dissolved in the coolant which allows the online reprocessing of the fuel and the online recovery of the fission products. A small prototype: the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE - 8 MWt) was operating a few years in the sixties in the USA. The passage towards a fast reactor by the suppression of the graphite moderator leads to the concept of Molten Salt Fast Reactor (MSFR) which is presently studied through different European projects such as MOST, ALISIA and EVOL. Worldwide the main topics of research are: the adequate materials resisting to the high level of corrosiveness of the molten salts, fuel salt reprocessing, the 3-side coupling between neutron transport, thermohydraulics and thermo-chemistry, the management of the changing chemical composition of the salt, the enrichment of lithium with Li 7 in the case of the use of lithium fluoride salt and the use of MSFR using U 233 fuel (thorium cycle). The last part of the article presents a preliminary safety analysis of the MSFR. (A.C.)

  7. MSR - SPHINX concept program Eros (Experimental zero power Salt reactor SR-0) - The proposed experimental program as a basis for validation of reactor physics methods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hron, M.; Juricek, V.; Kyncl, J.; Mikisek, M.; Rypar, V. [Nuclear Research Institute Rez plc, Rez (Czech Republic)

    2007-07-01

    The Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) - SPHINX (SPent Hot fuel Incinerator by Neutron fluX) concept solves this principal problem of spent fuel treatment by means of so-called nuclear incineration. It means the burning of fissionable part of its inventory and transmutation of other problematic radionuclides by use of nuclear reactions with neutrons in a MSR-SPHINX system. This reactor system is an actinide burner (most in resonance neutron spectrum) and a radionuclide transmuter in a well-thermalized neutron spectrum. In the frame of the physical part, there are computational analyses and experimental activities. The experimental program has been focused, in its first stage, on a short-term irradiation of small size samples of molten-salt systems as well as structural materials proposed for the MSR blanket in the field of high neutron flux of research reactors. The proposed next stage of the program will focus on a large-scale experimental verification of design inputs by use of MSR-type inserting zones into the existing light water moderated experimental reactor LR-0, which may allow us to modify it into the experimental zero power salt reactor SR-0. There will be a detail description of the proposed program given in the paper together with the so far performed experiments and their first results. These realized experiments help us also to verify computational codes used, and to recognize some anomalies related to molten fluorides utilization. (authors)

  8. Fast Spectrum Molten Salt Reactor Options

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gehin, Jess C [ORNL; Holcomb, David Eugene [ORNL; Flanagan, George F [ORNL; Patton, Bruce W [ORNL; Howard, Rob L [ORNL; Harrison, Thomas J [ORNL

    2011-07-01

    During 2010, fast-spectrum molten-salt reactors (FS-MSRs) were selected as a transformational reactor concept for light-water reactor (LWR)-derived heavy actinide disposition by the Department of Energy-Nuclear Energy Advanced Reactor Concepts (ARC) program and were the subject of a preliminary scoping investigation. Much of the reactor description information presented in this report derives from the preliminary studies performed for the ARC project. This report, however, has a somewhat broader scope-providing a conceptual overview of the characteristics and design options for FS-MSRs. It does not present in-depth evaluation of any FS-MSR particular characteristic, but instead provides an overview of all of the major reactor system technologies and characteristics, including the technology developments since the end of major molten salt reactor (MSR) development efforts in the 1970s. This report first presents a historical overview of the FS-MSR technology and describes the innovative characteristics of an FS-MSR. Next, it provides an overview of possible reactor configurations. The following design features/options and performance considerations are described including: (1) reactor salt options-both chloride and fluoride salts; (2) the impact of changing the carrier salt and actinide concentration on conversion ratio; (3) the conversion ratio; (4) an overview of the fuel salt chemical processing; (5) potential power cycles and hydrogen production options; and (6) overview of the performance characteristics of FS-MSRs, including general comparative metrics with LWRs. The conceptual-level evaluation includes resource sustainability, proliferation resistance, economics, and safety. The report concludes with a description of the work necessary to begin more detailed evaluation of FS-MSRs as a realistic reactor and fuel cycle option.

  9. Molten salt breeder reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1977-01-01

    MSBR Study Group formed in October 1974 has studied molten salt breeder reactor and its various aspects. Usage of a molten salt fuel, extremely interesting as reactor chemistry, is a great feature to MSBR; there is no need for separate fuel making, reprocessing, waste storage facilities. The group studied the following, and these results are presented: molten salt technology, molten salt fuel chemistry and reprocessing, reactor characteristics, economy, reactor structural materials, etc. (Mori, K.)

  10. Assessment of the Capability of Molten Salt Reactors as a Next Generation High Temperature Reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elsheikh, B.M.

    2017-01-01

    Molten Salt Reactor according to Aircraft Reactor Experiment (ARE) and the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) programs, was designed to be the first full-scale, commercial nuclear power plant utilizing molten salt liquid fuels that can be used for producing electricity, and producing fissile fuels (breeding)burning actinides. The high temperature in the primary cycle enables the realization of efficient thermal conversion cycles with net thermal efficiencies reach in some of the designs of nuclear reactors greater than 45%. Molten salts and liquid salt because of their low vapor pressure are excellent candidates for meeting most of the requirements of these high temperature reactors. There is renewed interest in MSRs because of changing goals and new technologies in the use of high-temperature reactors. Molten Salt Reactors for high temperature create substantial technical challenges to have high effectiveness intermediate heat transfer loop components. This paper will discuss and investigate the capability and compatibility of molten salt reactors, toward next generation high temperature energy system and its technical challenges

  11. Combined system of accelerator molten-salt breeder (AMSB) apd molten-salt converter reactor (MSCR)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Furukawa, K.; Kato, Y.; Ohmichi, T.; Ohno, H.

    1983-01-01

    A design and research program is discUssed of the development of accelerator molten-salt breeder (AMSB) consisting of a proton accelerator and a molten fluoride target. The target simultaneously serves as a blanket for fissionable material prodUction. An addition of some amoUnt of fissile nuclides to a melt expands the AMSB potentialities as the fissionable material production increases and the energy generation also grows up to the level of self-provision. Besides the blanket salts may be used as nuclear fuel for molten-salt converter reactor (MSCR). The combined AM SB+MSCR system has better parameters as compared to other breeder reactors, molten-salt breeder reactors (MSBR) included

  12. The Program Planned for the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haubenreich, Paul N.

    1967-01-01

    This document outlines the program planned for the MSRE in fiscal years 1968 and 1969. It includes a bar diagram of the program, a critical-path type diagram of the operations, and a brief description of each task. In addition to the work at the reactor site, the outline also covers activities elsewhere at ORNL and by the AEC that directly affect the reactor schedule. The amount of detail and the accuracy with which we can estimate times varies considerably among the different items on the schedule. Some items, such as annual checkouts and core sample replacement, have been done before and our time estimates do not include any contingency, In the case of such tasks as planning, reviewing, and preparing for experiments or operations, we have set target dates that appear reasonable and we fully expect to meet these. Processing the salt is a different matter. If there are no unforeseen difficulties we should finish easily in the time shown, but the operation is in part a shakedown, so delays would not be too surprising, The time for modifying the system and adding fluoroborate is, of course, uncertain because the requirements are not yet known. As the requirements develop in more detail the estimate will be updated, but we do not foresee any major dislocation in the schedule, The scheduled time for preparation of enriching salt is becoming tight because of delays in facility construction. Should there be further delays in this key item, the entire schedule would have to be reconsidered.

  13. Molten-salt converter reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perry, A.M.

    1975-01-01

    Molten-salt reactors appear to have substantial promise as advanced converters. Conversion ratios of 0.85 to 0.9 should be attainable with favourable fuel cycle costs, with 235 U valued at $12/g. An increase in 235 U value by a factor of two or three ($10 to $30/lb. U 3 O 8 , $75/SWU) would be expected to increase the optimum conversion ratio, but this has not been analyzed in detail. The processing necessary to recover uranium from the fuel salt has been partially demonstrated in the MSRE. The equipment for doing this would be located at the reactor, and there would be no reliance on an established recycle industry. Processing costs are expected to be quite low, and fuel cycle optimization depends primarily on inventory and burnup or replacement costs for the fuel and for the carrier salt. Significant development problems remain to be resolved for molten-salt reactors, notably the control of tritium and the elimination of intergranular cracking of Hastelloy-N in contact with tellurium. However, these problems appear to be amenable to solution. It is appropriate to consider separating the development schedule for molten-salt reactors from that for the processing technology required for breeding. The Molten-Salt Converter Reactor should be a useful reactor in its own right and would be an advance towards the achievement of true breeding in thermal reactors. (author)

  14. Molten salt small modular reactors (MSSMRs): from DMSR to SmAHTR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    LeBlanc, D.

    2013-01-01

    Molten salt reactors were developed extensively from the 1950s to 1970s as a thermal breeder alternative on the Thorium-U233 cycle. Simplified designs running as fluid fuel convertors without salt processing as well as TRISO fueled, salt cooled reactors both hold much promise as potential small modular reactors. A background will be presented along with the most likely routes forward for a Canadian development program. (author)

  15. Molten salt reactor concept

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sood, D.D.

    1980-01-01

    Molten salt reactor is an advanced breeder concept which is suited for the utilization of thorium for nuclear power production. This reactor is based on the use of solutions of uranium or plutonium fluorides in LiF-BeF 2 -ThF 4 as fuel. Unlike the conventional reactors, no external coolant is used in the reactor core and the fuel salt itself is circulated through heat exchangers to transfer the fission produced heat to a secondary salt (NaF-NaBF 4 ) for steam generation. A part of the fuel stream is continuously processed to isolate 233 Pa, so that it can decay to fissile 233 U without getting converted to 234 Pa, and for the removal of neutron absorbing fission products. This on-line processing scheme makes this reactor concept to achieve a breeding ratio of 1.07 which is the highest for any thermal breeder reactor. Experimental studies at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Bombay, have established the use of plutonium as fuel for this reactor. This molten salt reactor concept is described and the work conducted at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre is summarised. (auth.)

  16. Status of the French research in the field of molten salt nuclear reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hery, M.; Israel, M.; Fauger, P.; Lecocq, A.

    1977-01-01

    The research program of the CEA in the field of molten salt nuclear reactors has been concerned with MSBR type reactors (Molten Salt Breeder Reactor). The papers written after having performed the theoretical analysis are entitled: core, circuits, chemistry and economy; they include some criticisms and suggestions. The experimental studies consisted in: graphite studies, chemical studies of the salt, metallic materials, the salt loop and the lead loop [fr

  17. Molten salt fueled reactors with a fast salt draining

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ventre, Edmond; Blum, J.M.

    1976-01-01

    This invention relates to a molten salt nuclear reactor which comprises a new arrangement for shutting it down in complete safety. This nuclear reactor has a molten salt primary circuit comprising, in particular, the core of this reactor. It includes a leak tight vessel the capacity of which is appreciably greater than that of the molten salt volume of the circuit and placed so that the level of the molten salt, when all the molten salt of the circuit is contained in this vessel, is less than that of the base of the core. There are facilities for establishing and maintaining an inert gas pressure in the vessel above the molten salt, for releasing the compressed gas and for connecting the vessel to the primary circuit entering this vessel at a lower level than that of the molten salt and enabling molten salt to enter or leave the vessel according to the pressure of the inert gas. The particular advantage of this reactor is that it can be shut down safely since the draining of the primary circuit no longer results from a 'positive action' but from the suppression of an arrangement essential for the operation of the reactor consisting of the build-up of the said inert gas pressure in the said vessel [fr

  18. Molten-salt reactor information system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haubenreich, P.N.; Cardwell, D.W.; Engel, J.R.

    1975-06-01

    The Molten-Salt Reactor Information System (MSRIS) is a computer-based file of abstracts of documents dealing with the technology of molten-salt reactors. The file is stored in the IBM-360 system at ORNL, and may be searched through the use of established interactive computer programs from remote terminals connected to the computer via telephone lines. The system currently contains 373 entries and is subject to updating and expansion as additional information is developed. The nature and general content of the data file, a general approach for obtaining information from it, and the manner in which material is added to the file are described. Appendixes provide the list of keywords currently in use, the subject categories under which information is filed, and simplified procedures for searching the file from remote terminals. (U.S.)

  19. Moltex Energy's stable salt reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Sullivan, R.; Laurie, J.

    2016-01-01

    A stable salt reactor is a molten salt reactor in which the molten fuel salt is contained in fuel rods. This concept was invented in 1951 and re-discovered and improved recently by Moltex Energy Company. The main advantage of using molten salt fuel is that the 2 problematic fission products cesium and iodine do not exist in gaseous form but rather in a form of a salt that present no danger in case of accident. Another advantage is the strongly negative temperature coefficient for reactivity which means the reactor self-regulates. The feasibility studies have been performed on a molten salt fuel composed of sodium chloride and plutonium/uranium/lanthanide/actinide trichloride. The coolant fluid is a mix of sodium and zirconium fluoride salts that will need low flow rates. The addition of 1 mol% of metal zirconium to the coolant fluid reduces the risk of corrosion with standard steels and the addition of 2% of hafnium reduces the neutron dose. The temperature of the coolant is expected to reach 650 Celsius degrees at the exit of the core. This reactor is designed to be modular and it will be able to burn actinides. (A.C.)

  20. Fast Thorium Molten Salt Reactors Started with Plutonium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Merle-Lucotte, E.; Heuer, D.; Le Brun, C.; Brissot, R.; Liatard, E.; Meplan, O.; Nuttin, A.; Mathieu, L.

    2006-01-01

    One of the pending questions concerning Molten Salt Reactors based on the 232 Th/ 233 U fuel cycle is the supply of the fissile matter, and as a consequence the deployment possibilities of a fleet of Molten Salt Reactors, since 233 U does not exist on earth and is not yet produced in the current operating reactors. A solution may consist in producing 233 U in special devices containing Thorium, in Pressurized Water or Fast Neutrons Reactors. Two alternatives to produce 233 U are examined here: directly in standard Molten Salt Reactors started with Plutonium as fissile matter and then operated in the Th/ 233 U cycle; or in dedicated Molten Salt Reactors started and fed with Plutonium as fissile matter and Thorium as fertile matter. The idea is to design a critical reactor able to burn the Plutonium and the minor actinides presently produced in PWRs, and consequently to convert this Plutonium into 233 U. A particular reactor configuration is used, called 'unique channel' configuration in which there is no moderator in the core, leading to a quasi fast neutron spectrum, allowing Plutonium to be used as fissile matter. The conversion capacities of such Molten Salt Reactors are excellent. For Molten Salt Reactors only started with Plutonium, the assets of the Thorium fuel cycle turn out to be quickly recovered and the reactor's characteristics turn out to be equivalent to Molten Salt Reactors operated with 233 U only. Using a combination of Molten Salt Reactors started or operated with Plutonium and of Molten Salt Reactors started with 233 U, the deployment capabilities of these reactors fully satisfy the condition of sustainability. (authors)

  1. Conceptual design of Indian molten salt breeder reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vijayan, P.K.; Basak, A.; Dulera, I.V.; Vaze, K.K.; Basu, S.; Sinha, R.K.

    2014-01-01

    The fuel in a molten salt breeder reactor is in the form of a continuously circulating molten salt. Fluoride based salts have been almost universally proposed. A crucial part for achieving reasonable breeding in such reactors is the need to reprocess the salt continuously, either online or in batch mode. This constitutes a major technological challenge for this type of reactors. India has recently started carrying out fundamental studies so as to arrive at a conceptual design of Indian Molten Salt Breeder Reactor (IMSBR). Presently various design options and possibilities are being studied from the point of view of reactor physics and thermal hydraulic design. In parallel fundamental studies as regards various molten salts have also been initiated. This paper would discuss conceptual design of these reactors, as well as associated issues and technologies

  2. Complete Sensitivity/Uncertainty Analysis of LR-0 Reactor Experiments with MSRE FLiBe Salt and Perform Comparison with Molten Salt Cooled and Molten Salt Fueled Reactor Models

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brown, Nicholas R. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Powers, Jeffrey J. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Mueller, Don [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Patton, Bruce W. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

    2016-12-01

    In September 2016, reactor physics measurements were conducted at Research Centre Rez (RC Rez) using the FLiBe (2 7LiF + BeF2) salt from the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) in the LR-0 low power nuclear reactor. These experiments were intended to inform on neutron spectral effects and nuclear data uncertainties for advanced reactor systems using FLiBe salt in a thermal neutron energy spectrum. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), in collaboration with RC Rez, performed sensitivity/uncertainty (S/U) analyses of these experiments as part of the ongoing collaboration between the United States and the Czech Republic on civilian nuclear energy research and development. The objectives of these analyses were (1) to identify potential sources of bias in fluoride salt-cooled and salt-fueled reactor simulations resulting from cross section uncertainties, and (2) to produce the sensitivity of neutron multiplication to cross section data on an energy-dependent basis for specific nuclides. This report provides a final report on the S/U analyses of critical experiments at the LR-0 Reactor relevant to fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactor (FHR) and liquid-fueled molten salt reactor (MSR) concepts. In the future, these S/U analyses could be used to inform the design of additional FLiBe-based experiments using the salt from MSRE. The key finding of this work is that, for both solid and liquid fueled fluoride salt reactors, radiative capture in 7Li is the most significant contributor to potential bias in neutronics calculations within the FLiBe salt.

  3. PRE design of a molten salt thorium reactor loop

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Caire, Jean-Pierre; Roure, Anthony

    2007-01-01

    This study is a contribution to the 2004 PCR-RSF program of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) devoted to research on high temperature thorium molten salt reactors. A major issue of high temperature molten salt reactors is the very large heat duty to be transferred from primary to secondary loop of the reactor with minimal thermal losses. A possible inner loop made of a series of conventional graphite filter plate exchangers, pipes and pumps was investigated. The loop was assumed to use two counter current flows of the same LiF, BeF 2 , ZrF 4 , UF 4 molten salt flowing through the reactor. The 3D model used the coupling of k-ε turbulent Navier-Stokes equations and thermal applications of the Heat Transfer module of COMSOL Multiphysics. For a reactor delivering 2700 MWth, the model required a set of 114 identical exchangers. Each one was optimized to limit the heat losses to 2882 W. The pipes made of a succession of graphite, ceramics, Hastelloy-N alloy and insulating Microtherm layers led to a thermal loss limited to 550 W per linear meter. In such conditions, the global thermal losses represent only 0.013% of the reactor thermal power for elements covered with an insulator only 3 cm thick. (author)

  4. Impact on breeding rate of different Molten Salt reactor core structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Haiwei; Mei Longwei; Cai Xiangzhou; Chen Jingen; Guo Wei; Jiang Dazhen

    2013-01-01

    Background: Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) has several advantages over the other Generation IV reactor. Referred to the French CNRS research and compared to the fast reactor, super epithermal neutron spectrum reactor type is slightly lower and beading rate reaches 1.002. Purpose: The aim is to explore the best conversion zone layout scheme in the super epithermal neutron spectrum reactor. This study can make nuclear fuel as one way to solve the energy problems of mankind in future. Methods: Firstly, SCALE program is used for molten salt reactor graphite channel, molten salt core structure, control rods, graphite reflector and layer cladding structure. And the SMART modules are used to record the important actinides isotopes and their related reaction values of each reaction channel. Secondly, the thorium-uranium conversion rate is calculated. Finally, the better molten salt reactor core optimum layout scheme is studied comparing with various beading rates. Results: Breading zone layout scheme has an important influence on the breading rate of MSR. Central graphite channels in the core can get higher neutron flux irradiation. And more 233 Th can convert to 233 Pa, which then undergoes beta decay to become 233 U. The graphite in the breading zone gets much lower neutron flux irradiation, so the life span of this graphite can be much longer than that of others. Because neutron flux irradiation in the uranium molten salt graphite has nearly 10 times higher than the graphite in the breading zone, it has great impact on the thorium-uranium conversion rates. For the super epithermal neutron spectrum molten salt reactors, double salt design cannot get higher thorium-uranium conversion rates. The single molten salt can get the same thorium-uranium conversion rate, meanwhile it can greatly extend the life of graphite in the core. Conclusions: From the analysis of calculation results, Blanket breeding area in different locations in the core can change the breeding rates of thorium

  5. Investigation of molten salt fast reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kubota, Kenichi; Konomura, Mamoru

    2002-01-01

    On survey research for practicability strategy of fast reactor (FR) (phase 1), to extract future practicability image candidates of FR from wide options, in addition to their survey and investigation objects of not only solid fuel reactors of conventional research object but also molten salt reactor as a flowing fuel reactor, investigation on concept of molten salt FR plant was carried out. As a part of the first step of the survey research for practicability strategy, a basic concept on plant centered at nuclear reactor facility using chloride molten salt reactor capable of carrying out U-Pu cycle was examined, to perform a base construction to evaluate economical potential for a practical FBR. As a result, a result could be obtained that because of inferior fuel inventory and heat transmission to those in Na cooling reactor in present knowledge, mass of reactor vessel and intermediate heat exchanger were to widely increased to expect reduction of power generation unit price even on considering cheapness of its fuel cycle cost. Therefore, at present step further investigation on concept design of the chloride molten salt reactor plant system is too early in time, and it is at a condition where basic and elementary researches aiming at upgrading of economical efficiency such as wide reduction of fuel inventory, a measure expectable for remarkable rationalization effect of reprocessing system integrating a reactor to a processing facility, and so on. (G.K.)

  6. Molten salt reactor type

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1977-01-01

    This document is one of the three parts of a first volume devoted to the compilations of American data on the molten salt reactor concept. Emphasize is put essentially on the fuel salt of the primary circuit inside which fission reactions occur. The reasons why the (LiF-BeF 2 -ThF 4 -UF 4 ) salt was chosen for the M.S.B.R. concept are examined; the physical, physicochemical and chemical properties of this salt are discussed with its interactions with the structural materials and its evolution in time. An important part of this volume is devoted to the continuous reprocessing of the active salt, the project designers having deemed advisable to take advantage at best from the availability of a continuous purification, in a thermal breeding. The problem of tritium formation and distribution inside the reactor is also envisaged and the fundamentals of the chemistry of the secondary coolant salt are given. The solutions proposed are: the hydrogen scavenging of the primary circuit, a reduction in metal permeability by an oxyde layer deposition on the side in contact with the vapor, and tritium absorption through an isotope exchange with the hydroxifluoroborate [fr

  7. Thorium-based Molten Salt Reactor (TMSR) project in China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dai, Zhimin; Liu, Wei

    2013-01-01

    Making great efforts in development of nuclear energy is one of the long-term-plan in China's energy strategies. The advantages of Thorium-based nuclear energy are: rich resource in nature, less nuclear waste, low toxicity, nuclear non-proliferation and so on. Furthermore, China is a country with abundant thorium, thus it is necessary to develop the Thorium-based Molten Salt Reactor (TMSR) in China. Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (SINAP) had designed and constructed the first China's light-water reactor and developed a zero-power thorium-based molten salt reactor successfully in the early 1970s. The applied research project 'thorium molten salt reactor nuclear power system' by SINAP together with several other institutes had been accepted and granted by China government in 2011. The whole project has been divided into three stages: Firstly, built a 2 MW-zero-power high temperature solid molten salt reactor in 2015 and a 2 MW-zero-power high temperature liquid molten salt reactor in 2017. Secondly, in 2020 built a 10 MW high temperature liquid molten salt reactor. Thirdly, on the base of previous work, a 100 MW high temperature molten salt reactor should be achieving in 2030. After more than one years of efforts, a high quality scientific research team has been formed, which is able to design the molten salt reactor, the molten salt loop and related key equipment, the systems of molten salt preparation, purification and the radioactive gas removal. In the past one year, the initial physical design of high temperature molten salt reactor has been completed; the nuclear chemistry and radiation chemical laboratory has been built, a high temperature salt (HTS) loop and radioactive gas removal experiment device system have been successfully developed and constructed. Further, the preliminary study on reactor used carbon-carbon composite material has been investigated. (author)

  8. Molten salt reactor type

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1977-01-01

    This document is one of the three parts of a first volume devoted to the compilations of American data on the molten salt reactor concept. This part 'CIRCUITS' regroups under a condensed form - in French and using international units - the essential information contained in both basic documents of the American project for a molten-salt breeder power plant. This part is only dealing with things relating to the CEA-EDF workshop 'CIRCUITS'. It is not concerned with information on: the reactor and the moderator replacement, the primary and secondary salts, and the fuel salt reprocessing, that are dealt with in parts 'CORE' and 'CHEMISTRY' respectively. The possible evolutions in the data - and solutions - taken by the American designers for their successive projects (1970 to 1972) are shown. The MSBR power plant comprises three successive heat transfer circuits. The primary circuit (Hastelloy N), radioactive and polluted, containing the fuel salt, includes the reactor, pumps and exchangers. The secondary circuit (pipings made of modified Hastelloy N) contaminated in the exchanger, ensures the separation between the fuel and the fluid operating the turbo-alternator. The water-steam circuit feeds the turbine with steam. This steam is produced in the steam generator flowed by the secondary fluid. Some subsidiary circuits (discharge and storage of the primary and secondary salts, ventilation of the primary circuit ...) complete the three principal circuits which are briefly described. All circuits are enclosed inside the controlled-atmosphere building of the nuclear boiler. This building also ensures the biological protection and the mechanical protection against outer aggressions [fr

  9. Inertia-confining thermonuclear molten salt reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Furukawa, Kazuo; Yamanaka, Chiyoe; Nakai, Sadao; Imon, Shunji; Nakajima, Hidenori; Nakamura, Norio; Kato, Yoshio.

    1984-01-01

    Purpose: To increase the heat generating efficiency while improving the reactor safety and thereby maintaining the energy balance throughout the reactor. Constitution: In an inertia-confining type D-T thermonuclear reactor, the blanket is made of lithium-containing fluoride molten salts (LiF.BeF 2 , LiF.NaF.KF, LiF.KF, etc) which are cascaded downwardly in a large thickness (50 - 100 cm) along the inner wall of the thermonuclear reaction vessel, and neutrons generated by explosive compression are absorbed to lithium in the molten salts to produce tritium, Heat transportation is carried out by the molten salts. (Ikeda, J.)

  10. Chemistry and technology of Molten Salt Reactors - history and perspectives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uhlir, Jan

    2007-01-01

    Molten Salt Reactors represent one of promising future nuclear reactor concept included also in the Generation IV reactors family. This reactor type is distinguished by an extraordinarily close connection between the reactor physics and chemical technology, which is given by the specific features of the chemical form of fuel, representing by molten fluoride salt and circulating through the reactor core and also by the requirements of continuous 'on-line' reprocessing of the spent fuel. The history of Molten Salt Reactors reaches the period of fifties and sixties, when the first experimental Molten Salt Reactors were constructed and tested in ORNL (US). Several molten salt techniques dedicated to fresh molten salt fuel processing and spent fuel reprocessing were studied and developed in those days. Today, after nearly thirty years of discontinuance, a renewed interest in the Molten Salt Reactor technology is observed. Current experimental R and D activities in the area of Molten Salt Reactor technology are realized by a relatively small number of research institutions mainly in the EU, Russia and USA. The main effort is directed primarily to the development of separation processes suitable for the molten salt fuel processing and reprocessing technology. The techniques under development are molten salt/liquid metal extraction processes, electrochemical separation processes from the molten salt media, fused salt volatilization techniques and gas extraction from the molten salt medium

  11. Compatibility studies of potential molten-salt breeder reactor materials in molten fluoride salts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keiser, J.R.

    1977-05-01

    The molten fluoride salt compatibility studies carried out during the period 1974--76 in support of the Molten-Salt Reactor Program are summarized. Thermal-convection and forced-circulation loops were used to measure the corrosion rate of selected alloys. Results confirmed the relationship of time, initial chromium concentration, and mass loss developed by previous workers. The corrosion rates of Hastelloy N and Hastelloy N modified by the addition of 1--3 wt percent Nb were well within the acceptable range for use in an MSBR. 13 figures, 3 tables

  12. Molten salt reactors. The AMSTER concept

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vergnes, J.; Garzenne, C.; Lecarpentier, D.; Mouney, H.

    2001-01-01

    This article presents the concept of actinide molten salt transmuter (AMSTER). This reactor is graphite-moderated and is dedicated to the burning of actinides. The main difference with a molten salt reactor is that its liquid fuel undergoes an on-line partial reprocessing in which fission products are extracted and heavy nuclei are reintroduced into the fuel. In order to maintain the reactivity regular injections of 235 U-salt are made. In classical reactors, fuel burn-up is limited by the swelling of the cladding and the radiation fuel pellets resistance, in AMSTER there is no limitation to the irradiation time of the fuel, so all the actinides can be burnt or transmuted. (A.C.)

  13. Parametric studies on the fuel salt composition in thermal molten salt breeder reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagy, K.; Kloosterman, J.L.; Lathouwers, D.; Van der Hagen, T.H.J.J.

    2008-01-01

    In this paper the salt composition and the fuel cycle of a graphite moderated molten salt self-breeder reactor operating on the thorium cycle is investigated. A breeder molten salt reactor is always coupled to a fuel processing plant which removes the fission products and actinides from the core. The efficiency of the removal process(es) has a large influence on the breeding capacity of the reactor. The aim is to investigate the effect on the breeding ratio of several parameters such as the composition of the molten salt, moderation ratio, power density and chemical processing. Several fuel processing strategies are studied. (authors)

  14. Characterization of the molten salt reactor experiment fuel and flush salts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Williams, D.F.; Peretz, F.J.

    1996-01-01

    Wise decisions about the handling and disposition of spent fuel from the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) must be based upon an understanding of the physical, chemical, and radiological properties of the frozen fuel and flush salts. These open-quotes staticclose quotes properties can be inferred from the extensive documentation of process history maintained during reactor operation and the knowledge gained in laboratory development studies. Just as important as the description of the salt itself is an understanding of the dynamic processes which continue to transform the salt composition and govern its present and potential physicochemical behavior. A complete characterization must include a phenomenological characterization in addition to the typical summary of properties. This paper reports on the current state of characterization of the fuel and flush salts needed to support waste management decisions

  15. Molten salt reactors: A new beginning for an old idea

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    LeBlanc, David

    2010-01-01

    Molten salt reactors have seen a marked resurgence of interest over the past decade, highlighted by their inclusion as one of six Generation IV reactor types. The most active development period however was between the mid 1950s and early 1970s at Oak Ridge National Laboratories (ORNL) and any new re-examination of this concept must bear in mind the far different priorities then in place. High breeding ratios and short doubling times were paramount and this guided the evolution of the Molten Salt Breeder Reactor (MSBR) program. As the inherent advantages of the molten salt concept have become apparent to an increasing number of researchers worldwide it is important to not simply look to continue where ORNL left off but to return to basics in order to offer the best design using updated goals and abilities. A major potential change to the traditional Single Fluid, MSBR design and a subject of this presentation is a return to the mode of operation that ORNL proposed for the majority of its MSR program. That being the Two Fluid design in which separate salts are used for fissile 233 UF 4 and fertile ThF 4 . Oak Ridge abandoned this promising route due to what was known as the 'plumbing problem'. It will be shown that a simple yet crucial modification to core geometry can solve this problem and enable the many advantages of the Two Fluid design. In addition, another very promising route laid out by ORNL was simplified Single Fluid converter reactors that could obtain far superior lifetime uranium utilization than LWR or CANDU without the need for any fuel processing beyond simple chemistry control. Updates and potential improvements to this very attractive concept will also be explored.

  16. Dynamics and control of molten-salt breeder reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sing, Vikram; Lish, Matthew R.; Chvala, Ondrej; Upadhyaya, Belle R. [Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville (United States)

    2017-08-15

    Preliminary results of the dynamic analysis of a two-fluid molten-salt breeder reactor (MSBR) system are presented. Based on an earlier work on the preliminary dynamic model of the concept, the model presented here is nonlinear and has been revised to accurately reflect the design exemplified in ORNL-4528. A brief overview of the model followed by results from simulations performed to validate the model is presented. Simulations illustrate stable behavior of the reactor dynamics and temperature feedback effects to reactivity excursions. Stable and smooth changes at various nodal temperatures are also observed. Control strategies for molten-salt reactor operation are discussed, followed by an illustration of the open-loop load-following capability of the molten-salt breeder reactor system. It is observed that the molten-salt breeder reactor system exhibits “self-regulating” behavior, minimizing the need for external controller action for load-following maneuvers.

  17. Dynamics and control of molten-salt breeder reactor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vikram Singh

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Preliminary results of the dynamic analysis of a two-fluid molten-salt breeder reactor (MSBR system are presented. Based on an earlier work on the preliminary dynamic model of the concept, the model presented here is nonlinear and has been revised to accurately reflect the design exemplified in ORNL-4528. A brief overview of the model followed by results from simulations performed to validate the model is presented. Simulations illustrate stable behavior of the reactor dynamics and temperature feedback effects to reactivity excursions. Stable and smooth changes at various nodal temperatures are also observed. Control strategies for molten-salt reactor operation are discussed, followed by an illustration of the open-loop load-following capability of the molten-salt breeder reactor system. It is observed that the molten-salt breeder reactor system exhibits “self-regulating” behavior, minimizing the need for external controller action for load-following maneuvers.

  18. Thorium cycle and molten salt reactors: field parameters and field constraints investigations toward 'thorium molten salt reactor' definition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mathieu, L.

    2005-09-01

    Producing nuclear energy in order to reduce the anthropic CO 2 emission requires major technological advances. Nuclear plants of 4. generation have to respond to several constraints, as safety improvements, fuel breeding and radioactive waste minimization. For this purpose, it seems promising to use Thorium Cycle in Molten Salt Reactors. Studies on this domain have already been carried out. However, the final concept suffered from serious issues and was discontinued. A new reflection on this topic is being led in order to find acceptable solutions, and to design the Thorium Molten Salt Reactor concept. A nuclear reactor is simulated by the coupling of a neutron transport code with a materials evolution code. This allows us to reproduce the reactor behavior and its evolution all along its operation. Thanks to this method, we have studied a large number of reactor configurations. We have evaluated their efficiency through a group of constraints they have to satisfy. This work leads us to a better understanding of many physical phenomena controlling the reactor behavior. As a consequence, several efficient configurations have been discovered, allowing the emergence of new points of view in the research of Molten Salt Reactors. (author)

  19. Molten salt reactors and possible scenarios for future nuclear power deployment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Merle-Lucotte, E.; Mathieu, L.; Heuer, D.; Loiseaux, J. M.; Billebaud, A.; Brissot, R.; David, S.; Garzenne, C.; Laulan, O.; Le Brun, C.; Lecarpentier, D.; Liatard, E.; Meplan, O.; Michel-Sendis, F.; Nuttin, A.; Perdu, F.

    2004-01-01

    An important fraction of the nature energy demand may be satisfied by nuclear power. In this context, the possibilities of worldwide nuclear deployment are studied. We are convinced that the Molten Salt Reactors may play a central role in this deployment. The Molten Salt Reactor needs to be coupled to a reprocessing unit in order to extract the Fission Products which poison the core. The efficiency of this reprocessing has a crucial influence on reactor behavior especially for the breeding ratio. The Molten Salt Breeder Reactor project was based on an intensive reprocessing for high breeding purposes. A new concept of Thorium Molten Salt Reactor is presented here. Including this new concept in the worldwide nuclear deployment, to satisfy these power needs, we consider three typical scenarios, based on three reactor types: Pressurized Water Reactor, Fast Neutron Reactor and Thorium Molten Salt Reactor. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate, in a first hand that a Thorium Molten Salt Reactor can be realistic, with correct temperature coefficients and at least iso-breeder with slow reprocessing and new geometry; on the other hand that such Molten Salt Reactors enable a successful nuclear deployment, while minimizing fuel and waste management problems. (authors)

  20. Studies on components for a molten salt reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nejedly, M.; Matal, O.

    2003-01-01

    The aim is contribute to a design of selected components of molten salt reactors with fuel in the molten fluoride salt matrix. Molten salt reactors (MSRs) permit the utilization of plutonium and minor actinides as new nuclear fuel from a traditional nuclear power station with production of electric energy. Results of preliminary feasibility studies of an intermediate heat exchanger, a small power molten salt pump and a modular conception of a steam generator for a demonstration unit of the MSR (30 MW) are summarized. (author)

  1. Accelerator molten-salt breeder reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Furukawa, Kazuo; Kuroi, Hideo; Kato, Yoshio; Oomichi, Toshihiko.

    1979-01-01

    Purpose: To obtain fission products and to transmute transuranium elements and other radioactive wastes by the use of Accelerator Molten-Salt Breeder Reactor. Constitution: Beams from an accelerator pipe at one end of a target vessel is injected through a window into target molten salts filled inside of the target vessel. The target molten salts are subjected to pump recycling or spontaneous convection while forcively cooled by blanket molten salts in an outer vessel. Then, energy is recovered from the blanket molten salts or the target molten salts at high temperatures through electric power generation or the like. Those salts containing such as thorium 232 and uranium 238 are used as the blanket molten salts so that fission products may be produced by neutrons generated in the target molten salts. PbCl 2 -PbF 2 and LiF-BeF 2 -ThF 4 can be used as the target molten salts and as the blanket molten salts respectively. (Seki, T.)

  2. Thermodynamic characterization of salt components for Molten Salt Reactor fuel

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Capelli, E.

    2016-01-01

    The Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) is a promising future nuclear fission reactor technology with excellent performance in terms of safety and reliability, sustainability, proliferation resistance and economics. For the design and safety assessment of this concept, it is extremely important to have a

  3. Fuel processing for molten-salt reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hightower, J.R. Jr.

    1976-01-01

    Research devoted to development of processes for the isolation of protactinium and for the removal of fission products from molten-salt breeder reactors is reported. During this report period, engineering development progressed on continuous fluorinators for uranium removal, the metal transfer process for rare-earth removal, the fuel reconstitution step, and molten salt--bismuth contactors to be used in reductive extraction processes. The metal transfer experiment MTE-3B was started. In this experiment all parts of the metal transfer process for rare-earth removal are demonstrated using salt flow rates which are about 1 percent of those required to process the fuel salt in a 1000-MW(e) MSBR. During this report period the salt and bismuth phases were transferred to the experimental vessels, and two runs with agitator speeds of 5 rps were made to measure the rate of transfer of neodymium from the fluoride salt to the Bi--Li stripper solution. The uranium removed from the fuel salt by fluorination must be returned to the processed salt in the fuel reconstitution step before the fuel salt is returned to the reactor. An engineering experiment to demonstrate the fuel reconstitution step is being installed. In this experiment gold-lined equipment will be used to avoid introducing products of corrosion by UF 6 and UF 5 . Alternative methods for providing the gold lining include electroplating and mechanical fabrication

  4. Conception of electron beam-driven subcritical molten salt ultimate safety reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abalin, S.S.; Alekseev, P.N.; Ignat`ev, V.V. [Kurchatov Institute, Moscow (Russian Federation)] [and others

    1995-10-01

    This paper is a preliminary sketch of a conception to develop the {open_quotes}ultimate safety reactor{close_quotes} using modern reactor and accelerator technologies. This approach would not require a long-range R&D program. The ultimate safety reactor could produce heat and electric energy, expand the production of fuel, or be used for the transmutation of long-lived wastes. The use of the combined double molten salt reactor system allows adequate neutron multiplication to permit using an electron accelerator for the initial neutron flux. The general parameters of such a system are discussed in this paper.

  5. Molten salt reactors: reactor cores

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-01-01

    In this critical analysis of the MSBR I project are examined the problems concerning the reactor core. Advantages of breeding depend essentially upon solutions to technological problems like continuous reprocessing or graphite behavior under neutron irradiation. Graphite deformation, moderator unloading, control rods and core instrumentation require more studies. Neutronics of the core, influence of core geometry and salt composition, fuel evolution, and thermohydraulics are reviewed [fr

  6. Indian programme on molten salt cooled nuclear reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    DuIera, I.V.; Vijayan, P.K.; Sinha, R.K.

    2013-01-01

    Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) is developing a 600 MWth pebble bed high temperature reactor, cooled by natural circulation of molten fluoride salts and is capable of supplying process heat at 1000 ℃ to facilitate hydrogen production by splitting water. BARC has also initiated studies for a reactor concept in which salts of molten fluoride fuel and coolant in fluid form, flows through the reactor core of graphite moderator, resulting in nuclear fission within the molten salt. For thorium fuel cycle, this concept is very attractive, since the fuel can be re-processed on-line, enabling it to be an efficient neutron breeder. (author)

  7. Analysis of fluid fuel flow to the neutron kinetics on molten salt reactor FUJI-12

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aji, Indarta Kuncoro; Waris, Abdul; Permana, Sidik

    2015-01-01

    Molten Salt Reactor is a reactor are operating with molten salt fuel flowing. This condition interpret that the neutron kinetics of this reactor is affected by the flow rate of the fuel. This research analyze effect by the alteration velocity of the fuel by MSR type Fuji-12, with fuel composition LiF-BeF 2 -ThF 4 - 233 UF 4 respectively 71.78%-16%-11.86%-0.36%. Calculation process in this study is performed numerically by SOR and finite difference method use C programming language. Data of reactivity, neutron flux, and the macroscopic fission cross section for calculation process obtain from SRAC-CITATION (Standard thermal Reactor Analysis Code) and JENDL-4.0 data library. SRAC system designed and developed by JAEA (Japan Atomic Energy Agency). This study aims to observe the effect of the velocity of fuel salt to the power generated from neutron precursors at fourth year of reactor operate (last critical condition) with number of multiplication effective; 1.0155

  8. Method for calculating the steady-state distribution of tritium in a molten-salt breeder reactor plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Briggs, R.B.; Nestor, C.W.

    1975-04-01

    Tritium is produced in molten salt reactors primarily by fissioning of uranium and absorption of neutrons by the constituents of the fuel carrier salt. At the operating temperature of a large power reactor, tritium is expected to diffuse from the primary system through pipe and vessel walls to the surroundings and through heat exchanger tubes into the secondary system which contains a coolant salt. Some tritium will pass from the secondary system into the steam power system. This report describes a method for calculating the steady state distribution of tritium in a molten salt reactor plant and a computer program for making the calculations. The method takes into account the effects of various processes for removing tritium, the addition of hydrogen or hydrogenous compounds to the primary and secondary systems, and the chemistry of uranium in the fuel salt. Sample calculations indicate that 30 percent or more of the tritium might reach the steam system in a large power reactor unless special measures are taken to confine the tritium. (U.S.)

  9. Molten salt reactors - safety options galore

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gat, U.; Dodds, H.L.

    1997-01-01

    Safety features and attributes of molten salt reactors (MSR) are described. The unique features of fluid fuel reactors of on-line continuous processing and the ability for so-called external cooling result in simple and safe designs with low excess reactivity, low fission product inventory, and small source term. These, in turn, make a criticality accident unlikely and reduce the severity of a loss of coolant to where they are no longer severe accidents. A melt down is not an accident for a reactor that uses molten fuel. The molten salts are stable, non-reactive and efficient heat transfer media that operate at high temperatures at low pressures and are highly compatible with selected structural materials. All these features reduce the accident plethora. Freeze valves can be used for added safety. An ultimate safe reactor (U.S.R) is described with safety features that are passive, inherent and non-tamperable (PINT)

  10. Molten salts in nuclear reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dirian, J.; Saint-James

    1959-01-01

    Collection of references dealing with the physicochemical studies of fused salts, in particular the alkali and alkali earth halides. Numerous binary, ternary and quaternary systems of these halides with those of uranium and thorium are examined, and the physical properties, density, viscosity, vapour pressure etc... going from the halides to the mixtures are also considered. References relating to the corrosion of materials by these salts are included and the treatment of the salts with a view to recuperation after irradiation in a nuclear reactor is discussed. (author) [fr

  11. Subcritical enhanced safety molten-salt reactor concept

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alekseev, P.N.; Ignatiev, V.V.; Men'shikov, L.I.; Prusakov, V.N.; Ponomarev-Stepnoy, N.N.; Subbotin, S.A.; Krasnykh, A.K.; Rudenko, V.T.; Somov, L.N.

    1995-01-01

    The nuclear power and its fuel cycle safety requirements can be met in the main by providing nuclear power with subcritical molten salt reactors (SMSR) - 'burner' with an external neutron source. The utilized molten salt fuel is the decisive advantage of the SMSR over other burners. Fissile and fertile nuclides in the burner are solved in a liquid salt in the form of fluorides. This composition acts simultaneously as: a) fuel, b) coolant, c) medium for chemical partitioning and reprocessing. The effective way of reducing the external source power consists in the cascade neutron multiplication in the system of coupled reactors with suppressed feedback between them. (author)

  12. Thermodynamic characterization of the molten salt reactor fuel - 5233

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Capelli, E.; Konings, R.J.M.; Benes, O.

    2015-01-01

    The Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) has been selected as one of the Generation IV nuclear systems. The very unique feature of this reactor concept is the liquid nature of the fuel which offers numerous advantages concerning the reactor safety. Nowadays, the research in Europe is focused on an innovative concept, the MSFR (Molten Salt Fast Reactor), that combines the generic assets of molten salt as liquid fuel with those related to fast neutron reactors and the thorium fuel cycle. For the design and safety assessment of the MSFR concept, it is extremely important to have a thorough knowledge of the physico-chemical properties of fluorides salts, which is the class of materials that is the best suited for nuclear applications. Potential chemical systems have been critically reviewed and an extensive thermodynamic database describing the most relevant systems has been created at the Institute for Transuranium Elements of the Joint Research Centre (JRC). Thermochemical equilibrium calculations are a very important tool that allows the evaluation of the performance of several salt mixtures predicting their properties and thus the optimization of the fuel composition. The work combines the experimental determination of different salt properties with the modelling of the thermodynamic functions, using the Calphad method. An overview of the experimental work and the thermodynamic assessments will be given in this paper and different fuel options for the MSFR will be discussed. (authors)

  13. Disposition of the fluoride fuel and flush salts from the Molten Salt Reactor experiment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peretz, F.J.

    1996-01-01

    The Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) is an 8 MW reactor that was operated at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) from 1965 through 1969. The reactor used a unique liquid salt fuel, composed of a mixture of LIF, BeF 2 , ZrF 4 , and UF 4 , and operated at temperatures above 600 degrees C. The primary fuel salt circulation system consisted of the reactor vessel, a single fuel salt pump, and a single primary heat exchanger. Heat was transferred from the fuel salt to a coolant salt circuit in the primary heat exchanger. The coolant salt was similar to the fuel salt, except that it contains only LiF (66%) and BeF, (34%). The coolant salt passed from the primary heat exchanger to an air-cooled radiator and a coolant salt pump, and then returned to the primary heat exchanger. Each of the salt loops was provided with drain tanks, located such that the salt could be drained out of either circuit by gravity. A single drain tank was provided for the non-radioactive coolant salt. Two drain tanks were provided for the fuel salt. Since the fuel salt contained radioactive fuel, fission products, and activation products, and since the reactor was designed such that the fuel salt could be drained immediately into the drain tanks in the event of a problem in the fuel salt loop, the fuel salt drain tanks were provided with a system to remove the heat generated by radioactive decay. A third drain tank connected to the fuel salt loop was provided for a batch of flush salt. This batch of salt, similar in composition to the coolant salt, was used to condition the fuel salt loop after it had been exposed to air and to flush the fuel salt loop of residual fuel salt prior to accessing the reactor circuit for maintenance or experimental activities. This report discusses the disposition of the fluoride fuel and flush salt

  14. Status Report on Scoping Reactor Physics and Sensitivity/Uncertainty Analysis of LR-0 Reactor Molten Salt Experiments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brown, Nicholas R. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Reactor and Nuclear Systems Division; Mueller, Donald E. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Reactor and Nuclear Systems Division; Patton, Bruce W. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Reactor and Nuclear Systems Division; Powers, Jeffrey J. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Reactor and Nuclear Systems Division

    2016-08-31

    Experiments are being planned at Research Centre Rež (RC Rež) to use the FLiBe (2 7LiF-BeF2) salt from the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) to perform reactor physics measurements in the LR-0 low power nuclear reactor. These experiments are intended to inform on neutron spectral effects and nuclear data uncertainties for advanced reactor systems utilizing FLiBe salt in a thermal neutron energy spectrum. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is performing sensitivity/uncertainty (S/U) analysis of these planned experiments as part of the ongoing collaboration between the United States and the Czech Republic on civilian nuclear energy research and development. The objective of these analyses is to produce the sensitivity of neutron multiplication to cross section data on an energy-dependent basis for specific nuclides. This report provides a status update on the S/U analyses of critical experiments at the LR-0 Reactor relevant to fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactor (FHR) and liquid-fueled molten salt reactor (MSR) concepts. The S/U analyses will be used to inform design of FLiBe-based experiments using the salt from MSRE.

  15. Status Report on Scoping Reactor Physics and Sensitivity/Uncertainty Analysis of LR-0 Reactor Molten Salt Experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brown, Nicholas R.; Mueller, Donald E.; Patton, Bruce W.; Powers, Jeffrey J.

    2016-01-01

    Experiments are being planned at Research Centre Rež (RC Rež) to use the FLiBe (2 "7LiF-BeF_2) salt from the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) to perform reactor physics measurements in the LR-0 low power nuclear reactor. These experiments are intended to inform on neutron spectral effects and nuclear data uncertainties for advanced reactor systems utilizing FLiBe salt in a thermal neutron energy spectrum. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is performing sensitivity/uncertainty (S/U) analysis of these planned experiments as part of the ongoing collaboration between the United States and the Czech Republic on civilian nuclear energy research and development. The objective of these analyses is to produce the sensitivity of neutron multiplication to cross section data on an energy-dependent basis for specific nuclides. This report provides a status update on the S/U analyses of critical experiments at the LR-0 Reactor relevant to fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactor (FHR) and liquid-fueled molten salt reactor (MSR) concepts. The S/U analyses will be used to inform design of FLiBe-based experiments using the salt from MSRE.

  16. Static fuel molten salt reactors - simpler, cheaper and safer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scott, Ian

    2015-01-01

    The many conceptual designs for Molten Salt Reactors (MSR's) today are all evolutions from the prototype MSR that went critical at Oak Ridge 50 years ago. Critically, they are based on pumping the molten fuel salt from a reaction chamber where the fuel achieves critical mass through a heat exchanger where the resulting heat is transferred to another working fluid. This basic concept was not the first idea that the Oak Ridge scientists considered. Their initial preference was to put the molten salt fuel into tubes, just like solid fuel pellets in their cladding, and circulate a coolant past the tubes. They concluded however that the low thermal conductivity of the salt meant that the tubes could be no wider than 2mm which would be entirely impractical. In this analysis they ignored the contribution of convection to heat transfer in fluids, probably because they were designing an aircraft engine where varying g forces would make convection unreliable. Moltex Energy has re-examined this decision using the modern tools of computational fluid dynamics to simulate convective flow in the molten salt and discovered that in fact tubes of similar diameter to those used for solid fuels are entirely practical. Power densities of 250kW/litre of fuel salt are readily attainable providing a higher overall power density than a PWR reactor. This discovery permits MSR's to be built without any of the complex pumping, passively safe drain systems, on line degassing, filtration and chemical processing needed in pumped MSR's. Their design is very simple and they have many intrinsic safety factors including low pressure operation, chemically unreactive fluids and strongly negative fuel thermal and coolant voiding reactivity coefficients. Most importantly, the highly radioactive fission products are retained in non-volatile form within the fuel tubes in the reactor core. Radioactive fuel salt never leaves the reactor vessel except in an immobile frozen form during

  17. Definition of breeding gain for molten salt reactors - 147

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagy, K.; Kloosterman, J.L.; Lathouwers, D.; Van der Hagen, T.H.J.J.

    2010-01-01

    The graphite-moderated Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) is a potential breeder reactor using the thorium fuel cycle. The MSR has unique properties due to the possibility of making changes to the salt composition during operation. Most important is the extraction of protactinium, which separates the fissile uranium production into two volumes: the reactor core and the external stockpile. The paper focuses on the definition of breeding gain in such a system. The prospects of using breeding gain expressions defined for solid fuel reactors are investigated and new definitions are given which incorporate the processes occurring in the reactor core and the external stockpile. The difference of the growth rate of the mass of fissile material and breeding gain is pointed out. The new definitions are applied to an optimization study of the graphite-salt lattice of a breeder MSR. (authors)

  18. Analysis of fluid fuel flow to the neutron kinetics on molten salt reactor FUJI-12

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aji, Indarta Kuncoro, E-mail: indartaaji@s.itb.ac.id [Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesa 10 Bandung 40132 (Indonesia); Waris, Abdul, E-mail: awaris@fi.itb.ac.id; Permana, Sidik [Nuclear Physics & Biophysics Research Division, Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesa 10 Bandung 40132 (Indonesia)

    2015-09-30

    Molten Salt Reactor is a reactor are operating with molten salt fuel flowing. This condition interpret that the neutron kinetics of this reactor is affected by the flow rate of the fuel. This research analyze effect by the alteration velocity of the fuel by MSR type Fuji-12, with fuel composition LiF-BeF{sub 2}-ThF{sub 4}-{sup 233}UF{sub 4} respectively 71.78%-16%-11.86%-0.36%. Calculation process in this study is performed numerically by SOR and finite difference method use C programming language. Data of reactivity, neutron flux, and the macroscopic fission cross section for calculation process obtain from SRAC-CITATION (Standard thermal Reactor Analysis Code) and JENDL-4.0 data library. SRAC system designed and developed by JAEA (Japan Atomic Energy Agency). This study aims to observe the effect of the velocity of fuel salt to the power generated from neutron precursors at fourth year of reactor operate (last critical condition) with number of multiplication effective; 1.0155.

  19. Molten-salt reactor strategies viewed from fuel conservation effect, (1)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Furuhashi, Akira

    1976-01-01

    Saving of material requirements in the long-term fuel cycle is studied by introducing molten-salt reactors with good neutron economy into a projection of nuclear generating capacity in Japan. In this first report an examination is made on the effects brought by the introduction of molten-salt converter reactors starting with Pu which are followed by 233 U breeders of the same type. It is shown that the sharing of some Pu in the light water- and fast breeder-reactor system with molten-salt reactors provides a more rapid transition to the self-supporting, breeding cycle than the simple fast breeding system, thus leading to an appreciable fuel conservation. Considerations are presented on the strategic repartition of generating capacity among reactor types and it is shown that all of the converted 233 U should be promptly invested to molten-salt breeders to quickly establish the dual breeding system, instead of recycling to converters themselves. (auth.)

  20. Metallic materials corrosion problems in molten salt reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chauvin, G.; Dixmier, J.; Jarny, P.

    1977-01-01

    The USA forecastings concerning the molten salt reactors are reviewed (mixtures of fluorides containing the fuel, operating between 560 and 700 0 C). Corrosion problems are important in these reactors. The effects of certain characteristic factors on corrosion are analyzed: humidity and metallic impurities in the salts, temperature gradients, speed of circulation of salts, tellurium from fission products, coupling. In the molten fluorides and experimental conditions, the materials with high Ni content are particularly corrosion resistant alloys (hastelloy N). The corrosion of this material is about 2.6 mg.cm -2 at 700 0 C [fr

  1. The molten salt reactor: R and D status and perspectives in Europe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Renault, Claude; Delpech, Sylvie; Merle-Lucotte, Elsa; Konings, Rudy; Hron, Miloslav; Ignatiev, Victor

    2010-01-01

    The paper concentrates on molten salt fast reactor (MSFR) concepts which are receiving most attention in the EU context. It shows the main R and D achievements and some remaining issues to be addressed in such essential areas as (a) reactor conceptual design, (b) molten salt properties, (c) fuel salt clean-up scheme and (d) high temperature materials. The status and perspectives of molten salt reactor R and D efforts in Europe are then discussed

  2. The multi region molten-salt reactor concept

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gyula, Csom; Sandor, Feher; Szieberth, M.; Szabolcs, Czifrus

    2003-01-01

    The molten-salt reactor (MSR) concept is one of the most promising systems for the realisation of transmutation. The objective is the development of a transmutation technique along with a device implementing it, which yield higher transmutation efficiencies than that of the known procedures. The procedure is the multi-step transmutation, in which the transformation is carried out in several consecutive steps of different neutron flux and spectrum. In order to implement this, a multi-region transmutation device, i.e. nuclear reactor or sub-critical system is proposed, in which several separate flow-through irradiation rooms are formed with various neutron spectra and fluxes. The paper presents calculations that were performed for a special 5-region version of the multi-region molten-salt reactor. (author)

  3. An optimized symbiotic fusion and molten-salt fission reactor system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blinkin, V.L.; Novikov, V.M.

    A symbiotic fusion-fission reactor system which breeds nuclear fuel is discussed. In the blanket of the controlled thermonuclear reactor (CTR) uranium-233 is generated from thorium, which circulates in the form of ThF 4 mixed with molten sodium and beryllium fluorides. The molten-salt fission reactor (MSR) burns up the uranium-233 and generates tritium for the fusion reactor from lithium, which circulates in the form of LiF mixed with BeF 2 and 233 UF 4 through the MSR core. With a CTR-MSR thermal power ratio of 1:11 the system can produce electrical energy and breed fuel with a doubling time of 4-5 years. The system has the following special features: (1) Fuel reprocessing is much simpler and cheaper than for contemporary fission reactors; reprocessing consists simply in continuous removal of 233 U from the salt circulating in the CTR blanket by the fluorination method and removal of xenon from the MSR fuel salt by gas scavenging; the MSR fuel salt is periodically exchanged for fresh salt and the 233 U is then removed from it; (2) Tritium is produced in the fission reactor, which is a much simpler system than the fusion reactor; (3) The CTR blanket is almost ''clean''; no tritium is produced in it and fission fragment activity does not exceed the activity induced in the structural materials; (4) Almost all the thorium introduced into the CTR blanket can be used for producing 233 U

  4. Removal of uranium and salt from the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peretz, F.J.; Rushton, J.E.; Faulkner, R.L.; Walker, K.L.; Del Cul, G.D.

    1998-01-01

    In 1994, migration of 233 U was discovered to have occurred at the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). This paper describes the actions now underway to remove uranium from the off-gas piping and the charcoal bed, to remove and stabilize the salts, and to convert the uranium to a stable oxide for long-term storage

  5. Removal of uranium and salt from the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Peretz, F.J.; Rushton, J.E.; Faulkner, R.L.; Walker, K.L.; Del Cul, G.D.

    1998-06-01

    In 1994, migration of {sup 233}U was discovered to have occurred at the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). This paper describes the actions now underway to remove uranium from the off-gas piping and the charcoal bed, to remove and stabilize the salts, and to convert the uranium to a stable oxide for long-term storage.

  6. Demand driven salt clean-up in a molten salt fast reactor - Defining a priority list.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merk, B; Litskevich, D; Gregg, R; Mount, A R

    2018-01-01

    The PUREX technology based on aqueous processes is currently the leading reprocessing technology in nuclear energy systems. It seems to be the most developed and established process for light water reactor fuel and the use of solid fuel. However, demand driven development of the nuclear system opens the way to liquid fuelled reactors, and disruptive technology development through the application of an integrated fuel cycle with a direct link to reactor operation. The possibilities of this new concept for innovative reprocessing technology development are analysed, the boundary conditions are discussed, and the economic as well as the neutron physical optimization parameters of the process are elucidated. Reactor physical knowledge of the influence of different elements on the neutron economy of the reactor is required. Using an innovative study approach, an element priority list for the salt clean-up is developed, which indicates that separation of Neodymium and Caesium is desirable, as they contribute almost 50% to the loss of criticality. Separating Zirconium and Samarium in addition from the fuel salt would remove nearly 80% of the loss of criticality due to fission products. The theoretical study is followed by a qualitative discussion of the different, demand driven optimization strategies which could satisfy the conflicting interests of sustainable reactor operation, efficient chemical processing for the salt clean-up, and the related economic as well as chemical engineering consequences. A new, innovative approach of balancing the throughput through salt processing based on a low number of separation process steps is developed. Next steps for the development of an economically viable salt clean-up process are identified.

  7. Coupled study of the Molten Salt Fast Reactor core physics and its associated reprocessing unit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doligez, X.; Heuer, D.; Merle-Lucotte, E.; Allibert, M.; Ghetta, V.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • The limit on the reprocessing is due to the redox potential control. • Alkali and Earth-alkaline elements do not have to be extracted. • Criticality risks have to be studied in the reprocessing unit. • The neutronics properties are not sensitive to chemical data. • The reprocessing chemistry, from a pure numerical point of view, is an issue. - Abstract: Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs) are liquid-fuel reactors, in which the fuel is also the coolant and flows through the core. A particular configuration presented in this paper called the Molten Salt Fast Reactor consists in a Molten Salt Reactor with no moderator inside the core and a salt composition that leads to a fast neutron spectrum. Previous studies showed that this concept (previously called Thorium Molten Salt Reactor – Nonmoderated) has very promising characteristics. The liquid fuel implies a special reprocessing. Each day a small amount of the fuel salt is extracted from the core for on-site reprocessing. To study such a reactor, the materials evolution within the core has to be coupled to the reprocessing unit, since the latter cleans the salt quasi continuously and feeds the reactor. This paper details the issues associated to the numerical coupling of the core and the reprocessing. It presents how the chemistry is introduced inside the classical Bateman equation (evolution of nuclei within a neutron flux) in order to carry a numerical coupled study. To achieve this goal, the chemistry has to be modeled numerically and integrated to the equations of evolution. This paper presents how is it possible to describe the whole concept (reactor + reprocessing unit) by a system of equations that can be numerically solved. Our program is a connection between MCNP and a homemade evolution code called REM. Thanks to this tool; constraints on the fuel reprocessing were identified. Limits are specified to preserve the good neutronics properties of the MSFR. In this paper, we show that the limit

  8. Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Demonstration Reactor Point Design

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Qualls, A. L. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Brown, Nicholas R. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Betzler, Benjamin R. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Carbajo, Juan [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Hale, Richard Edward [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Harrison, Thomas J. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Powers, Jeffrey J. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Robb, Kevin R. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Terrell, Jerry W. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Wysocki, Aaron J. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

    2016-02-01

    The fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (FHR) demonstration reactor (DR) is a concept for a salt-cooled reactor with 100 megawatts of thermal output (MWt). It would use tristructural-isotropic (TRISO) particle fuel within prismatic graphite blocks. FLiBe (2 LiF-BeF2) is the reference primary coolant. The FHR DR is designed to be small, simple, and affordable. Development of the FHR DR is a necessary intermediate step to enable near-term commercial FHRs. Lower risk technologies are purposely included in the initial FHR DR design to ensure that the reactor can be built, licensed, and operated within an acceptable budget and schedule. These technologies include TRISO particle fuel, replaceable core structural material, the use of that same material for the primary and intermediate loops, and tube-and-shell primary-to-intermediate heat exchangers. Several preconceptual and conceptual design efforts that have been conducted on FHR concepts bear a significant influence on the FHR DR design. Specific designs include the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) advanced high-temperature reactor (AHTR) with 3400/1500 MWt/megawatts of electric output (MWe), as well as a 125 MWt small modular AHTR (SmAHTR) from ORNL. Other important examples are the Mk1 pebble bed FHR (PB-FHR) concept from the University of California, Berkeley (UCB), and an FHR test reactor design developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The MIT FHR test reactor is based on a prismatic fuel platform and is directly relevant to the present FHR DR design effort. These FHR concepts are based on reasonable assumptions for credible commercial prototypes. The FHR DR concept also directly benefits from the operating experience of the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE), as well as the detailed design efforts for a large molten salt reactor concept and its breeder variant, the Molten Salt Breeder Reactor. The FHR DR technology is most representative of the 3400 MWt AHTR

  9. Molten salt breeder reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Furukawa, Kazuo; Tsukada, Kineo; Nakahara, Yasuaki; Oomichi, Toshihiko; Oono, Hideo.

    1982-01-01

    Purpose: To simplify the structure, as well as improve the technical reliability and safety by the elimination of a proton beam entering window. Constitution: The nuclear reactor container main body is made of Hastelloy N and provided at the inner surface with two layers of graphite shields except for openings. An aperture was formed in the upper surface of the container, through which protons accelerated by a linear accelerator are directly entered to the liquid surface of molten salts such as 7LiF-BeF 2 -ThF 4 , 7LiF-NaF-ThF 4 , 7LiF-Rb-UF 4 , NaF-KF-UF 4 and the like. The heated molten salts are introduced by way of a pipeway into a heat exchanger where the heat is transferred to coolant salts and electric generation is conducted by way of heated steams. (Furukawa, Y.)

  10. Improvement to molten salt reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bienvenu, Claude.

    1975-01-01

    The invention proposes a molten salt nuclear reactor whose core includes a mass of at least one fissile element salt to which can be added other salts to lower the melting temperature of the mass. This mass also contains a substance with a low neutron capture section that does not give rise to a chemical reaction or to an azeotropic mixture with these salts and having an atmospheric boiling point under that of the mass in operation. Means are provided for collecting this substance in the vapour state and returning it as a liquid to the mass. The kind of substance chosen will depend on that of the molten salts (fissile element salts and, where required, salts to lower the melting temperature). In actual practice, the substance chosen will have an atmospheric pressure boiling point of between 600 and 1300 0 C and a melting point sufficiently below 600 0 C to prevent solidification and clogging in the return line of the substance from the exchanger. Among the materials which can be considered for use, mention is made of magnesium, rubidium, cesium and potassium but metal cesium is not employed in the case of many fissile salts, such as fluorides, which it would reduced to the planned working temperatures [fr

  11. Fast molten salt reactor-transmuter for closing nuclear fuel cycle on minor actinides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dudnikov, A. A.; Alekseev, P. N.; Subbotin, S. A.

    2007-01-01

    Creation fast critical molten salt reactor for burning-out minor actinides and separate long-living fission products in the closed nuclear fuel cycle is the most perspective and actual direction. The reactor on melts salts - molten salt homogeneous reactor with the circulating fuel, working as burner and transmuter long-living radioactive nuclides in closed nuclear fuel cycle, can serve as an effective ecological cordon from contamination of the nature long-living radiotoxic nuclides. High-flux fast critical molten-salt nuclear reactors in structure of the closed nuclear fuel cycle of the future nuclear power can effectively burning-out / transmute dangerous long-living radioactive nuclides, make radioisotopes, partially utilize plutonium and produce thermal and electric energy. Such reactor allows solving the problems constraining development of large-scale nuclear power, including fueling, minimization of radioactive waste and non-proliferation. Burning minor actinides in molten salt reactor is capable to facilitate work solid fuel power reactors in system NP with the closed nuclear fuel cycle and to reduce transient losses at processing and fabrications fuel pins. At substantiation MSR-transmuter/burner as solvents fuel nuclides for molten-salt reactors various salts were examined, for example: LiF - BeF2; NaF - LiF - BeF2; NaF-LiF ; NaF-ZrF4 ; LiF-NaF -KF; NaCl. RRC 'Kurchatov institute' together with other employees have developed the basic design reactor installations with molten salt reactor - burner long-living nuclides for fluoride fuel composition with the limited solubility minor actinides (MAF3 10 mol %) allows to develop in some times more effective molten salt reactor with fast neutron spectrum - burner/ transmuter of the long-living radioactive waste. In high-flux fast reactors on melts salts within a year it is possible to burn ∼300 kg minor actinides per 1 GW thermal power of reactor. The technical and economic estimation given power

  12. Recommendations for a restart of Molten Salt Reactor development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moir, R. W.

    2007-01-01

    The concept of the molten salt reactor (MSR) refuses to go away. The Generation-IV process lists the MSR as one of the six concepts to be considered for extending fuel resources. Good fuel utilization and good economics are required to meet the often cited goal of 10 TWe globally and 1 TWe for the US by non-carbon energy sources in this century by nuclear fission. A strong incentive for the molten salt reactor design is its good fuel utilization, good economics, amazing flexibility and promised large benefits. It can: - use thorium or uranium; o be designed with lots of graphite to have a fairly thermal neutron spectrum or without graphite moderator to have a fast neutron spectrum reactor; - fission uranium isotopes and plutonium isotopes; - operate with non-weapon grade fissile fuel, or in suitable sites it can operate with enrichment between reactor-grade and weapon-grade fissile fuel; - be a breeder or near breeder; - operate at temperature >1100 degree C if carbon composites are successfully employed. Enhancing 2 32U content in the uranium to over 500 pm makes the fuel undesirable for weapons, but it should not detract from its economic use in liquid fuel reactors: a big advantage in nonproliferation. Economics of the MSR is enhanced by operating at low pressure and high temperature and may even lead to the preferred route to hydrogen production. The cost of the electricity produced from low enriched fuel averaged over the life of the entire process, has been predicted to be about 10% lower than that from LWRs, and 20% lower for high enriched fuel, with uncertainties of about 10%. The development cost has been estimated at about 1 B$ (e.g., a 100 M$/y base program for ten years) not including construction of a series of reactors leading up to the deployment of multiple commercial units at an assumed cost of 9 B$ (450 M$/y over 20 years). A benefit of liquid fuel is that smaller power reactors can faithfully test features of larger reactors, thereby reducing the

  13. An aqueous lithium salt blanket option for fusion power reactors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Steiner, D.; Varsamis, G. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., Troy, NY (USA). Dept. of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics); Deutsch, L.; Rathke, J. (Grumman Corp., Bethpage, NY (USA). Advanced Energy Systems); Gierszewski, P. (Canadian Fusion Fuels Technology Project (CFFTP), Mississauga, ON (Canada))

    1989-04-01

    An aqueous lithium salt blanket (ALSB) concept is proposed which could be the basis for either a power reactor blanket or a test module in an engineering test reactor. The design is based on an austenitic stainless steel structure, a beryllium multiplier, and a salt breeder concentration of about 32 g LiNO/sub 3/ per 100 cm/sup 3/ of H/sub 2/O. To limit tritium release rates, the salt breeder solution is separated from the water coolant circuit. The overall tritium system cost for a 2400 MW (fusion power) reactor is estimated to be 180 million Dollar US87 installed. (orig.).

  14. Development and application of a system analysis code for liquid fueled molten salt reactors based on RELAP5 code

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shi, Chengbin [Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Cheng, Maosong, E-mail: mscheng@sinap.ac.cn [Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); Liu, Guimin [Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China)

    2016-08-15

    Highlights: • New point kinetics and thermo-hydraulics models as well as a numerical method are added into RELAP5 code to be suitable for liquid fueled molten salt reactor. • The extended REALP5 code is verified by the experimental benchmarks of MSRE. • The different transient scenarios of the MSBR are simulated to evaluate performance during the transients. - Abstract: The molten salt reactor (MSR) is one of the six advanced reactor concepts declared by the Generation IV International Forum (GIF), which can be characterized by attractive attributes as inherent safety, economical efficiency, natural resource protection, sustainable development and nuclear non-proliferation. It is important to make system safety analysis for nuclear power plant of MSR. In this paper, in order to developing a system analysis code suitable for liquid fueled molten salt reactors, the point kinetics and thermo-hydraulic models as well as the numerical method in thermal–hydraulic transient code Reactor Excursion and Leak Analysis Program (RELAP5) developed at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) are extended and verified by Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) experimental benchmarks. And then, four transient scenarios including the load demand change, the primary flow transient, the secondary flow transient and the reactivity transient of the Molten Salt Breeder Reactor (MSBR) are modeled and simulated so as to evaluate the performance of the reactor during the anticipated transient events using the extended RELAP5 code. The results indicate the extended RELAP5 code is effective and well suited to the liquid fueled molten salt reactor, and the MSBR has strong inherent safety characteristics because of its large negative reactivity coefficient. In the future, the extended RELAP5 code will be used to perform transient safety analysis for a liquid fueled thorium molten salt reactor named TMSR-LF developed by the Center

  15. Development and application of a system analysis code for liquid fueled molten salt reactors based on RELAP5 code

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shi, Chengbin; Cheng, Maosong; Liu, Guimin

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • New point kinetics and thermo-hydraulics models as well as a numerical method are added into RELAP5 code to be suitable for liquid fueled molten salt reactor. • The extended REALP5 code is verified by the experimental benchmarks of MSRE. • The different transient scenarios of the MSBR are simulated to evaluate performance during the transients. - Abstract: The molten salt reactor (MSR) is one of the six advanced reactor concepts declared by the Generation IV International Forum (GIF), which can be characterized by attractive attributes as inherent safety, economical efficiency, natural resource protection, sustainable development and nuclear non-proliferation. It is important to make system safety analysis for nuclear power plant of MSR. In this paper, in order to developing a system analysis code suitable for liquid fueled molten salt reactors, the point kinetics and thermo-hydraulic models as well as the numerical method in thermal–hydraulic transient code Reactor Excursion and Leak Analysis Program (RELAP5) developed at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) are extended and verified by Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) experimental benchmarks. And then, four transient scenarios including the load demand change, the primary flow transient, the secondary flow transient and the reactivity transient of the Molten Salt Breeder Reactor (MSBR) are modeled and simulated so as to evaluate the performance of the reactor during the anticipated transient events using the extended RELAP5 code. The results indicate the extended RELAP5 code is effective and well suited to the liquid fueled molten salt reactor, and the MSBR has strong inherent safety characteristics because of its large negative reactivity coefficient. In the future, the extended RELAP5 code will be used to perform transient safety analysis for a liquid fueled thorium molten salt reactor named TMSR-LF developed by the Center

  16. Development of fuel cycle technology for molten-salt reactor systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uhlir, J.

    2006-01-01

    Full text: Full text: The Molten-Salt Reactor (MSR) represents one of promising advanced reactor type assigned to the GEN IV reactor systems. It can be operated either as thorium breeder within the Th -133U fuel cycle or as actinide transmuter incinerating transuranium fuel. Essentially the main advantage of MSR comes out from the prerequisite, that this reactor type should be directly connected with the 'on-line' reprocessing of circulating liquid (molten-salt) fuel. This principle should allow very effective extraction of freshly constituted fissile material (233U). Besides, the on-line fuel salt clean up is necessary within a long run to keep the reactor in operation. As a matter of principle, it permits to clear away typical reactor poisons like xenon, krypton, lanthanides etc. and possibly also other products of burned plutonium and transmuted minor actinides. The fuel salt clean up technology should be linked with the fresh MSR fuel processing to continuously refill the new fuel (thorium or transuranics) into the reactor system. On the other hand, the technologies of fresh transuranium molten-salt fuel processing from the current LWR spent fuel and of the on-line reprocessing of MSR fuel represent two killing points of the whole MSR technology, which have to be successfully solved before MSR deployment in the future. There are three main pyrochemical partitioning techniques proposed for processing and/or reprocessing of MSR fuel: Fluoride volatilization processes, Molten salt / liquid metal extraction processes and Electrochemical separation processes. Two of them - Fluoride Volatility Method and Electrochemical separation process from fluoride media are under development in the Nuclear Research Institute Rez pic. R and D in the field of Fluoride Volatility Method is concentrated to the development and verification of experimental semi-pilot technology for LWR spent fuel reprocessing, which may result in a product the form and composition of which might be

  17. Development of a three dimension multi-physics code for molten salt fast reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheng Maosong; Dai Zhimin

    2014-01-01

    Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) was selected as one of the six innovative nuclear reactors by the Generation IV International Forum (GIF). The circulating-fuel in the can-type molten salt fast reactor makes the neutronics and thermo-hydraulics of the reactor strongly coupled and different from that of traditional solid-fuel reactors. In the present paper: a new coupling model is presented that physically describes the inherent relations between the neutron flux, the delayed neutron precursor, the heat transfer and the turbulent flow. Based on the model, integrating nuclear data processing, CAD modeling, structured and unstructured mesh technology, data analysis and visualization application, a three dimension steady state simulation code system (MSR3DS) for the can-type molten salt fast reactor is developed and validated. In order to demonstrate the ability of the code, the three dimension distributions of the velocity, the neutron flux, the delayed neutron precursor and the temperature were obtained for the simplified MOlten Salt Advanced Reactor Transmuter (MOSART) using this code. The results indicate that the MSR3DS code can provide a feasible description of multi-physical coupling phenomena in can-type molten salt fast reactor. Furthermore, the code can well predict the flow effect of fuel salt and the transport effect of the turbulent diffusion. (authors)

  18. Preliminary design studies of the draining tanks for the Molten Salt Fast Reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Merle-Lucotte, E.; Allibert, M.; Heuer, D.; Brovchenko, M.; Laureau, A.; Ghetta, V.; Rubiolo, P.

    2014-01-01

    reactor called the Molten Salt Fast Reactor (MSFR). The reference MSFR design is a 3000 MWth reactor with a total fuel salt volume of 18 m3, operated at a mean fuel temperature of 750 deg. C. The first confinement barrier of the reactor includes a salt draining system. In case of a planned reactor shut down or in case of accidents leading to an excessive increase of the temperature in the fuel circuit, the fuel configuration may be changed passively by gravitational draining of the fuel salt in dedicated draining tank located under the reactor and designed to provide adequate reactivity margins while insuring a passive cooling of the fuel salt to extract the residual heat from the short to the long term. The present preliminary assessment of this sub-critical draining system has been performed to identify the physical constraints and to give some orders of magnitude of characteristic time periods (authors)

  19. Neutronic study of a nuclear reactor of fused salts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garcia B, F. B.; Francois L, J. L.

    2012-10-01

    The reactors of fused salts called Molten Salt Reactor have presented a resurgence of interest in the last decade, due to they have a versatility in particular to operate, either with a thermal or fast neutrons spectrum. The most active development was by the middle of 1950 and principles of 1970 in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. In this work some developed models are presented particularly and studied with the help of the MCNPX code, for the development of the neutronic study of this reactor, starting of proposed models and from a simple and homogeneous geometry until other more complex models and approximate to more real cases. In particular the geometry conditions and criticality of each model were analyzed, the isotopic balance, as well as the concentrations of the salts and different assigned fuel types. (Author)

  20. Thorium and Molten Salt Reactors: "Essential Questions for Classroom Discussions"

    Science.gov (United States)

    DiLisi, Gregory A.; Hirsch, Allison; Murray, Meredith; Rarick, Richard

    2018-01-01

    A little-known type of nuclear reactor called the "molten salt reactor" (MSR), in which nuclear fuel is dissolved in a liquid carrier salt, was proposed in the 1940s and developed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the 1960s. Recently, the MSR has generated renewed interest as a remedy for the drawbacks associated with conventional…

  1. Molten salt reactors. Synthesis of studies realized between 1973 and 1983. General synthesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hery, M.; Lecocq, A.

    1983-03-01

    After a brief recall of the MSBR project, French studies on molten salt reactors are summed up. Theoretical and experimental studies for a graphite moderated 1000 MWe reactor using molten Li, Be, Th and U fluorides cooled by salt-lead direct contact are given. These studies concern the core, molten salt chemistry, graphite, metals (molybdenum, alloy TZM), corrosion, reactor components [fr

  2. ANALISIS TRANSIEN PADA PASSIVE COMPACT MOLTEN SALT REACTOR (PCMSR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Makrus Imron

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Penggunaan bahan bakar cair berupa garam LiF-BeF2-ThF4-UF4 pada Passive Compact Molten Salt Reactor (PCMSR meyebabkan pengendalian daya pada PCMSR dapat dilakukan dengan mengendalikan laju aliran bahan bakar dan pendingin. Sedangkan dari sistem keselamatan, penggunaan bahan bakar cair menjadikan PCMSR memiliki karakter keselamatan melekat (inherent safety yang baik. Pada penelitian ini telah dilakukan analisis transien PCMSR pada tiga kondisi, yaitu: ketika terjadi perubahan laju aliran bahan bakar, ketika terjadi perubahan laju aliran pendingin dan ketika terdapat kegagalan pada sistem pelepasan panas (loss of heat sink. Penelitian dilakukan dengan memodelkan reaktor pada kondisi tunak menggunakan paket program. Standart Reactor Analysis Code (SRAC. Selanjutnya dari keluaran paket program SRAC diperoleh data data yang meliputi fluks netron,konstanta grup, kontanta peluran prekusor netron, fraksi netron kasip untuk perhitungan transien. Penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa penurunan laju aliran bahan bakar sebesar 50 % dari laju bahan bakar sebelumnya, menyebabkan daya pada PCMSR turun menjadi 78 % dari daya sebelumnya. Dan penurunan laju aliran pendingin sebesar 50 % dari laju pendingin sebelumnya, menyebabkan daya pada PCMSR turun menjadi 63 % dari daya sebelumnya. Sedangkan pada saat terjadi loss of heat sink daya PCMSR menunjukkan penurunan. Kata kunci: PCMSR, transien, daya, laju aliran.   The use of liquid fuels in the form of molten salts LiF-BeF2-ThF4-UF4 in Passive Compact Molten Salt Reactor (PCMSR makes power control at PCMSR can be done by controlling the flow rate of fuel and coolant. In addition, from safety systems aspect, the use of liquid fuels makes PCMSR has good inherent safety characteristics. In this study transient analysis has been carried out on three conditions of PCMSR, namely when the fuel flow rate is changing, when the coolant flow rate is changing and when there is loss of heat sink condition. This research is

  3. Mechanical structure and problem of thorium molten salt reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kamei, Takashi

    2011-01-01

    After Fukushima Daiichi accident, there became great interest in Thorium Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) for the safety as station blackout leading to auto drainage of molten salts with freeze valve. This article described mechanical structure of MSR and problems of materials and pipes. Material corrosion problem by molten salts would be solved using modified Hastelloy N with Ti and Nb added, which should be confirmed by operation of an experimental reactor. Trends in international activities of MSR were also referred including China declaring MSR development in January 2011 to solve thorium contamination issues at rare earth production and India rich in thorium resources. (T. Tanaka)

  4. Molten salt related extensions of the SIMMER-III code and its application for a burner reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Shisheng; Rineiski, Andrei; Maschek, Werner

    2006-01-01

    Molten salt reactors (MSRs) can be used as effective burners of plutonium (Pu) and minor actinides (MAs) from light water reactor (LWR) spent fuel. In this paper a study was made to examine the thermal hydraulic behaviour of the conceptual design of the molten salt advanced reactor transmuter (MOSART) [Ignatiev, V., Feynberg, O., Myasnikov, A., Zakirov, R., 2003a. Neutronic properties and possible fuel cycle of a molten salt transmuter. Proceedings of the 2003 ANS/ENS International Winter Meeting (GLOBAL 2003), Hyatt Regency, New Orleans, LA, USA 16-20 November 2003]. The molten salt fuel is a ternary NaF-LiF-BeF 2 system fuelled with ca. 1 mol% typical compositions of transuranium-trifluorides (PuF 3 , etc.) from light water reactor spent fuel. The MOSART reactor core does not contain graphite structure elements to guide the flow, so the neutron spectrum is rather hard in order to improve the burning performance. Without those structure elements in the core, the molten salt in core flows freely and the flow pattern could be potentially complicated and may affect significantly the fuel temperature distribution in the core. Therefore, some optimizations of the salt flow pattern may be needed. Here, the main attention has been paid to the fluid dynamic simulations of the MOSART core with the code SIMMER-III [Kondo, Sa., Morita, K., Tobita, Y., Shirakawa, K., 1992. SIMMER-III: an advanced computer program for LMFBR severe accident analysis. Proceedings of the ANP' 92, Tokyo, Japan; Kondo, Sa., Tobita, Y., Morita, K., Brear, D.J., Kamiyama, K., Yamano, H., Fujita, S., Maschek, W., Fischer, E.A., Kiefhaber, E., Buckel, G., Hesselschwerdt, E., Flad, M., Costa, P., Pigny, S., 1999. Current status and validation of the SIMMER-III LMFR safety analysis code. Proceedings of the ICONE-7, Tokyo, Japan], which was originally developed for the safety assessment of sodium-cooled fast reactors and recently extended by the authors for the thermo-hydraulic and neutronic models so as

  5. Prospects of subcritical molten salt reactor for minor actinides incineration in closed fuel cycle

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alekseev, Pavel N.; Balanin, Andrey L.; Dudnikov, Anatoly A.; Fomichenko, Petr A.; Nevinitsa, Vladimir A.; Frolov, Aleksey A.; Lubina, Anna S.; Sedov, Aleksey A.; Subbotin, Aleksey S.; Blandinsky, Viktor Yu. [Nuclear Research Centre ' ' Kurchatov Institute' ' , Moscow (Russian Federation)

    2015-09-15

    A subcritical molten salt reactor is proposed for minor actinides (separated from spent fuel VVER-1000 light water reactor) incineration and for {sup 233}U conversion from {sup 232}Th. Here the subcritical molten salt reactor with fuel composition of heavy nuclide fluorides in molten LiF - NaF - KF salt and with external neutron source, based on 1 GeV proton accelerator and molten salt cooled tungsten target is considered. The paper presents the results of parametrical analysis of equilibrium nuclide composition of molten salt reactor with minor actinides feed in dependence of core dimensions, average neutron flux and external neutron source intensity. Reactor design is defined; requirements to external neutron source are posed; heavy nuclides equilibrium and fuel cycle main parameters are calculated.

  6. Recommendations for a restart of molten salt reactor development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moir, R.W.

    2008-01-01

    The concept of the molten salt reactor (MSR) refuses to go away. The Generation-IV process lists the MSR as one of the six concepts to be considered for extending fuel resources. Good fuel utilization and good economics are required to meet the often-cited goal of 10 TWe globally and 1 TWe for the US by non-carbon energy sources in this century by nuclear fission. Strong incentives for the molten salt reactor design are its good fuel utilization, good economics, amazing fuel flexibility and promised large benefits. It can: - use thorium or uranium; - be designed with lots of graphite to have a fairly thermal neutron spectrum or without graphite moderator to have an epithermal neutron spectrum; - fission uranium isotopes and plutonium isotopes; - produces less long-lived wastes than today's reactors by a factor of 10-100; - operate with non-weapon grade fissile fuel, or in suitable sites it can operate with enrichment between reactor-grade and weapon grade fissile fuel; - be a breeder or near breeder; - operate at temperature >1100 deg. C if carbon composites are successfully developed. Enhancing 232 U content in the uranium to over 500 ppm makes the fuel undesirable for weapons, but it should not detract from its economic use in liquid fuel reactors: a big advantage in nonproliferation. Economics of the MSR are enhanced by operating at low pressure and high temperature and may even lead to the preferred route to hydrogen production. The cost of the electricity produced from low enriched fuel averaged over the life of the entire process, has been predicted to be about 10% lower than that from LWRs, and 20% lower for high-enriched fuel, with uncertainties of about 10%. The development cost has been estimated at about 1 B$ (e.g., a 100 M$/year base program for 10 years) not including construction of a series of reactors leading up to the deployment of multiple commercial units at an assumed cost of 9 B$ (450 M$/year over 20 years). A benefit of liquid fuel is that

  7. Molt salts reactors capacity for wastes incineration and energy production

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    David, S.; Nuttin, A.

    2005-01-01

    The molten salt reactors present many advantages in the framework of the IV generation systems development for the energy production and/or the wastes incineration. After a recall of the main studies realized on the molten salt reactors, this document presents the new concepts and the identified research axis: the MSRE project and experience, the incinerators concepts, the thorium cycle. (A.L.B.)

  8. A calculational procedure for neutronic and depletion analysis of Molten-Salt reactors based on SCALE6/TRITON

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sheu, R.J.; Chang, J.S.; Liu, Y.-W. H.

    2011-01-01

    Molten-Salt Reactors (MSRs) represent one of the selected categories in the GEN-IV program. This type of reactor is distinguished by the use of liquid fuel circulating in and out of the core, which makes it possible for online refueling and salt processing. However, this operation characteristic also complicates the modeling and simulation of reactor core behaviour using conventional neutronic codes. The TRITON sequence in the SCALE6 code system has been designed to provide the combined capabilities of problem-dependent cross-section processing, rigorous treatment of neutron transport, and coupled with the ORIGEN-S depletion calculations. In order to accommodate the simulation of dynamic refueling and processing scheme, an in-house program REFRESH together with a run script are developed for carrying out a series of stepwise TRITON calculations, that makes the work of analyzing the neutronic properties and performance of a MSR core design easier. As a demonstration and cross check, we have applied this method to reexamine the conceptual design of Molten Salt Actinide Recycler & Transmuter (MOSART). This paper summarizes the development of the method and preliminary results of its application on MOSART. (author)

  9. Probability safety assessment of LOOP accident to molten salt reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mei Mudan; Shao Shiwei; Yu Zhizhen; Chen Kun; Zuo Jiaxu

    2013-01-01

    Background: Loss of offsite power (LOOP) is a possible accident to any type of reactor, and this accident can reflect the main idea of reactor safety design. Therefore, it is very important to conduct a study on probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) of the molten salt reactor that is under LOOP circumstance. Purpose: The aim is to calculate the release frequency of molten salt radioactive material to the core caused by LOOP, and find out the biggest contributor to causing the radioactive release frequency. Methods: We carried out the PSA analysis of the LOOP using the PSA process risk spectrum, and assumed that the primary circuit had no valve and equipment reliability data based on the existing mature power plant equipment reliability data. Results: Through the PSA analysis, we got the accident sequences of the release of radioactive material to the core caused by LOOP and its frequency. The results show that the release frequency of molten salt radioactive material to the core caused by LOOP is about 2×10 -11 /(reactor ·year), which is far below that of the AP1000 LOOP. In addition, through the quantitative analysis, we obtained the point estimation and interval estimation of uncertainty analysis, and found that the biggest contributor to cause the release frequency of radioactive material to the core is the reactor cavity cooling function failure. Conclusion: This study provides effective help for the design and improvement of the following molten salt reactor system. (authors)

  10. Reactor physical program in the frame of the MSR-SPHINX transmuter concept development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hron, M.; Mikisek, M.

    2008-01-01

    In the frame of the R and D program for the Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) - SPHINX (Spent Hot fuel Incinerator by Neutron flux) concept, which has been under development in the Czech Republic as an actinide burner in resonance neutron spectrum and a radionuclide transmuter in a well-thermalized neutron spectrum, and namely its reactor physical part, the relatively broad experimental activities have been involved in the program, recently, which will serve for a validation of computer codes and verification of design inputs for designing of a demonstration unit of the MSR-type. The experimental program, which has been focused, in its first stage, on a short-term irradiation of small size samples of molten-salt systems as well as structural materials proposed for the MSR blanket in the field of high neutron flux of research reactors, will be in the proposed next stage of the program focused on a large-scale experimental verification of design inputs by use of MSR-type inserted zones into the existing light water moderated experimental reactor LR-0, which may allow to modify it to experimental zero power salt reactor SR-0. There has been a preparatory stage of the project called EROS started in the year 2006 and new experiments with MSR-type zones irradiated by cyclotron based neutron source are planned at the end of 2007 and should go on in the year 2008. There will be a brief description of the so far prepared and performed experimental programs introduced in the paper. (authors)

  11. Neutronic design of a Liquid Salt-cooled Pebble Bed Reactor (LSPBR)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    De Zwaan, S. J.; Boer, B.; Lathouwers, D.; Kloosterman, J. L.

    2006-01-01

    A renewed interest has been raised for liquid salt cooled nuclear reactors. The excellent heat transfer properties of liquid salt coolants provide several benefits, like lower fuel temperatures, higher coolant outlet temperatures, increased core power density and better decay heat removal. In order to benefit from the online refueling capability of a pebble bed reactor, the Liquid Salt Pebble Bed Reactor (LSPBR) is proposed. This is a high temperature pebble-bed reactor with a fuel design similar to existing HTRs, but using a liquid salt as a coolant. In this paper, the selection criteria for the liquid salt coolant are described. Based on its neutronic properties, LiF-BeF 2 (FLIBE) was selected for the LSPBR. Two designs of the LSPBR were considered: a cylindrical core and an annular core with a graphite inner reflector. Coupled neutronic-thermal hydraulic calculations were performed to obtain the steady state power distribution and the corresponding fuel temperatures. Finally, calculations were performed to investigate the decay heat removal capability in a protected loss-of-forced cooling accident. The maximum allowable power that can be produced with the LSPBR is hereby determined. (authors)

  12. Mechanism study of freeze-valve for molten salt reactor (MSR)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qinhua, Zhang

    2014-01-01

    Molten salt reactor (MSR) is one of the fourth generation nuclear reactor, ordinary nuclear grade valve is unsuitable for MSR due to its special coolant and extraordinary working temperature. Freeze-valve is proposed as the most appropriate valve for MSR, but the technology issue about freeze-valve has not been report in recent decades. Its significance to test the comprehensive property of freeze-valve for the application in MSR. A high temperature molten salt test loop was built which the physics property of salt is similar to the coolant of MSR. The results indicate that freeze-valve has a good performance use in the molten salt circumstances of high temperature (max 700 deg. C) and strong corrosion (authors)

  13. Salt Repository Project Waste Package Program Plan: Draft

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carr, J.A.; Cunnane, J.C.

    1986-01-01

    Under the direction of the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) created within the DOE by direction of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (NWPA), the mission of the Salt Repository Project (SRP) is to provide for the development of a candidate salt repository for disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) and spent reactor fuel in a manner that fully protects the health and safety of the public and the quality of the environment. In consideration of the program needs and requirements discussed above, the SRP has decided to develop and issue this SRP Waste Package Program Plan. This document is intended to outline how the SRP plans to develop the waste package design and to show, with reasonable assurance, that the developed design will satisfy applicable requirements/performance objectives. 44 refs., 16 figs., 16 tabs

  14. Fuel cycle costs for molten-salt reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagashima, Kikusaburo

    1983-01-01

    This report describes FCC (fuel cycle cost) estimates for MSCR (molten-salt converter reactor) and MSBR (molten-salt breeder reactor) compared with those for LWRs (PWR and BWR). The calculation is based on the present worth technique with a given discount rate for each cost item, which enables us to make comparison between FCC's for MSCR, MSBR and LWRs. As far as the computational results obtained here are concerned, shown that the FCC's for MSCR and MSBR are 70 -- 60 % lower than the values for LWRs. And it could be said that the FCC for MSCR (Pu-converter) is about 10 % lower than that for MSBR, because of the smaller amount of fissile inventory of MSCR than the inventory of MSBR. (author)

  15. Study of the pyrochemical treatment-recycling process of the Molten Salt Reactor fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boussier, H.; Heuer, D.

    2010-01-01

    The Separation Processes Studies Laboratory (Commissariat a l'energie Atomique) has made a preliminary assessment of the reprocessing system associated with Molten Salt Fast Reactor (MSFR). The scheme studied in this paper is based on the principle of reductive extraction and metal transfer that constituted the core process designed for the Molten Salt Breeder Reactor (MSBR), although the flow diagram has been adapted to the current needs of the Molten Salt Reactor Fast (MSFR).

  16. Assessment of Silicon Carbide Composites for Advanced Salt-Cooled Reactors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Katoh, Yutai [ORNL; Wilson, Dane F [ORNL; Forsberg, Charles W [ORNL

    2007-09-01

    The Advanced High-Temperature Reactor (AHTR) is a new reactor concept that uses a liquid fluoride salt coolant and a solid high-temperature fuel. Several alternative fuel types are being considered for this reactor. One set of fuel options is the use of pin-type fuel assemblies with silicon carbide (SiC) cladding. This report provides (1) an initial viability assessment of using SiC as fuel cladding and other in-core components of the AHTR, (2) the current status of SiC technology, and (3) recommendations on the path forward. Based on the analysis of requirements, continuous SiC fiber-reinforced, chemically vapor-infiltrated SiC matrix (CVI SiC/SiC) composites are recommended as the primary option for further study on AHTR fuel cladding among various industrially available forms of SiC. Critical feasibility issues for the SiC-based AHTR fuel cladding are identified to be (1) corrosion of SiC in the candidate liquid salts, (2) high dose neutron radiation effects, (3) static fatigue failure of SiC/SiC, (4) long-term radiation effects including irradiation creep and radiation-enhanced static fatigue, and (5) fabrication technology of hermetic wall and sealing end caps. Considering the results of the issues analysis and the prospects of ongoing SiC research and development in other nuclear programs, recommendations on the path forward is provided in the order or priority as: (1) thermodynamic analysis and experimental examination of SiC corrosion in the candidate liquid salts, (2) assessment of long-term mechanical integrity issues using prototypical component sections, and (3) assessment of high dose radiation effects relevant to the anticipated operating condition.

  17. Thorium cycle and molten salt reactors: field parameters and field constraints investigations toward 'thorium molten salt reactor' definition; Cycle thorium et reacteurs a sel fondu: exploration du champ des parametres et des contraintes definissant le 'Thorium Molten Salt Reactor'

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mathieu, L

    2005-09-15

    Producing nuclear energy in order to reduce the anthropic CO{sub 2} emission requires major technological advances. Nuclear plants of 4. generation have to respond to several constraints, as safety improvements, fuel breeding and radioactive waste minimization. For this purpose, it seems promising to use Thorium Cycle in Molten Salt Reactors. Studies on this domain have already been carried out. However, the final concept suffered from serious issues and was discontinued. A new reflection on this topic is being led in order to find acceptable solutions, and to design the Thorium Molten Salt Reactor concept. A nuclear reactor is simulated by the coupling of a neutron transport code with a materials evolution code. This allows us to reproduce the reactor behavior and its evolution all along its operation. Thanks to this method, we have studied a large number of reactor configurations. We have evaluated their efficiency through a group of constraints they have to satisfy. This work leads us to a better understanding of many physical phenomena controlling the reactor behavior. As a consequence, several efficient configurations have been discovered, allowing the emergence of new points of view in the research of Molten Salt Reactors. (author)

  18. Neutron shielding studies on an advanced molten salt fast reactor design

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Merk, Bruno; Konheiser, Jörg

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Material damage due to irradiation has already been discovered at the MSRE. • Neutronic analysis of MSFR with curved blanket wall geometry. • Neutron fluence limit at the wall of the outer vessel can be kept for 80 years. • Shielded MSFR core will be of same dimension than a SFR core. - Abstract: The molten salt reactor technology has gained some new interest. In contrast to the historic molten salt reactors, the current projects are based on designing a molten salt fast reactor. Thus the shielding becomes significantly more challenging than in historic concepts. One very interesting and innovative result of the most recent EURATOM project on molten salt reactors – EVOL – is the fluid flow optimized design of the inner reactor vessel using curved blanket walls. The developed structure leads to a very uniform flow distribution. The design avoids all internal structures. Based on this new geometry a model for neutron physics calculation is presented. The major steps are: the modeling of the curved geometry in the unstructured mesh neutron transport code HELIOS and the determination of the real neutron flux and power distribution for this new geometry. The developed model is then used for the determination of the neutron fluence distribution in the inner and outer wall of the system. Based on these results an optimized shielding strategy is developed for the molten salt fast reactor to keep the fluence in the safety related outer vessel below expected limit values. A lifetime of 80 years can be assured, but the size of the core/blanket system will be comparable to a sodium cooled fast reactor. The HELIOS results are verified against Monte-Carlo calculations with very satisfactory agreement for a deep penetration problem

  19. Parametric study of natural circulation flow in molten salt fuel in molten salt reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pauzi, Anas Muhamad, E-mail: Anas@uniten.edu.my [Centre of Nuclear Energy, Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), Jalan IKRAM-UNITEN, 43000 Kajang, Selangor (Malaysia); Cioncolini, Andrea; Iacovides, Hector [School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Civil Engineering (MACE), University of Manchester, Oxford Road, M13 9PL Manchester (United Kingdom)

    2015-04-29

    The Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) is one of the most promising system proposed by Generation IV Forum (GIF) for future nuclear reactor systems. Advantages of the MSR are significantly larger compared to other reactor system, and is mainly achieved from its liquid nature of fuel and coolant. Further improvement to this system, which is a natural circulating molten fuel salt inside its tube in the reactor core is proposed, to achieve advantages of reducing and simplifying the MSR design proposed by GIF. Thermal hydraulic analysis on the proposed system was completed using a commercial computation fluid dynamics (CFD) software called FLUENT by ANSYS Inc. An understanding on theory behind this unique natural circulation flow inside the tube caused by fission heat generated in molten fuel salt and tube cooling was briefly introduced. Currently, no commercial CFD software could perfectly simulate natural circulation flow, hence, modeling this flow problem in FLUENT is introduced and analyzed to obtain best simulation results. Results obtained demonstrate the existence of periodical transient nature of flow problem, hence improvements in tube design is proposed based on the analysis on temperature and velocity profile. Results show that the proposed system could operate at up to 750MW core power, given that turbulence are enhanced throughout flow region, and precise molten fuel salt physical properties could be defined. At the request of the authors and the Proceedings Editor the name of the co-author Andrea Cioncolini was corrected from Andrea Coincolini. The same name correction was made in the Acknowledgement section on page 030004-10 and in reference number 4. The updated article was published on 11 May 2015.

  20. R and D of On-line Reprocessing Technology for Molten-Salt Reactor Systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uhlir, Jan; Tulackova, Radka; Chuchvalcova Bimova, Karolina

    2006-01-01

    The Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) represents one of promising future nuclear reactor concept included in the Generation IV reactors family. The reactor can be operated as the thorium breeder or as the actinide transmuter. However, the future deployment of Molten-Salt Reactors will be significantly dependent on the successful mastering of advanced reprocessing technologies dedicated to their fuel cycle. Here the on-line reprocessing technology connected with the fuel circuit of MSR is of special importance because the reactor cannot be operated for a long run without the fuel salt clean-up. Generally, main MSR reprocessing technologies are pyrochemical, majority of them are fluoride technologies. The proposed flow-sheets of MSR on-line reprocessing are based on a combination of molten-salt / liquid metal extraction and electro-separation processes, which can be added to the gas extraction process already verified during the MSRE project in ORNL. The crucial separation method proposed for partitioning of actinides from fission products is based on successive Anodic dissolution and Cathodic deposition processes in molten fluoride media. (authors)

  1. Molten salt reactor technology for long-range and wide-scale nuclear energy system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ignatiev, V.; Alexseev, P.; Menshikov, L.; Prusakov, V.; Subbotine, S.

    1997-01-01

    A possibility of creation of multi-component nuclear power system in which alongside with thermal and fast reactors, molten salt burner reactors, for incineration of weapon grade plutonium, some minor actinides and transmutation of some fission products will be presented. The purposes of this work are to review the present status of the molten salt reactor technology and innovative non-aqueous chemical processing methods, to indicate the importance of the uncertainties remaining, to identify the additional work needed, and to evaluate the probability of success in obtaining improved safety characteristics for new concept of molten salt - burner reactor with external neutron source. 8 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs

  2. Molten salt reactors. Synthesis of studies realized between 1973 and 1983. Experimental loop file

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-03-01

    Four test loops were developed for the experimental study of a molten salt reactor with lead salt direct contact. A molten salt loop, completely in graphite, including the pump, showed that this material is convenient for salt containment and circulation. Reactor components like flowmeters, electromagnetic pumps, pressure gauge, valves developed for liquid sodium, were tested with liquid lead. A water-mercury loop was built for lead-molten salt simulation studies. Finally a lead-salt loop (COMPARSE) was built to study the behaviour of salt particles carried by lead in the heat exchanger. [fr

  3. The molten salt reactors (MSR) pyro chemistry and fuel cycle for innovative nuclear systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brossard, Ph.; Garzenne, C.; Mouney, H.

    2002-01-01

    In the frame of the studies on next generation nuclear systems, and especially for the molten salt reactors and for the integrated fuel cycle (as IFR), the fuel cycle constraints must be taken into account in the preliminary studies of the system to improve the cycle and reactor optimisation. Among the purposes for next generation nuclear systems, sustainability and waste (radio-toxicity and mass) management are important goals. These goals imply reprocessing and recycling strategies. The objectives of this workshop are to present and to share the different strategies and scenarios, the needs based on these scenarios, the experimental facilities available today or in the future and their capabilities, the needs for demonstration. It aims at: identifying the needs for fuel cycle based on solid fuel or liquid fuel, and especially, the on-line reprocessing or clean up for the molten salt reactors; assessing the state-of-the-art on the pyro-chemistry applied to solid fuel and to present the research activities; assessing the state-of-the-art on liquid fuels (or others), and to present the research activities; expressing the R and D programs for pyro-chemistry, molten salt, and also to propose innovative processes; and proposing some joint activities in the frame of GEDEON and PRACTIS programs. This document brings together the transparencies of 18 contributions dealing with: scenario studies with AMSTER concept (Scenarios, MSR, breeders (Th) and burners); fuel cycle for innovative systems; current reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in molten salts (review of pyro-chemistry processes (non nuclear and nuclear)); high temperature NMR spectroscopies in molten salts; reductive extraction of An from molten fluorides (salt - liquid metal extraction); electrochemistry characterisation; characterisation with physical methods - extraction coefficient and kinetics; electrolytic extraction; dissolution-precipitation of plutonium in the eutectic LiCl-KCl (dissolution and

  4. Simulation tools and new developments of the molten salt fast reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Merle-Lucotte, E.; Doligez, X.; Heuer, D.; Allibert, M.; Ghetta, V.

    2010-01-01

    Starting from the Molten Salt Breeder Reactor project of Oak-Ridge, we have performed parametric studies in terms of safety coefficients, reprocessing requirements and breeding capabilities. In the frame of this major re-evaluation of the molten salt reactor (MSR), we have developed a new concept called Molten Salt Fast Reactor or MSFR, based on the Thorium fuel cycle and a fast neutron spectrum. This concept has been selected for further studies by the MSR steering committee of the Generation IV International Forum in 2009. Our reactor's studies of the MSFR concept rely on numerical simulations making use of the MCNP neutron transport code coupled with a code for materials evolution which resolves the Bateman's equations giving the population of each nucleus inside each part of the reactor at each moment. Because of MSR's fundamental characteristics compared to classical solid-fuelled reactors, the classical Bateman equations have to be modified by adding two terms representing the reprocessing capacities and the fertile or fissile alimentation. We have thus coupled neutronic and reprocessing simulation codes in a numerical tool used to calculate the extraction efficiencies of fission products, their location in the whole system (reactor and reprocessing unit) and radioprotection issues. (authors)

  5. Study of trans-uranian incineration in molten salt reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Valade, M.

    2000-01-01

    With the emergence of new options for nuclear power, molten salt reactors are envisaged for waste management. The aim of this thesis is to show how molten salt reactors can help to solve the transuranics issue. Their high versatility regarding to isotopic vector allows to accommodate large fractions of minor actinides as compared to solid fuel system. In this thesis, a neutronics study of molten salt reactors, MSR, has been conducted. For this purpose, two reference systems were considered, TIER1 and AMSTER. In the case of TIER1, an optimisation was made to reach an equilibrium. The analysis of both systems showed the main characteristics of MSR: their link to chemistry and on line reprocessing. In this work, several methods to drive the system to a state of equilibrium have been implemented and compared. During this process the isotopic composition and neutron spectrum, thus the nuclear reaction cross sections, vary tremendously. It is essential to take these evolutions into account in order to accurately estimate the equilibrium state. This has been accomplished inside the multi-recycling procedure we set with ERANOS. A dedicated calculation schema has been realized to simulate superthermal systems with this computation code. These results were checked through a benchmark against other computer codes. Then, with multi-recycling method, several molten salt systems have been compared in order to define the optimal reactor for transuranics incineration. Nevertheless, a final choice can not only be done using only neutronics characteristics since chemistry and thermal-hydraulics constraints are really important for MSR. Moreover, a complete safety study would be required. (author)

  6. The introduction of the safety of molten salt reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zuo Jiaxu; Zhang Chunming

    2011-01-01

    This paper introduces the generation TV Nuclear Energy Systems and molten salt reactor which is the only fluid fuel reactor in the Gen-TV. Safety features and attributes of MSR are described. The supply of fuel and the minimum of waste are described. The clean molten salt in the secondary heat transport system transfers the heat from the primary heat exchanger to a high-temperature Brayton cycle that converts the heat to electricity. With the Brayton cycle, the thermal efficiency of the system will be improved. Base on the MSR, the thorium-uranium fuel cycle is also introduced. (authors)

  7. Pebble Fuel Handling and Reactivity Control for Salt-Cooled High Temperature Reactors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Peterson, Per [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept. of Nuclear Engineering; Greenspan, Ehud [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept. of Nuclear Engineering

    2015-02-09

    This report documents the work completed on the X-PREX facility under NEUP Project 11- 3172. This project seeks to demonstrate the viability of pebble fuel handling and reactivity control for fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactors (FHRs). The research results also improve the understanding of pebble motion in helium-cooled reactors, as well as the general, fundamental understanding of low-velocity granular flows. Successful use of pebble fuels in with salt coolants would bring major benefits for high-temperature reactor technology. Pebble fuels enable on-line refueling and operation with low excess reactivity, and thus simpler reactivity control and improved fuel utilization. If fixed fuel designs are used, the power density of salt- cooled reactors is limited to 10 MW/m3 to obtain adequate duration between refueling, but pebble fuels allow power densities in the range of 20 to 30 MW/m3. This can be compared to the typical modular helium reactor power density of 5 MW/m3. Pebble fuels also permit radial zoning in annular cores and use of thorium or graphite pebble blankets to reduce neutron fluences to outer radial reflectors and increase total power production. Combined with high power conversion efficiency, compact low-pressure primary and containment systems, and unique safety characteristics including very large thermal margins (>500°C) to fuel damage during transients and accidents, salt-cooled pebble fuel cores offer the potential to meet the major goals of the Advanced Reactor Concepts Development program to provide electricity at lower cost than light water reactors with improved safety and system performance.This report presents the facility description, experimental results, and supporting simulation methods of the new X-Ray Pebble Recirculation Experiment (X-PREX), which is now operational and being used to collect data on the behavior of slow dense granular flows relevant to pebble bed reactor core designs. The X

  8. Pebble Fuel Handling and Reactivity Control for Salt-Cooled High Temperature Reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peterson, Per; Greenspan, Ehud

    2015-01-01

    This report documents the work completed on the X-PREX facility under NEUP Project 11- 3172. This project seeks to demonstrate the viability of pebble fuel handling and reactivity control for fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactors (FHRs). The research results also improve the understanding of pebble motion in helium-cooled reactors, as well as the general, fundamental understanding of low-velocity granular flows. Successful use of pebble fuels in with salt coolants would bring major benefits for high-temperature reactor technology. Pebble fuels enable on-line refueling and operation with low excess reactivity, and thus simpler reactivity control and improved fuel utilization. If fixed fuel designs are used, the power density of salt- cooled reactors is limited to 10 MW/m 3 to obtain adequate duration between refueling, but pebble fuels allow power densities in the range of 20 to 30 MW/m 3 . This can be compared to the typical modular helium reactor power density of 5 MW/m3. Pebble fuels also permit radial zoning in annular cores and use of thorium or graphite pebble blankets to reduce neutron fluences to outer radial reflectors and increase total power production. Combined with high power conversion efficiency, compact low-pressure primary and containment systems, and unique safety characteristics including very large thermal margins (>500°C) to fuel damage during transients and accidents, salt-cooled pebble fuel cores offer the potential to meet the major goals of the Advanced Reactor Concepts Development program to provide electricity at lower cost than light water reactors with improved safety and system performance.This report presents the facility description, experimental results, and supporting simulation methods of the new X-Ray Pebble Recirculation Experiment (X-PREX), which is now operational and being used to collect data on the behavior of slow dense granular flows relevant to pebble bed reactor core designs. The X-PREX facility uses novel

  9. Transient response of small molten salt reactor at duct blockage accident

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamamoto, Takahisa; Mitachi, Koshi; Ikeuchi, Koji; Suzuki, Takashi

    2005-01-01

    This paper performed transient core analysis of a small Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) at the time of a duct blockage accident. The numerical model employed in this study consists of continuity and momentum conservation equations for fuel salt flow, two group diffusion equations for fast and thermal neutron fluxes, balance equations for six-group delayed neutron precursors and energy conservation equations for fuel salt and graphite moderator. The analysis shows that (1) the effective multiplication factor and reactor power after the blockage accident hardly change because of the self-control performance of the MSR, (2) fuel salt and graphite moderator temperatures rise at the blockage point and its vicinity, drastically but locally, (3) the highest temperature after the blockage accident is 1 363 K, very lower than the boiling point of fuel salt and melt point of reactor vessel, (4) fast and thermal neutron fluxes distributions after the blockage accident hardly change, and (5) delayed neutron precursors accumulate at the blockage point, especially 1st delayed neutron precursor due to is large decay constant. These results lead that the safety of MSR is assured in the blockage accident. (author)

  10. Studies on the molten salt reactor. Code development and neutronics analysis of MSRE-type design

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhuang Kun; Cao Liangzhi; Zheng Youqi; Wu Hongchun

    2015-01-01

    The molten salt reactor is characterized by its use of the fluid-fuel, which serves both as a fuel and as a coolant simultaneously. The position of delayed neutron precursors continuously changes both in the core and in the external loop due to the fuel circulation, and the fission products are extracted by an online fuel reprocessing unit, which all lead to the modeling methods for the conventional reactors using solid fuel not applicable. This study establishes suitable calculation models for the neutronics analysis of the molten salt reactor and develops a new code named MOREL based on the three-dimensional diffusion steady and transient calculations. Some numerical tests are chosen to verify the code and the numerical results indicate that MOREL can be used for the analysis of the molten salt reactor. After verification, it is applied to analyze the characteristics of a typical molten salt reactor, including the steady characteristics, the influence of fuel circulation on the kinetic behaviors. Besides, the influence of online fuel reprocessing simulation is also examined. The results show that inherent safety is the character of the molten salt reactor from the aspect of reactivity feedback and the fuel circulation has great influence on the kinetic characteristics of molten salt reactor. (author)

  11. Molten salt reactor related research in Switzerland

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krepel, Jiri; Hombourger, Boris; Fiorina, Carlo

    2015-01-01

    Switzerland represented by the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) is a member of the Generation IV International Forum (GIF). In the past, the research at PSI focused mainly on HTR, SFR, and GFR. Currently, a research program was established also for Molten Salt Reactors (MSR). Safety is the key point and main interest of the MSR research at the Nuclear Energy and Safety (NES) department of PSI. However, it cannot be evaluated without knowing the system design, fuel chemistry, salt thermal-hydraulics features, safety and fuel cycle approach, and the relevant material and chemical limits. Accordingly, sufficient knowledge should be acquired in the other individual fields before the safety can be evaluated. The MSR research at NES may be divided into four working packages (WP): WP1: MSR core design and fuel cycle, WP2: MSR fuel behavior at nominal and accidental conditions, WP3: MSR thermal-hydraulics and decay heat removal system, WP4: MSR safety, fuel stream, and relevant limits. The WPs are proposed so that there are research topics which can be independently studied within each of them. The work plan of the four WPs is based on several ongoing or past national and international projects relevant to MSR, where NES/PSI participates. At the current stage, the program focuses on several specific and design independent studies. The safety is the key point and main long-term interest of the MSR research at NES. (author)

  12. Calculation of β-effective of a molten salt reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hirakawa, N.; Sakaba, H.

    1987-01-01

    A method to calculate the β eff of a molten salt reactor was developed taking the effect of the flow of the molten salt into account. The method was applied to the 1000MW MSR design made by ORNL. The change in β eff due to the change in the residence time outside of the core of the fuel salt and to the change in the flow velocity when the total amount of the fuel salt is kept constant were investigated. It was found that β eff was reduced to 47.9% of the value when the fuel salt is at rest for the present design. (author)

  13. Physical and chemical feasibility of fueling molten salt reactors with TRU's trifluorides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ignatiev, V.; Feinberg, O.; Konakov, S.; Subbotine, S.; Surenkov, A.; Zakirov, R.

    2001-01-01

    The molten salt reactor (MSR) concept is very important for consideration as an element of future nuclear energy systems. These reactor systems are unique in many ways. Particularly, the MSRs appear to have substantial promise not only as advanced TRU free system operating in U-Th cycle, but also as transmuter of TRU. Physical and chemical feasibility of fueling MSR with TRU trifluorides is examined. Solvent compositions with and without U-Th as fissile / fertile addition are considered. The principle reactor and fuel cycle variables available for optimizing the performance of MSR as TRU transmuting system are discussed. These efforts led to the definition in minimal TRU mass flow rate, reduced total losses to waste and maximum possible burn up rate for the molten salt transmuter. The current status of technology and prospects for revisited interest are summarized. Significant chemical problems are remain to be resolved at the end of prior MSRs programs, notably, graphite life durability, tritium control, fate of noble metal fission products. Questions arising from plutonium and minor actinide fueling include: corrosion and container chemistry, new redox buffer for systems without uranium, analytical chemistry instrumentation, adequate constituent solubilities, suitable fuel processing and waste form development. However these problems appear to be soluble. (author)

  14. Steady state investigation on neutronics of a molten salt reactor considering the flow effect of fuel salt

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    ZHANG Da-Lin; QIU Sui-Zheng; LIU Chang-Liang; SU Guang-Hui

    2008-01-01

    The Molten Salt Reactor (MSR),one of the‘Generation Ⅳ'concepts,is a liquid-fuel reactor,which is different from the conventional reactors using solid fissile materials due to the flow effect of fuel salt.The study on its neutronice considering the fuel salt flow,which is the base of the thermal-hydraulic calculation and safety analysis,must be done.In this paper,the theoretical model on neutronics under steady condition for a single-liquid-fueled MSR is conducted and calculated by numerical method.The neutronics model consists of two group neutron diffusion equations for fast and thermal neutron fluxes,and balance equations for six-group delayed neutron precursors considering the flow effect of fuel salt. The spatial discretization of the above models is based on the finite volume method,and the discretization equations are computed by the source iteration method.The distributions of neutron fluxes and the distributions of the delayed neutron precursors in the core are obtained.The numerical calculated results show that,the fuel salt flow has little effect on the distribution of fast and thermal neutron fluxes and the effective multiplication factor;however,it affects the distribution of the delayed neutron precursors significantly,especially the long-lived one.In addition,it could be found that the delayed neutron precursors influence the nentronics slightly under the steady condition.

  15. Steady state investigation on neutronics of a molten salt reactor considering the flow effect of fuel salt

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Dalin; Qiu Suizheng; Su Guanghui; Liu Changliang

    2008-01-01

    The Molten Salt Reactor (MSR), one of the 'Generation IV' concepts, is a liquid-fuel reactor, which is different from the conventional reactors using solid fissile materials due to the flow effect of fuel salt. The study on its neutronics considering the fuel salt flow, which is the base of the thermal-hydraulic calculation and safety analysis, must be done. In this paper, the theoretical model on neutronics under steady condition for a single-liquid-fueled MSR is conducted and calculated by numerical method. The neutronics model consists of two group neutron diffusion equations for fast and thermal neutron fluxes, and balance equations for six-group delayed neutron precursors considering the flow effect of fuel salt. The spatial discretization of the above models is based on the finite volume method, and the discretization equations are computed by the source iteration method. The distributions of neutron fluxes and the distributions of the delayed neutron precursors in the core are obtained. The numerical calculated results show that, the fuel salt flow has little effect on the distribution of fast and thermal neutron fluxes and the effective multiplication factor; however, it affects the distribution of the delayed neutron precursors significantly, especially the long-lived one. In addition, it could be found that the delayed neutron precursors influence the neutronics slightly under the steady condition. (authors)

  16. Solar gasification of biomass: design and characterization of a molten salt gasification reactor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hathaway, Brandon Jay

    The design and implementation of a prototype molten salt solar reactor for gasification of biomass is a significant milestone in the development of a solar gasification process. The reactor developed in this work allows for 3 kWth operation with an average aperture flux of 1530 suns at salt temperatures of 1200 K with pneumatic injection of ground or powdered dry biomass feedstocks directly into the salt melt. Laboratory scale experiments in an electrically heated reactor demonstrate the benefits of molten salt and the data was evaluated to determine the kinetics of pyrolysis and gasification of biomass or carbon in molten salt. In the presence of molten salt overall gas yields are increased by up to 22%; pyrolysis rates double due to improved heat transfer, while carbon gasification rates increase by an order of magnitude. Existing kinetic models for cellulose pyrolysis fit the data well, while carbon gasification in molten salt follows kinetics modeled with a 2/3 order shrinking-grain model with a pre-exponential factor of 1.5*106 min-1 and activation energy of 158 kJ/mol. A reactor concept is developed based around a concentric cylinder geometry with a cavity-style solar receiver immersed within a volume of molten carbonate salt. Concentrated radiation delivered to the cavity is absorbed in the cavity walls and transferred via convection to the salt volume. Feedstock is delivered into the molten salt volume where biomass gasification reactions will be carried out producing the desired product gas. The features of the cavity receiver/reactor concept are optimized based on modeling of the key physical processes. The cavity absorber geometry is optimized according to a parametric survey of radiative exchange using a Monte Carlo ray tracing model, resulting in a cavity design that achieves absorption efficiencies of 80%-90%. A parametric survey coupling the radiative exchange simulations to a CFD model of molten salt natural convection is used to size the annulus

  17. Heat Transfer Salts for Nuclear Reactor Systems - Chemistry Control, Corrosion Mitigation, and Modeling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anderson, Mark; Sridharan, Kumar; Morgan, Dane; Peterson, Per; Calderoni, Pattrick; Scheele, Randall; Casekka, Andrew; McNamara, Bruce

    2015-01-01

    The concept of a molten salt reactor has existed for nearly sixty years. Previously all work was done during a large collaborative effort at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, culminating in a research reactor which operated for 15,000 hours without major error. This technical success has garnished interest in modern, high temperature, reactor schemes. Research using molten fluoride salts for nuclear applications requires a steady supply of high grade molten salts. There is no bulk supplier of research grade fluoride salts in the world, so a facility which could provide all the salt needed for testing at the University of Wisconsin had to be produced. Two salt purification devices were made for this purpose, a large scale purifier, and a small scale purifier, each designed to clean the salts from impurities and reduce their corrosion potential. As of now, the small scale has performed with flibe salt, hydrogen, and hydrogen fluoride, yielding clean salt. This salt is currently being used in corrosion testing facilities at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Wisconsin. Working with the beryllium based salts requires extensive safety measures and health monitoring to prevent the development of acute or chronic beryllium disease, two pulmonary diseases created by an allergic reaction to beryllium in the lungs. Extensive health monitoring, engineering controls, and environment monitoring had to be set up with the University of Wisconsin department of Environment, Health and Safety. The hydrogen fluoride required for purification was also an extreme health hazard requiring thoughtful planning and execution. These dangers have made research a slow and tedious process. Simple processes, such as chemical handling and clean-up, can take large amounts of ingenuity and time. Other work has complemented the experimental research at Wisconsin to advance high temperature reactor goals. Modeling work has been performed in house to re

  18. Heat Transfer Salts for Nuclear Reactor Systems - Chemistry Control, Corrosion Mitigation, and Modeling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anderson, Mark [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Sridharan, Kumar [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Morgan, Dane [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Peterson, Per [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Calderoni, Pattrick [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Scheele, Randall [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Casekka, Andrew [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); McNamara, Bruce [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

    2015-01-22

    The concept of a molten salt reactor has existed for nearly sixty years. Previously all work was done during a large collaborative effort at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, culminating in a research reactor which operated for 15,000 hours without major error. This technical success has garnished interest in modern, high temperature, reactor schemes. Research using molten fluoride salts for nuclear applications requires a steady supply of high grade molten salts. There is no bulk supplier of research grade fluoride salts in the world, so a facility which could provide all the salt needed for testing at the University of Wisconsin had to be produced. Two salt purification devices were made for this purpose, a large scale purifier, and a small scale purifier, each designed to clean the salts from impurities and reduce their corrosion potential. As of now, the small scale has performed with flibe salt, hydrogen, and hydrogen fluoride, yielding clean salt. This salt is currently being used in corrosion testing facilities at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Wisconsin. Working with the beryllium based salts requires extensive safety measures and health monitoring to prevent the development of acute or chronic beryllium disease, two pulmonary diseases created by an allergic reaction to beryllium in the lungs. Extensive health monitoring, engineering controls, and environment monitoring had to be set up with the University of Wisconsin department of Environment, Health and Safety. The hydrogen fluoride required for purification was also an extreme health hazard requiring thoughtful planning and execution. These dangers have made research a slow and tedious process. Simple processes, such as chemical handling and clean-up, can take large amounts of ingenuity and time. Other work has complemented the experimental research at Wisconsin to advance high temperature reactor goals. Modeling work has been performed in house to re

  19. Graphite and carbonaceous materials in a molten salt nuclear reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rousseau, Ginette; Lecocq, Alfred; Hery, Michel.

    1982-09-01

    A project for a molten salt 1000 MWe reactor is studied by EDF-CEA teams. The design provides for a chromesco 3 vessel housing graphite structures in which the salt circulates. The salt (Th, U, Be and Li fluorides) is cooled by direct contact with lead. The graphites and carbonated materials, inert with respect to lead and the fuel salt, are being considered not only as moderators, but as reflectors and in the construction of the sections where the heat exchange takes place. On the basis of the problems raised in the operation of the reactor, a study programme on French experimental materials (Le Carbone Lorraine, SERS, SEP) has been defined. Hence, depending on the function or functions that the material is to ensure in the structure, the criteria of choice which follow will have to be examined: behaviour under irradiation, insertion of a fluid in the material, thermal properties required, mechanical properties required, utilization [fr

  20. A way to limit the corrosion in the Molten Salt Reactor concept: the salt redox potential control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gibilaro, M.; Massot, L.; Chamelot, P.

    2015-01-01

    The possibility of controlling the salt redox potential thanks to a redox buffer in the Molten Salt Fast Reactor was investigated, the goal was to limit the oxidation of the reactor structural material. Tests were performed in LiF-CaF 2 at 850 °C on two different redox couples to fix the salt potential, Eu(III)/Eu(II) and U(IV)/U(III), where the first one was used as inactive system to validate the methodology to be applied on the uranium system. A metallic reducing agent (Gd plate for Eu, and U plate for U system) was inserted in the salt, leading to a spontaneous reaction: Eu(III) and U(IV) were then reduced. Eu(III) was fully converted into Eu(II) with metallic Gd, validating the approach. On the U system, the U(IV)/U(III) ratio has to be set between 10 and 100 to limit the core material oxidation: addition of metallic U decreased the concentration ratio from the infinite to 1, showing the feasibility of the salt redox potential control with the U system

  1. Thorium and Molten Salt Reactors: Essential Questions for Classroom Discussions

    Science.gov (United States)

    DiLisi, Gregory A.; Hirsch, Allison; Murray, Meredith; Rarick, Richard

    2018-04-01

    A little-known type of nuclear reactor called the "molten salt reactor" (MSR), in which nuclear fuel is dissolved in a liquid carrier salt, was proposed in the 1940s and developed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the 1960s. Recently, the MSR has generated renewed interest as a remedy for the drawbacks associated with conventional uranium-fueled light-water reactors (LWRs) in use today. Particular attention has been given to the "thorium molten salt reactor" (TMSR), an MSR engineered specifically to use thorium as its fuel. The purpose of this article is to encourage the TPT community to incorporate discussions of MSRs and the thorium fuel cycle into courses such as "Physics and Society" or "Frontiers of Physics." With this in mind, we piloted a pedagogical approach with 27 teachers in which we described the underlying physics of the TMSR and posed five essential questions for classroom discussions. We assumed teachers had some preexisting knowledge of nuclear reactions, but such prior knowledge was not necessary for inclusion in the classroom discussions. Overall, our material was perceived as a real-world example of physics, fit into a standards-based curriculum, and filled a need in the teaching community for providing unbiased references of alternative energy technologies.

  2. Conceptual design of Indian molten salt breeder reactor

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    A crucial part for achieving reasonable breeding in such reactors ... lization of India's nuclear resource profiles of modest uranium and abundant thorium. The ..... mass flow rate at different powers for various salts and compared with water,.

  3. Salt Repository Project transportation program plan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fisher, R.L.; Greenberg, A.H.; Anderson, T.L.; Yates, K.R.

    1987-01-01

    The Salt Repository Project (SRP) has the responsibility to develop a comprehensive transportation program plan (TrPP) that treats the transportation of workers, supplies, and high-level radioactive waste to the site and the transportation of salt, low-level, and transuranic wastes from the site. The TrPP has developed a systematic approach to transportation which is directed towards satisfying statutes, regulations, and directives and is guided by a hierarchy of specific functional requirements, strategies, plans, and reports. The TrPP identifies and develops the planning process for transportation-related studies and provides guidance to staff in performing and documenting these activities. The TrPP also includes an explanation of the responsibilities of the organizational elements involved in these transportation studies. Several of the report chapters relate to identifying routes for transporting nuclear waste to the site. These include a chapter on identifying an access corridor for a new rail route leading to the site, identifying and evaluating emergency-response preparedness capabilities along candidate routes in the state, and identifying alternative routes from the state border, ports, or in-state reactors to the site. The TrPP also includes plans for identifying salt disposal routes and a discussion of repository/transportation interface requirements. 89 refs., 6 figs

  4. Achieving salt-cooled reactor goals: economics, variable electricity, no major fuel failures - 15118

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Forsberg, C.

    2015-01-01

    The Fluoride-salt-cooled High-temperature Reactor (FHR) with a Nuclear air-Brayton Combined Cycle (NACC) and Firebrick Resistance-Heated Energy Storage (FIRES) is a new reactor concept. The FHR uses High-Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) coated-particle fuel and liquid-salt coolants originally developed for molten salt reactors (MSRs) where the fuel was dissolved in the coolant. The FIRES system consists of high-temperature firebrick heated to high temperatures with electricity at times of low electric prices. For a modular FHR operating with a base-load 100 MWe output, the station output can vary from -242 MWe to +242 MWe. The FHR can be built in different sizes. The reactor concept was developed using a top-down approach: markets, requirements, reactor design. The goals are: (1) increase plant revenue by 50 to 100% relative to base-load nuclear plants with capital costs similar to light-water reactors, (2) enable a zero-carbon nuclear renewable electricity grid, and (3) no potential for major fuel failure and thus no potential for major radionuclide offsite releases in a beyond-design-basis accident (BDBA). The basis for the goals and how they may be achieved is described

  5. Neutronic study of a nuclear reactor of fused salts; Estudio neutronico de un reactor nuclear de sales fundidas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garcia B, F. B.; Francois L, J. L., E-mail: faviolabelen@gmail.com [UNAM, Facultad de Ingenieria, Departamento de Sistemas Energeticos, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico D. F. (Mexico)

    2012-10-15

    The reactors of fused salts called Molten Salt Reactor have presented a resurgence of interest in the last decade, due to they have a versatility in particular to operate, either with a thermal or fast neutrons spectrum. The most active development was by the middle of 1950 and principles of 1970 in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. In this work some developed models are presented particularly and studied with the help of the MCNPX code, for the development of the neutronic study of this reactor, starting of proposed models and from a simple and homogeneous geometry until other more complex models and approximate to more real cases. In particular the geometry conditions and criticality of each model were analyzed, the isotopic balance, as well as the concentrations of the salts and different assigned fuel types. (Author)

  6. Fluoride-Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (FHR) for Power and Process Heat

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Forsberg, Charles [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); Hu, Lin-wen [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); Peterson, Per [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Sridharan, Kumar [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

    2015-01-21

    In 2011 the U.S. Department of Energy through its Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP) awarded a 3- year integrated research project (IRP) to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and its partners at the University of California at Berkeley (UCB) and the University of Wisconsin at Madison (UW). The IRP included Westinghouse Electric Company and an advisory panel chaired by Regis Matzie that provided advice as the project progressed. The first sentence of the proposal stated the goals: The objective of this Integrated Research Project (IRP) is to develop a path forward to a commercially viable salt-cooled solid-fuel high-temperature reactor with superior economic, safety, waste, nonproliferation, and physical security characteristics compared to light-water reactors. This report summarizes major results of this research.

  7. Fluoride-Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (FHR) for Power and Process Heat

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Forsberg, Charles; Hu, Lin-wen; Peterson, Per; Sridharan, Kumar

    2015-01-01

    In 2011 the U.S. Department of Energy through its Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP) awarded a 3- year integrated research project (IRP) to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and its partners at the University of California at Berkeley (UCB) and the University of Wisconsin at Madison (UW). The IRP included Westinghouse Electric Company and an advisory panel chaired by Regis Matzie that provided advice as the project progressed. The first sentence of the proposal stated the goals: The objective of this Integrated Research Project (IRP) is to develop a path forward to a commercially viable salt-cooled solid-fuel high-temperature reactor with superior economic, safety, waste, nonproliferation, and physical security characteristics compared to light-water reactors. This report summarizes major results of this research.

  8. Tritium control and capture in salt-cooled fission and fusion reactors: Status, challenges, and path forward

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Forsberg, Charles W.; Lam, Stephen; Carpenter, David M.; Whyte, Dennis G.; Scarlat, Raluca

    2017-01-01

    Three advanced nuclear power systems use liquid salt coolants that generate tritium and thus face the common challenges of containing and capturing tritium to prevent its release to the environment. The Fluoride-salt-cooled High-temperature Reactor (FHR) uses clean fluoride salt coolants and the same graphite-matrix coated-particle fuel as high-temperature gas-cooled reactors. Molten salt reactors (MSRs) dissolve the fuel in a fluoride or chloride salt with release of fission product tritium into the salt. In most FHR and MSR systems, the base-line salts contain lithium where isotopically separated "7Li is proposed to minimize tritium production from neutron interactions with the salt. The Chinese Academy of Science plans to start operation of a 2-MWt molten salt test reactor by 2020. For high-magnetic-field fusion machines, the use of lithium enriched in "6Li is proposed to maximize tritium generation the fuel for a fusion machine. Advances in superconductors that enable higher power densities may require the use of molten lithium salts for fusion blankets and as coolants. Recent technical advances in these three reactor classes have resulted in increased government and private interest and the beginning of a coordinated effort to address the tritium control challenges in 700 °C liquid salt systems. We describe characteristics of salt-cooled fission and fusion machines, the basis for growing interest in these technologies, tritium generation in molten salts, the environment for tritium capture, models for high-temperature tritium transport in salt systems, alternative strategies for tritium control, and ongoing experimental work. Several methods to control tritium appear viable. Finally, limited experimental data is the primary constraint for designing efficient cost-effective methods of tritium control.

  9. Preliminary safety analysis of molten salt breeder reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheng Maosong; Dai Zhimin

    2013-01-01

    Background: The molten salt reactor is one of the six advanced reactor concepts identified by the Generation IV International Forum as a candidate for cooperative development, which is characterized by remarkable advantages in inherent safety, fuel cycle, miniaturization, effective utilization of nuclear resources and proliferation resistance. ORNL finished the conceptual design of Molten Salt Breeder Reactor (MSBR) based on the design, building and operation of Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE). Purpose: We attempt to implement the preliminary safety analysis of MSBR in order to provide a reference for the design and optimization of MSBR in the future. Methods: According to the conceptual design of MSBR, a model of safety analysis using point kinetics coupled with the simplified heat transfer mechanism is presented. The model is applied to simulate the transient phenomena of MSBR initiated by an abnormal step reactivity addition and an abnormal ramp reactivity addition at full-power equilibrium condition. Results: The thermal power in the core increases rapidly at the beginning and is accompanied by a rise of the fuel and graphite temperatures after 100, 300, 500 and 600 pcm reactivity addition. The maximum outlet temperature of the fuel in the core is at 1250℃ in 500 pcm reactivity addition, but up to 1350℃ in 600 pcm reactivity addition. The maximum of the power and the temperature are delayed and lower in the ramp reactivity addition rather than in the step reactivity addition. Conclusions: Based on the results, when the reactivity inserted is less than 500 pcm in maximum at full power equilibrium condition, the structural material in Hastelloy-N is not melted and can keep integrity without external control action. And it is necessary to try to avoid inserting a reactivity at short time. (authors)

  10. Terrestrial Energy bets on molten salt reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    2015-01-01

    Terrestrial Energy is a Canadian enterprise, founded in 2013, for marketing the integral molten salt reactor (IMSR). A first prototype (called MSRE and with an energy output of 8 MW) was designed and operated between 1965 and 1969 by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. IMSR is a small, modular reactor with a thermal energy output of 400 MW. According to Terrestrial Energy the technology of conventional power reactors is too complicated and too expensive. On the contrary IMSR's technology appears to be simple, easy to operate and affordable. With a staff of 30 people Terrestrial Energy appears to be a start-up in the nuclear sector. A process of pre-licensing will be launched in 2016 with the Canadian nuclear safety authority. (A.C.)

  11. Development of a safety analysis code for molten salt reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Dalin; Qiu Suizheng; Su Guanghui

    2009-01-01

    The molten salt reactor (MSR) well suited to fulfill the criteria defined by the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) is presently revisited all around the world because of different attractive features of current renewed relevance. The MSRs are characterized by using the fluid-fuel, so that their technologies are fundamentally different from those used in the conventional solid-fuel reactors. In this work, in particular, the attention is focused on the safety characteristic analysis of the MSRs, in which a point kinetic model considering the flow effects of the fuel salt is established for the MSRs and calculated by developing a microcomputer code coupling with a simplified heat transfer model in the core. The founded models and developed code are applied to analyze the safety characteristics of the molten salt actinide recycler and transmuter system (MOSART) by simulating three types of basic transient conditions including the unprotected loss of flow, unprotected overcooling accident and unprotected transient overpower. Some reasonable results are obtained for the MOSART, which show that the MOSART conceptual design is an inherently stable reactor design. The present study provides some valuable information for the research and design of the new generation MSRs.

  12. Calculation of the evolution of molten salt breeder reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Esteves, Fernando de Avelar

    1999-01-01

    A forecast for the future electrical consumption in Brazil and forecast of the nuclear electrical generation demand are discussed in this paper, which includes also an analysis on advanced nuclear reactors concept to supply that demand. This paper presents a concise description of the Molten Salt Breeder Reactor, considered the most appropriated to meet that demand. This paper also presents the burnup calculation modeling, including the operation modeling of this type of reactor from an initial load o 233 U up to the equilibrium cycle, the results of these calculations and its analysis. (author)

  13. The Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leblanc, D. [Terrestrial Energy, Mississauga, Ontario (Canada)

    2014-12-15

    The Integral Molten Salt Reactor is a simple burner or converter design that seeks to maximize passive and inherent safety features in order to minimize development time and achieve true cost innovation. Its integration of all primary systems into a unit sealed for the design life of the reactor will be reviewed with focus on the unique design aspects that make this a pragmatic approach. The IMSR is being developed by Terrestrial Energy in a range of power outputs with initial focus on an 80 MWth (32.5 MWe) unit primarily for remote energy needs. Similar units of modestly larger dimension and up to 600 MWth (291 MWe) are planned that remain truck transportable and able to compete in base load electricity markets worldwide. (author)

  14. The Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    LeBlanc, D., E-mail: dleblanc@terrestrialenergy.com [Terrestrial Energy, Mississauga, Ontario (Canada)

    2014-07-01

    The Integral Molten Salt Reactor is a simple burner or converter design that seeks to maximize passive and inherent safety features in order to minimize development time and achieve true cost innovation. Its integration of all primary systems into a unit sealed for the design life of the reactor will be reviewed with focus on the unique design aspects that make this a pragmatic approach. The IMSR is being developed by Terrestrial Energy in a range of power outputs with initial focus on an 80 MWth (32.5 MWe) unit primarily for remote energy needs. Similar units of modestly larger dimension and up to 600 MWth (291 MWe) are planned that remain truck transportable and able to compete in base load electricity markets worldwide. (author)

  15. Simulation tools and new developments of the molten salt fast reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heuer, D.; Merle-Lucotte, E.; Allibert, M.; Doligez, X.; Ghetta, V.

    2010-01-01

    In the MSFR (Molten Salt Fast Reactor), the liquid fuel processing is part of the reactor where a small side stream of the molten salt is processed for fission product removal and then returned to the reactor. Because of this design characteristic, the MSFR can thus operate with a widely varying fuel composition. Our reactor's studies of the MSFR concept rely on numerical simulations making use of the MCNP neutron transport code coupled with a code for Bateman's equations computing the population of any nucleus inside any part of the reactor at any moment. The classical Bateman's equations have been modified by adding 2 terms representing the reprocessing capacities and an online addition. We have thus coupled neutronic and reprocessing simulation codes in a numerical tool used to calculate the extraction efficiencies of fission products, their location in the whole system and radioprotection issues. The very preliminary results show the potential of the neutronic-reprocessing coupling we have developed. We also show that these studies are limited by the uncertainties on the design and the knowledge of the chemical reprocessing processes. (A.C.)

  16. System Requirements Document for the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aigner, R.D.

    2000-04-01

    The purpose of the conversion process is to convert the {sup 233}U fluoride compounds that are being extracted from the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) equipment to a stable oxide for long-term storage at Bldg. 3019.

  17. Basic studies for molten-salt reactor engineering in Japan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishiguro, R.; Sugiyama, K.; Sakashita, H.

    1985-01-01

    A research project of nuclear engineering for the molten-salt reactor is underway which is supported by the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research of the Ministry of Education of Japan. At present, the major effort is devoted only to basic engineering problems because of the limited amount of the grant. The reporters introduce these and related studies that have been carrying out in Japanese universities. Discussions on the following four subjects are summerized in this report: a) Vapour explosion when hight temperature molten-salts are brought into direct contact with water. b) Measurements of exact thermophysical properties of molten-salt. c) Free convection heat transfer with uniform internal heat generation and a constant heating rate from the bottem. d) Stability of frozen salt film on the container surface. (author)

  18. Transient analyses for a molten salt fast reactor with optimized core geometry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, R., E-mail: rui.li@kit.edu [Institute for Nuclear and Energy Technologies (IKET), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, D-76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Wang, S.; Rineiski, A.; Zhang, D. [Institute for Nuclear and Energy Technologies (IKET), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, D-76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Merle-Lucotte, E. [Laboratoire de Physique Subatomique et de Cosmologie – IN2P3 – CNRS/Grenoble INP/UJF, 53, rue des Martyrs, 38026 Grenoble (France)

    2015-10-15

    Highlights: • MSFR core is analyzed by fully coupling neutronics and thermal-hydraulics codes. • We investigated four types of transients intensively with the optimized core geometry. • It demonstrates MSFR has a high safety potential. - Abstract: Molten salt reactors (MSRs) have encountered a marked resurgence of interest over the past decades, highlighted by their inclusion as one of the six candidate reactors of the Generation IV advanced nuclear power systems. The present work is carried out in the framework of the European FP-7 project EVOL (Evaluation and Viability Of Liquid fuel fast reactor system). One of the project tasks is to report on safety analyses: calculations of reactor transients using various numerical codes for the molten salt fast reactor (MSFR) under different boundary conditions, assumptions, and for different selected scenarios. Based on the original reference core geometry, an optimized geometry was proposed by Rouch et al. (2014. Ann. Nucl. Energy 64, 449) on thermal-hydraulic design aspects to avoid a recirculation zone near the blanket which accumulates heat and very high temperature exceeding the salt boiling point. Using both fully neutronics thermal-hydraulic coupled codes (SIMMER and COUPLE), we also re-confirm the efforts step by step toward a core geometry without the recirculation zone in particular as concerns the modifications of the core geometrical shape. Different transients namely Unprotected Loss of Heat Sink (ULOHS), Unprotected Loss of Flow (ULOF), Unprotected Transient Over Power (UTOP), Fuel Salt Over Cooling (FSOC) are intensively investigated and discussed with the optimized core geometry. It is demonstrated that due to inherent negative feedbacks, an MSFR plant has a high safety potential.

  19. Thermodynamic characterization of salt components for the Molten Salt Reactor Fuel - 15573

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Capelli, E.; Konings, R.J.M.; Benes, A.

    2015-01-01

    Molten fluoride salts are considered as primary candidates for nuclear fuel in the Molten Salt Reactor (MSR), one of the 6 generation IV nuclear reactor designs. In order to determine the safety limits and to access the properties of the potential fuel mixtures, thermodynamic studies are very important. This study is a combination of experimental work and thermodynamic modelling and focusses on the fluoride systems with alkaline and alkaline earth fluorides as matrix and ThF 4 , UF 4 and PuF 3 as fertile and fissile materials. The purification of the single components was considered as essential first step for the study of more complex systems and ternary phase diagrams were described using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and drop calorimetry, which are used to measure phase transitions, enthalpy of mixing and heat capacity. In addition to the calorimetric techniques, Knudsen Effusion Mass Spectrometry (KEMS) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) were used to collect data on vapour pressure and crystal structure of fluorides. The results are then coupled with thermodynamic modelling using the Calphad method for the assessment of the phase diagrams. A thermodynamic database describing the most important systems for MSR application has been developed and it has been used to optimize the fuel composition in view of the relevant properties such as melting temperature. A reliable database of thermodynamic properties of fluoride salts has been generated. It includes the key systems for the MSR fuel and it is very useful to predict the properties of the fuel

  20. Subcritical molten salt reactor with fast/intermediate spectrum for minor actinides transmutation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Degtyarev, Alexey M.; Feinberg, Olga S.; Kolyaskin, Oleg E.; Myasnikov, Andrey A.; Karmanov, Fedor I.; Kuznetsov, Andrey Yu.; Ponomarev, Leonid I.; Seregin, Mikhail B.; Sidorkin, Stanislav F.

    2011-01-01

    The subcritical molten-salt reactor for transmutation of Am and Cm with the fast-intermediate neutron spectrum is suggested. It is shown that ∼10 such reactor-burners is enough to support the future nuclear power based on the fast reactors as well as for the transmutation of Am and Cm accumulated in the spent fuel storages. (author)

  1. Neutronic analysis of two-fluid thorium molten salt reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frybort, Jan; Vocka, Radim

    2009-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to evaluate features of the two-fluid MSBR through a parametric study and compare its properties to one-fluid MSBR concepts. The starting point of the analysis is the original ORNL 1000 MWe reactor design, although simplified to some extent. We studied the influence of dimensions of distinct reactor parts - fuel and fertile channels radius, plenum height, design etc. - on fundamental reactor properties: breeding ratio and doubling time, reactor inventory, graphite lifetime, and temperature feedback coefficients. The calculations were carried out using MCNP5 code. Based on obtained results we proposed an improved reactor design. Our results show clear advantages of the concept with two separate fluoride salts if compared to the one fluid concept in breading, doubling time, and temperature feedback coefficients. Limitations of the two-fluid concept - particularly the graphite lifetime - are also pointed out. The reactor design can be a subject of further optimizations, namely from the viewpoint of reactor safety. (author)

  2. Results of and prospects for studies on molten salt nuclear reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hery, M.; Lecocq, A.

    1983-04-01

    This paper reviews the various studies performed in France by the EDF and CEA teams in the field of molten salt nuclear reactors. These studies include graphite moderating systems, feasibility of a 625 MWth core, lead cooling, structural materials, salts tritium diffusion and corrosion. The experience gained allows eventual development prospects of this system to appraised [fr

  3. Validation of the TRACE code for the system dynamic simulations of the molten salt reactor experiment and the preliminary study on the dual fluid molten salt reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He, Xun

    2016-01-01

    Molten Salt Reactor (MSR), which was confirmed as one of the six Generation IV reactor types by the GIF (Generation IV International Forum in 2008), recently draws a lot of attention all around the world. Due to the application of liquid fuels the MSR can be regarded as the most special one among those six GEN-IV reactor types in a sense. A unique advantage of using liquid nuclear fuel lies in that the core melting accident can be thoroughly eliminated. Besides, a molten salt reactor can have several fuel options, for instance, the fuel can be based on "2"3"5U, "2"3"2Th-"2"3"3U, "2"3"8U-"2"3"9Pu cycle or even the spent nuclear fuel (SNF), so the reactor can be operated as a breeder or as an actinides burner both with fast, thermal or epi-thermal neutron spectrum and hence, it has excellent features of the fuel sustainability and for the non-proliferation. Furthermore, the lower operating pressure not only means a lower risk of the explosion as well as the radioactive leakage but also implies that the reactor vessel and its components can be lightweight, thus lowering the cost of equipments. So far there is no commercial MSR being operated. However, the MSR concept and its technical validation dates back to the 1960s to 1970s, when the scientists and engineers from ORNL (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) in the United States managed to build and run the world's first civilian molten salt reactor called MSRE (Molten Salt Reactor Experiment). The MSRE was an experimental liquid-fueled reactor with 10 MW thermal output using "4LiF-BeF_2-ZrF_4-UF_4 as the fuel also as the coolant itself. The MSRE is usually taken as a very important reference case for many current researches to validate their codes and simulations. Without exception it works also as a benchmark for this thesis. The current thesis actually consists of two main parts. The first part is about the validation of the current code for the old MSRE concept, while the second one is about the demonstration of a new

  4. Validation of the TRACE code for the system dynamic simulations of the molten salt reactor experiment and the preliminary study on the dual fluid molten salt reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    He, Xun

    2016-06-14

    Molten Salt Reactor (MSR), which was confirmed as one of the six Generation IV reactor types by the GIF (Generation IV International Forum in 2008), recently draws a lot of attention all around the world. Due to the application of liquid fuels the MSR can be regarded as the most special one among those six GEN-IV reactor types in a sense. A unique advantage of using liquid nuclear fuel lies in that the core melting accident can be thoroughly eliminated. Besides, a molten salt reactor can have several fuel options, for instance, the fuel can be based on {sup 235}U, {sup 232}Th-{sup 233}U, {sup 238}U-{sup 239}Pu cycle or even the spent nuclear fuel (SNF), so the reactor can be operated as a breeder or as an actinides burner both with fast, thermal or epi-thermal neutron spectrum and hence, it has excellent features of the fuel sustainability and for the non-proliferation. Furthermore, the lower operating pressure not only means a lower risk of the explosion as well as the radioactive leakage but also implies that the reactor vessel and its components can be lightweight, thus lowering the cost of equipments. So far there is no commercial MSR being operated. However, the MSR concept and its technical validation dates back to the 1960s to 1970s, when the scientists and engineers from ORNL (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) in the United States managed to build and run the world's first civilian molten salt reactor called MSRE (Molten Salt Reactor Experiment). The MSRE was an experimental liquid-fueled reactor with 10 MW thermal output using {sup 4}LiF-BeF{sub 2}-ZrF{sub 4}-UF{sub 4} as the fuel also as the coolant itself. The MSRE is usually taken as a very important reference case for many current researches to validate their codes and simulations. Without exception it works also as a benchmark for this thesis. The current thesis actually consists of two main parts. The first part is about the validation of the current code for the old MSRE concept, while the second

  5. Program management plan for the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment Remediation Project at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1996-09-01

    The primary mission of the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) Remediation Project is to effectively implement the risk-reduction strategies and technical plans to stabilize and prevent further migration of uranium within the MSRE facility, remove the uranium and fuel salts from the system, and dispose of the fuel and flush salts by storage in appropriate depositories to bring the facility to a surveillance and maintenance condition before decontamination and decommissioning. This Project Management Plan (PMP) for the MSRE Remediation Project details project purpose; technical objectives, milestones, and cost objectives; work plan; work breakdown structure (WBS); schedule; management organization and responsibilities; project management performance measurement planning, and control; conduct of operations; configuration management; environmental, safety, and health compliance; quality assurance; operational readiness reviews; and training

  6. Program management plan for the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment Remediation Project at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1996-09-01

    The primary mission of the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) Remediation Project is to effectively implement the risk-reduction strategies and technical plans to stabilize and prevent further migration of uranium within the MSRE facility, remove the uranium and fuel salts from the system, and dispose of the fuel and flush salts by storage in appropriate depositories to bring the facility to a surveillance and maintenance condition before decontamination and decommissioning. This Project Management Plan (PMP) for the MSRE Remediation Project details project purpose; technical objectives, milestones, and cost objectives; work plan; work breakdown structure (WBS); schedule; management organization and responsibilities; project management performance measurement planning, and control; conduct of operations; configuration management; environmental, safety, and health compliance; quality assurance; operational readiness reviews; and training.

  7. Transient freezing of molten salts in pipe-flow systems: Application to the direct reactor auxiliary cooling system (DRACS)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le Brun, N.; Hewitt, G.F.; Markides, C.N.

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • A thermo-hydraulic model has been proposed to simulate the transient freezing of molten salts in complex piping systems. • The passive safety system DRACS in Generation-IV, molten salt reactor is susceptible to failure due to salt freezing. • For the prototypical 0.2 MW reactor considered in this study considerable freezing occurs after 20 minutes leading to reactor temperatures above 900 °C within 4 hours. • Conservative criteria for the most important/least known variables in the design of DRACS have been discussed. • Over-conservative approaches in designing the NDHX should be used with caution as they can promote pipe clogging due to freezing. - Abstract: The possibility of molten-salt freezing in pipe-flow systems is a key concern for the solar-energy industry and a safety issue in the new generation of molten-salt reactors, worthy of careful consideration. This paper tackles the problem of coolant solidification in complex pipe networks by developing a transient thermohydraulic model and applying it to the ‘Direct Reactor Auxiliary Cooling System’ (DRACS), the passive-safety system proposed for the Generation-IV molten-salt reactors. The results indicate that DRACS, as currently envisioned, is prone to failure due to freezing in the air/molten-salt heat exchanger, which can occur after approximately 20 minutes, leading to reactor temperatures above 900 °C within 4 hours. The occurrence of this scenario is related to an unstable behaviour mode of DRACS in which newly formed solid-salt deposit on the pipe walls acts to decrease the flow-rate in the secondary loop, facilitating additional solid-salt deposition. Conservative criteria are suggested to facilitate preliminary assessments of early-stage DRACS designs. The present study is, to the knowledge of the authors, the first of its kind in serving to illustrate possible safety concerns in molten-salt reactors, which are otherwise considered very safe in the literature. Furthermore

  8. Assessment of Candidate Molten Salt Coolants for the Advanced High Temperature Reactor (AHTR)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Williams, D.F.

    2006-03-24

    The Advanced High-Temperature Reactor (AHTR) is a novel reactor design that utilizes the graphite-matrix high-temperature fuel of helium-cooled reactors, but provides cooling with a high-temperature fluoride salt. For applications at temperatures greater than 900 C the AHTR is also referred to as a Liquid-Salt-Cooled Very High-Temperature Reactor (LS-VHTR). This report provides an assessment of candidate salts proposed as the primary coolant for the AHTR based upon a review of physical properties, nuclear properties, and chemical factors. The physical properties most relevant for coolant service were reviewed. Key chemical factors that influence material compatibility were also analyzed for the purpose of screening salt candidates. Some simple screening factors related to the nuclear properties of salts were also developed. The moderating ratio and neutron-absorption cross-section were compiled for each salt. The short-lived activation products, long-lived transmutation activity, and reactivity coefficients associated with various salt candidates were estimated using a computational model. Table A presents a summary of the properties of the candidate coolant salts. Certain factors in this table, such as melting point, vapor pressure, and nuclear properties, can be viewed as stand-alone parameters for screening candidates. Heat-transfer properties are considered as a group in Sect. 3 in order to evaluate the combined effects of various factors. In the course of this review, it became apparent that the state of the properties database was strong in some areas and weak in others. A qualitative map of the state of the database and predictive capabilities is given in Table B. It is apparent that the property of thermal conductivity has the greatest uncertainty and is the most difficult to measure. The database, with respect to heat capacity, can be improved with modern instruments and modest effort. In general, ''lighter'' (low-Z) salts tend to

  9. A simplified burnup calculation strategy with refueling in static molten salt reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Srivastava, A.K.; Gupta, Anurag; Krishnani, P.D.

    2015-01-01

    Molten Salt Reactors, by nature can be refuelled and reprocessed online. Thus, a simulation methodology has to be developed which can consider online refueling and reprocessing aspect of the reactor. To cater such needs a simplified burnup calculation strategy to account for refueling and removal of molten salt fuel at any desired burnup has been identified in static molten salt reactor in batch mode as a first step of way forward. The features of in-house code ITRAN has been explored for such calculations. The code also enables us to estimate the reactivity introduced in the system due to removal of any number of considered nuclides at any burnup. The effect of refueling fresh fuel and removal of burned fuel has been studied in batch mode with in-house code ITRAN. The effect of refueling and burnup on change in reactivity per day has been analyzed. The analysis of removal of 233 Pa at a particular burnup has been carried out. The similar analysis has been performed for some other nuclides also. (author)

  10. Proposed Guidance for Preparing and Reviewing Molten Salt Nonpower Reactor Licence Applications (NUREG-1537)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Belles, Randy [ORNL; Flanagan, George F. [ORNL; Voth, Marcus [Boston Government Services, LLC

    2018-05-01

    Development of non-power molten salt reactor (MSR) test facilities is under consideration to support the analyses needed for development of a full-scale MSR. These non-power MSR test facilities will require review by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff. This report proposes chapter adaptations for NUREG-1537 in the form of interim staff guidance to address preparation and review of molten salt non-power reactor license applications. The proposed adaptations are based on a previous regulatory gap analysis of select chapters from NUREG-1537 for their applicability to non-power MSRs operating with a homogeneous fuel salt mixture.

  11. Molten salt reactors. Synthesis of studies realized between 1973 and 1983. Carbon-materials file

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-03-01

    The study of a molten salt fueled reactor requires a thorough examination of carbon containing materials for moderator, reflectors and structural materials. Are examined: texture, structure, physical and mechanical properties, chemical purity, neutron irradiation, salt-graphite and salt-lead interactions for different types of graphite. [fr

  12. Pebble Bed Reactors Design Optimization Methods and their Application to the Pebble Bed Fluoride Salt Cooled High Temperature Reactor (PB-FHR)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cisneros, Anselmo Tomas, Jr.

    The Fluoride salt cooled High temperature Reactor (FHR) is a class of advanced nuclear reactors that combine the robust coated particle fuel form from high temperature gas cooled reactors, direct reactor auxillary cooling system (DRACS) passive decay removal of liquid metal fast reactors, and the transparent, high volumetric heat capacitance liquid fluoride salt working fluids---flibe (33%7Li2F-67%BeF)---from molten salt reactors. This combination of fuel and coolant enables FHRs to operate in a high-temperature low-pressure design space that has beneficial safety and economic implications. In 2012, UC Berkeley was charged with developing a pre-conceptual design of a commercial prototype FHR---the Pebble Bed- Fluoride Salt Cooled High Temperature Reactor (PB-FHR)---as part of the Nuclear Energy University Programs' (NEUP) integrated research project. The Mark 1 design of the PB-FHR (Mk1 PB-FHR) is 236 MWt flibe cooled pebble bed nuclear heat source that drives an open-air Brayton combine-cycle power conversion system. The PB-FHR's pebble bed consists of a 19.8% enriched uranium fuel core surrounded by an inert graphite pebble reflector that shields the outer solid graphite reflector, core barrel and reactor vessel. The fuel reaches an average burnup of 178000 MWt-d/MT. The Mk1 PB-FHR exhibits strong negative temperature reactivity feedback from the fuel, graphite moderator and the flibe coolant but a small positive temperature reactivity feedback of the inner reflector and from the outer graphite pebble reflector. A novel neutronics and depletion methodology---the multiple burnup state methodology was developed for an accurate and efficient search for the equilibrium composition of an arbitrary continuously refueled pebble bed reactor core. The Burnup Equilibrium Analysis Utility (BEAU) computer program was developed to implement this methodology. BEAU was successfully benchmarked against published results generated with existing equilibrium depletion codes VSOP

  13. Assessment of the Use of Nitrogen Trifluoride for Purifying Coolant and Heat Transfer Salts in the Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Scheele, Randall D.; Casella, Andrew M.

    2010-09-28

    This report provides an assessment of the use of nitrogen trifluoride for removing oxide and water-caused contaminants in the fluoride salts that will be used as coolants in a molten salt cooled reactor.

  14. Fuel processing for molten-salt reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hightower, J.R. Jr.

    1975-01-01

    Progress is reported on the development of processes for the isolation of protactinium and for the removal of fission products from molten-salt breeder reactors. The metal transfer experiment MTE-3 (for removing rare earths from MSRE fuel salt) was completed and the equipment used in that experiment was examined. The examination showed that no serious corrosion had occurred on the internal surfaces of the vessels, but that serious air oxidation occurred on the external surfaces of the vessels. Analyses of the bismuth phases indicated that the surfaces in contact with the salts were enriched in thorium and iron. Mass transfer coefficients in the mechanically agitated nondispersing contactors were measured in the Salt/Bismuth Flow-through Facility. The measured mass transfer coefficients are about 30 to 40 percent of those predicted by the preferred literature correlation, but were not as low as those seen in some of the runs in MTE-3. Additional studies using water--mercury systems to simulate molten salt-bismuth systems indicated that the model used to interpret results from previous measurements in the water--mercury system has significant deficiencies. Autoresistance heating studies were continued to develop a means of internal heat generation for frozen-wall fluorinators. Equipment was built to test a design of a side arm for the heating electrode. Results of experiments with this equipment indicate that for proper operation the wall temperature must be held much lower than that for which the equipment was designed. Studies with an electrical analog of the equipment indicate that no regions of abnormally high current density exist in the side arm. (JGB)

  15. Molten salt reactors. Synthesis of studies realized between 1973 and 1983. Chemistry file

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-03-01

    The chemistry of molten salt reactors was first acquired by foreign literature and developed by experimental studies. Salt preparation, analysis, chemical and electrochemical properties, interaction with metals or graphites and use of molten lead for direct cooling are examined. [fr

  16. Molten salt reactor type

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1977-01-01

    This document is one of the three parts of a first volume devoted to the compilations of American data on the molten salt reactor concept. This part describes the MSBR core (data presented are from ORNL 4541). The principal characteristics of the core are presented in tables together with plane and elevation drawings, stress being put upon the reflector, and loading and unloading. Neutronic, and thermal and hydraulic characteristics (core and reflectors) are more detailed. The reasons why a graphite with a tight graphite layer has been chosen are briefly exposed. The physical properties of the standard graphite (irradiation behavior) have been determined for an isotropic graphite with fine granulometry; its dimensional variations largely ressemble that of Gilsonite. The mechanical stresses computed (Wigner effect) do not implicate in any way the graphite stack [fr

  17. Kinetics, dynamics and neutron noise in Molten Salt Reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pazsit, Imre

    2013-01-01

    Reactor kinetic and dynamic properties of Molten Salt Reactors (MSR) are investigated in a simple model, which allows closed compact analytical solutions to be obtained. The goal is to gain insight, rather than to produce high-quality quantitative data. Through an interpretation of the different terms in the basic equations, and by means of analytical solutions, various approximations are introduced and their validity discussed. The dynamical behaviour of MSRs and their response to small stationary perturbations is described and discussed in comparison with traditional systems. (author)

  18. Pre-Conceptual Design of a Fluoride-Salt-Cooled Small Modular Advanced High Temperature Reactor (SmAHTR)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Greene, Sherrell R [ORNL; Gehin, Jess C [ORNL; Holcomb, David Eugene [ORNL; Carbajo, Juan J [ORNL; Ilas, Dan [ORNL; Cisneros, Anselmo T [ORNL; Varma, Venugopal Koikal [ORNL; Corwin, William R [ORNL; Wilson, Dane F [ORNL; Yoder Jr, Graydon L [ORNL; Qualls, A L [ORNL; Peretz, Fred J [ORNL; Flanagan, George F [ORNL; Clayton, Dwight A [ORNL; Bradley, Eric Craig [ORNL; Bell, Gary L [ORNL; Hunn, John D [ORNL; Pappano, Peter J [ORNL; Cetiner, Sacit M [ORNL

    2011-02-01

    This document presents the results of a study conducted at Oak Ridge National Laboratory during 2010 to explore the feasibility of small modular fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactors (FHRs). A preliminary reactor system concept, SmATHR (for Small modular Advanced High Temperature Reactor) is described, along with an integrated high-temperature thermal energy storage or salt vault system. The SmAHTR is a 125 MWt, integral primary, liquid salt cooled, coated particle-graphite fueled, low-pressure system operating at 700 C. The system employs passive decay heat removal and two-out-of-three , 50% capacity, subsystem redundancy for critical functions. The reactor vessel is sufficiently small to be transportable on standard commercial tractor-trailer transport vehicles. Initial transient analyses indicated the transition from normal reactor operations to passive decay heat removal is accomplished in a manner that preserves robust safety margins at all times during the transient. Numerous trade studies and trade-space considerations are discussed, along with the resultant initial system concept. The current concept is not optimized. Work remains to more completely define the overall system with particular emphasis on refining the final fuel/core configuration, salt vault configuration, and integrated system dynamics and safety behavior.

  19. Analysis of a molten salt reactor benchmark

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ghosh, Biplab; Bajpai, Anil; Degweker, S.B.

    2013-01-01

    This paper discusses results of our studies of an IAEA molten salt reactor (MSR) benchmark. The benchmark, proposed by Japan, involves burnup calculations of a single lattice cell of a MSR for burning plutonium and other minor actinides. We have analyzed this cell with in-house developed burnup codes BURNTRAN and McBURN. This paper also presents a comparison of the results of our codes and those obtained by the proposers of the benchmark. (author)

  20. An Analysis of Testing Requirements for Fluoride Salt Cooled High Temperature Reactor Components

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Holcomb, David Eugene [ORNL; Cetiner, Sacit M [ORNL; Flanagan, George F [ORNL; Peretz, Fred J [ORNL; Yoder Jr, Graydon L [ORNL

    2009-11-01

    This report provides guidance on the component testing necessary during the next phase of fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactor (FHR) development. In particular, the report identifies and describes the reactor component performance and reliability requirements, provides an overview of what information is necessary to provide assurance that components will adequately achieve the requirements, and then provides guidance on how the required performance information can efficiently be obtained. The report includes a system description of a representative test scale FHR reactor. The reactor parameters presented in this report should only be considered as placeholder values until an FHR test scale reactor design is completed. The report focus is bounded at the interface between and the reactor primary coolant salt and the fuel and the gas supply and return to the Brayton cycle power conversion system. The analysis is limited to component level testing and does not address system level testing issues. Further, the report is oriented as a bottom-up testing requirements analysis as opposed to a having a top-down facility description focus.

  1. Simulation tool of the on-line reprocessing unit of a molten salt reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Simon, Nicole; Conocar, Olivier; Boussier, Hubert; Gastaldi, Olivier; Penit, Thomas; Walle, Eric; Huguet, Anne

    2006-01-01

    Molten salt reactor (MSR) is an interesting technology selected in the frame of the Generation IV forum. In the MSR, actinides are diluted in a molten salt which is both the fuel and the coolant. The ability of such a reactor is the reducing of the long-lived wastes due to high burn-up and the on-site simplified reprocessing directly connected with the core which preserve the salt properties necessary for its correct operation. Here is defined a flexible computer reprocessing code which can use data from neutronic calculations and can be coupled to a neutronic code. The code allow the description the whole behaviour of MSR, including, a coupled manner, both the design of the core and the optimised reprocessing scheme effects. (authors)

  2. An experimental test facility to support development of the fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoder, Graydon L.; Aaron, Adam; Cunningham, Burns; Fugate, David; Holcomb, David; Kisner, Roger; Peretz, Fred; Robb, Kevin; Wilgen, John; Wilson, Dane

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • • A forced convection test loop using FLiNaK salt was constructed to support development of the FHR. • The loop is built of alloy 600, and operating conditions are prototypic of expected FHR operation. • The initial test article is designed to study pebble bed heat transfer cooled by FLiNaK salt. • The test facility includes silicon carbide test components as salt boundaries. • Salt testing with silicon carbide and alloy 600 confirmed acceptable loop component lifetime. - Abstract: The need for high-temperature (greater than 600 °C) energy transport systems is significantly increasing as the world strives to improve energy efficiency and develop alternatives to petroleum-based fuels. Liquid fluoride salts are one of the few energy transport fluids that have the capability of operating at high temperatures in combination with low system pressures. The fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature reactor design uses fluoride salt to remove core heat and interface with a power conversion system. Although a significant amount of experimentation has been performed with these salts, specific aspects of this reactor concept will require experimental confirmation during the development process. The experimental facility described here has been constructed to support the development of the fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature reactor concept. The facility is capable of operating at up to 700 °C and incorporates a centrifugal pump to circulate FLiNaK salt through a removable test section. A unique inductive heating technique is used to apply heat to the test section, allowing heat transfer testing to be performed. An air-cooled heat exchanger removes added heat. Supporting loop infrastructure includes a pressure control system, a trace heating system, and a complement of instrumentation to measure salt flow, temperatures, and pressures around the loop. The initial experiment is aimed at measuring fluoride-salt heat transfer inside a heated pebble bed

  3. Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor Technology Development and Demonstration Roadmap

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Holcomb, David Eugene [ORNL; Flanagan, George F [ORNL; Mays, Gary T [ORNL; Pointer, William David [ORNL; Robb, Kevin R [ORNL; Yoder Jr, Graydon L [ORNL

    2013-11-01

    Fluoride salt-cooled High-temperature Reactors (FHRs) are an emerging reactor class with potentially advantageous performance characteristics, and fully passive safety. This roadmap describes the principal remaining FHR technology challenges and the development path needed to address the challenges. This roadmap also provides an integrated overview of the current status of the broad set of technologies necessary to design, evaluate, license, construct, operate, and maintain FHRs. First-generation FHRs will not require any technology breakthroughs, but do require significant concept development, system integration, and technology maturation. FHRs are currently entering early phase engineering development. As such, this roadmap is not as technically detailed or specific as would be the case for a more mature reactor class. The higher cost of fuel and coolant, the lack of an approved licensing framework, the lack of qualified, salt-compatible structural materials, and the potential for tritium release into the environment are the most obvious issues that remain to be resolved.

  4. Measurement of europium (III)/europium (II) couple in fluoride molten salt for redox control in a molten salt reactor concept

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Shaoqiang; Shay, Nikolas; Wang, Yafei; Zhou, Wentao; Zhang, Jinsuo

    2017-12-01

    The fluoride molten salt such as FLiNaK and FLiBe is one of the coolant candidates for the next generation nuclear reactor concepts, for example, the fluoride salt cooled high temperature reactor (FHR). For mitigating corrosion of structural materials in molten fluoride salt, the redox condition of the salts needs to be monitored and controlled. This study investigates the feasibility of applying the Eu3+/Eu2+ couple for redox control. Cyclic voltammetry measurements of the Eu3+/Eu2+ couple were able to obtain the concentrations ratio of Eu3+/Eu2+ in the melt. Additionally, the formal standard potential of Eu3+/Eu2+ was characterized over the FHR's operating temperatures allowing for the application of the Nernst equation to establish a Eu3+/Eu2+ concentration ratio below 0.05 to prevent corrosion of candidate structural materials. A platinum quasi-reference electrode with potential calibrated by potassium reduction potential is shown as reliable for the redox potential measurement. These results show that the Eu3+/Eu2+ couple is a feasible redox buffering agent to control the redox condition in molten fluoride salts.

  5. Transient Analyses for a Molten Salt Transmutation Reactor Using the Extended SIMMER-III Code

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Shisheng; Rineiski, Andrei; Maschek, Werner; Ignatiev, Victor

    2006-01-01

    Recent developments extending the capabilities of the SIMMER-III code for the dealing with transient and accidents in Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs) are presented. These extensions refer to the movable precursor modeling within the space-time dependent neutronics framework of SIMMER-III, to the molten salt flow modeling, and to new equations of state for various salts. An important new SIMMER-III feature is that the space-time distribution of the various precursor families with different decay constants can be computed and took into account in neutron/reactivity balance calculations and, if necessary, visualized. The system is coded and tested for a molten salt transmuter. This new feature is also of interest in core disruptive accidents of fast reactors when the core melts and the molten fuel is redistributed. (authors)

  6. NCSU Reactor Sharing Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perez, P.B.

    1993-01-01

    The Nuclear Reactor Program at North Carolina State University provides the PULSTAR Research Reactor and associated facilities to eligible institutions with support, in part, from the Department of Energy Reactor Sharing Program. Participation in the NCSU Reactor Sharing Program continues to increase steadily with visitors ranging from advance high school physics and chemistry students to Ph.D. level research from neighboring universities

  7. The in-core experimental program at the MIT Research Reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kohse, G.E.; Hu, L-W., E-mail: kohse@mit.edu [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology, Nuclear Reactor Lab., Cambridge, Massachusetts (United States)

    2014-07-01

    This paper describes the program of in-core experiments at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Research Reactor (MITR), a 6 MW research reactor. The MITR has a neutron flux and spectrum similar to those in water-cooled power reactors and therefore provides a useful test environment for materials and fuels research. In-core facilities include: a water loop operating at pressurized water or boiling water reactor conditions, an inert gas irradiation facility operating at temperature up to 850 {sup o}C and special purpose facilities including fuel irradiation experiments. Recent and ongoing tests include: water loop investigations of corrosion and thermal and mechanical property evolution of SiC/SiC composites for fuel cladding, irradiation of advanced materials and in-core sensors at elevated temperatures, irradiation in molten fluoride salt at 700 {sup o}C of metal alloy, graphite and composite materials for power reactor applications and instrumented irradiations of metal-bonded hydride fuel. (author)

  8. Molten Salt Reactor in the Overview and Perspective of Technological Assessment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Julia Abdul Karim; Khaironie Md Takip; Muhammad Khairul Arif Mustafa; Mohd Hairie Rabir; Lanyau, T.; Tom, P.P.

    2016-01-01

    Full text: A Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) is unique in its characteristics that offer safer operation, deliver efficient power output that can assure in the sustainable energy production without CO_2 emissions. Several concepts of this kind of reactor have been proposed by stake holder with different design and configuration and up to date they are exasperating to obtain an optimum workable solution to the fuel salt composition in the foresee of neutronic properties, operating temperature, actinide and fission products solubility, chemical control and processing, materials compatibility and handling of waste. Hence, these key issues are wide open as the potential Research and Development in the specific areas of studies. In addition to that, concern arise in the viewpoint of socioeconomic, politics, public acceptance, safety and security, proven technology, proliferation resistance and physical protection that also need to give special attention in problem solving. The worldwide collaboration through Gen IV International Forum has discussed the potential of MSR and addresses on the issues globally. Recently, Malaysia has taken an initiative aiming to participate in MSR studies due to its potential as an energy source using thorium. Therefore, this paper is focusing on the technology assessment for Thorium-breeding Molten Salt Reactor (TMSR) especially on the ability of utilizing thorium as fuel. This assessment also will help to enhance the understanding of thorium beneficiation to cater for the energy demand. (author)

  9. Mesocarbon microbead based graphite for spherical fuel element to inhibit the infiltration of liquid fluoride salt in molten salt reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhong, Yajuan, E-mail: yajuan.zhong@gmail.com [Center for Thorium Molten Salt Reactor System, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); CAS Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan 030001 (China); Zhang, Junpeng [CAS Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan 030001 (China); Lin, Jun, E-mail: linjun@sinap.ac.cn [Center for Thorium Molten Salt Reactor System, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); Xu, Liujun [Center for Thorium Molten Salt Reactor System, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Zhang, Feng; Xu, Hongxia; Chen, Yu; Jiang, Haitao; Li, Ziwei; Zhu, Zhiyong [Center for Thorium Molten Salt Reactor System, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); Guo, Quangui [CAS Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan 030001 (China)

    2017-07-15

    Mesocarbon microbeads (MCMB) and quasi-isostatic pressing method were used to prepare MCMB based graphite (MG) for spherical fuel element to inhibit the infiltration of liquid fluoride salt in molten salt reactor (MSR). Characteristics of mercury infiltration and molten salt infiltration in MG were investigated and compared with A3-3 (graphite for spherical fuel element in high temperature gas cooled reactor) to identify the infiltration behaviors. The results indicated that MG had a low porosity about 14%, and an average pore diameter of 96 nm. Fluoride salt occupation of A3-3 (average pore diameter was 760 nm) was 10 wt% under 6.5 atm, whereas salt gain did not infiltrate in MG even up to 6.5 atm. It demonstrated that MG could inhibit the infiltration of liquid fluoride salt effectively. Coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of MG lies in 6.01 × 10{sup −6} K{sup −1} (α{sub ∥}) and 6.15 × 10{sup −6} K{sup −1} (α{sub ⊥}) at the temperature range of 25–700 °C. The anisotropy factor of MG calculated by CTE maintained below 1.02, which could meet the requirement of the spherical fuel element (below 1.30). The constant isotropic property of MG is beneficial for the integrity and safety of the graphite used in the spherical fuel element for a MSR.

  10. Mesocarbon microbead based graphite for spherical fuel element to inhibit the infiltration of liquid fluoride salt in molten salt reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhong, Yajuan; Zhang, Junpeng; Lin, Jun; Xu, Liujun; Zhang, Feng; Xu, Hongxia; Chen, Yu; Jiang, Haitao; Li, Ziwei; Zhu, Zhiyong; Guo, Quangui

    2017-01-01

    Mesocarbon microbeads (MCMB) and quasi-isostatic pressing method were used to prepare MCMB based graphite (MG) for spherical fuel element to inhibit the infiltration of liquid fluoride salt in molten salt reactor (MSR). Characteristics of mercury infiltration and molten salt infiltration in MG were investigated and compared with A3-3 (graphite for spherical fuel element in high temperature gas cooled reactor) to identify the infiltration behaviors. The results indicated that MG had a low porosity about 14%, and an average pore diameter of 96 nm. Fluoride salt occupation of A3-3 (average pore diameter was 760 nm) was 10 wt% under 6.5 atm, whereas salt gain did not infiltrate in MG even up to 6.5 atm. It demonstrated that MG could inhibit the infiltration of liquid fluoride salt effectively. Coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of MG lies in 6.01 × 10 −6 K −1 (α ∥ ) and 6.15 × 10 −6 K −1 (α ⊥ ) at the temperature range of 25–700 °C. The anisotropy factor of MG calculated by CTE maintained below 1.02, which could meet the requirement of the spherical fuel element (below 1.30). The constant isotropic property of MG is beneficial for the integrity and safety of the graphite used in the spherical fuel element for a MSR.

  11. Thermodynamics of soluble fission products cesium and iodine in the Molten Salt Reactor

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Capelli, E.; Beneš, O.; Konings, R.J.M.

    2018-01-01

    The present study describes the full thermodynamic assessment of the Li,Cs,Th//F,I system. The existing database for the relevant fluoride salts considered as fuel for the Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) has been extended with two key fission products, cesium and iodine. A complete evaluation of all

  12. Molten-Salt Reactors: Report for 1960 Ten-Year-Plan Evaluation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    MacPherson, H. G.

    1960-01-01

    For purposes of this evaluation, the molten-salt reactor is considered as an advanced concept. It is considered not to have a status of a current technology adequate to allow the construction of large-scale power plants, since no power reactor has been built or even designed in detail. As a result there can be no estimate of present cost of power, and the projection of power costs to later years is necessarily based on general arguments rather than detailed considerations.

  13. Process technology for the molten-salt reactor 233U--Th cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hightower, J.R. Jr.

    1975-01-01

    After a brief description of the design features of the molten-salt breeder reactor, fuel processing for removal of 233 Pa and fission products is examined. Some recent developments in processing technology are discussed

  14. Transient thermal characteristics of a core channel in a molten salt reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakashita, H.; Ishiguro, R.; Sugiyama, K.

    1987-01-01

    The present paper deals with the thermal characteristics of Molten Salt Reactor (MSR). Analyses of the fundamental behavior of internal heat generating fluid and graphite contiguous to the fluid are performed. As a result, it is known that the transient thermal characteristics of MSR differ fundamentally from those of a solid-fuel reactor, and the simplified method of thermal analysis which is commonly used for solid-fuel reactors gives optimistic predictions than the actual phenomena. (author)

  15. Reactor chemical considerations of the accelerator molten-salt breeders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Furukawa, Kazuo; Kato, Yoshio; Ohno, Hideo; Ohmichi, Toshihiko

    1982-01-01

    A single phase of the molten fluoride mixture is simultaneously functionable as a nuclear reaction medium, a heat medium and a chemical processing medium. Applying this characteristics of molten salts, the single-fluid type accelerator molten-salt breeder (AMSB) concept was proposed, in which 7 LiF-BeF 2 -ThF 4 was served as a target-and-blanket salt (Fig. 1 and Table 1), and the detailed discussion on the chemical aspects of AMSB are presented (Tables 2 -- 4 and Fig.2). Owing to the small total amount of radiowaste and the low concentrations of each element in target salt, AMSB would be chemically managable. The performance of the standard-type AMSB is improved by adding 0.3 -- 0.8 m/o 233 UF 4 as follows(Tables 1 and 4, and Figs. 2 and 3): (a) this ''high-gain'' type AMSB is feasible to design chemically, in which still only small amount of radiowaste is included ; (b) the fissile material production rate will be increased significantly; (c) this target salt is straightly fed as an 233 U additive to the fuel of molten-salt converter reactor (MSCR) ; (d) the dirty fuel salt suctioned from MSCR is batch-reprocessed in the safeguarded regional center, in which many AMSB are facilitated ; (e) the isolated 233 UF 4 is blended in the target salt sent to many MSCRs, and the cleaned residual fertile salt is used as a diluent of AMSB salt ; (f) this simple and rational thorium fuel breeding cycle system is also suitable for the nuclear nonproliferation and for the fabrication of smaller size power-stations. (author)

  16. Three-dimensional numerical investigation of a Molten Salt reactor concept with the code CFX-5.5

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamaji, B.; Csom, G.; Aszodi, A.

    2002-01-01

    Partitioning and transmutation of actinides and long-lived fission products is a promising option to extend the possibilities and enhance the environmentally acceptable capabilities of nuclear energy. Also the possible implementation of the thorium cycle is considered as a way to reduce the problem of energy resources in the future. For both objectives different molten salt reactor concepts were proposed mainly based on the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Not only critical reactors but also accelerator-driven subcritical systems (ADSs) have advantages worth considering for those aims, especially those ones with liquid fuel, such as molten salts. By using liquid fuel which is the coolant medium, too, a basically different thermalhydraulic behavior is expected than in the case of solid fuel and water coolant. In this work our purpose is to present the possible use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) technology in molten salt thermal hydraulics. The simulations were performed with the three-dimensional code CFX-5.5.(author)

  17. Research and Development Program in Reactor Diagnostics and Monitoring with Neutron Noise Methods. Stages 14 and 15

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pazsit, Imre; Wihlstrand, Gustav; Tambouratzis, Tatiana; Jonsson, Anders; Dahl, Berit

    2009-12-01

    This report constitutes Stages 14 and 15 of a long-term research and development program concerning the development of diagnostics and monitoring methods for nuclear reactors. Stage 14 was a full one-year project, whereas Stage 15 consisted of a half-year project. The program executed in Stages 14 and 15 consists of the following three parts: - Study of criticality, neutron kinetics and neutron noise in molten salt reactors (MSR) (Stages 14 and 15); - An overview and introduction to fuzzy logics (Stage 14), and an application to two-phase flow identification (Stage 15) - Preparations for and execution of an IAEA-ICTP workshop on Neutron fluctuations, reactor noise and their applications in nuclear reactors (Stage 14)

  18. Research and Development Program in Reactor Diagnostics and Monitoring with Neutron Noise Methods. Stages 14 and 15

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pazsit, Imre; Wihlstrand, Gustav; Tambouratzis, Tatiana; Jonsson, Anders; Dahl, Berit (Chalmers Univ. of Technology, Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, SE-412 96 Goeteborg (Sweden))

    2009-12-15

    This report constitutes Stages 14 and 15 of a long-term research and development program concerning the development of diagnostics and monitoring methods for nuclear reactors. Stage 14 was a full one-year project, whereas Stage 15 consisted of a half-year project. The program executed in Stages 14 and 15 consists of the following three parts: - Study of criticality, neutron kinetics and neutron noise in molten salt reactors (MSR) (Stages 14 and 15); - An overview and introduction to fuzzy logics (Stage 14), and an application to two-phase flow identification (Stage 15) - Preparations for and execution of an IAEA-ICTP workshop on Neutron fluctuations, reactor noise and their applications in nuclear reactors (Stage 14)

  19. Vortex Diode Analysis and Testing for Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoder, Graydon L. Jr.; Elkassabgi, Yousri M.; De Leon, Gerardo I.; Fetterly, Caitlin N.; Ramos, Jorge A.; Cunningham, Richard Burns

    2012-01-01

    Fluidic diodes are presently being considered for use in several fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor designs. A fluidic diode is a passive device that acts as a leaky check valve. These devices are installed in emergency heat removal systems that are designed to passively remove reactor decay heat using natural circulation. The direct reactor auxiliary cooling system (DRACS) uses DRACS salt-to-salt heat exchangers (DHXs) that operate in a path parallel to the core flow. Because of this geometry, under normal operating conditions some flow bypasses the core and flows through the DHX. A flow diode, operating in reverse direction, is-used to minimize this flow when the primary coolant pumps are in operation, while allowing forward flow through the DHX under natural circulation conditions. The DRACSs reject the core decay heat to the environment under loss-of-flow accident conditions and as such are a reactor safety feature. Fluidic diodes have not previously been used in an operating reactor system, and therefore their characteristics must be quantified to ensure successful operation. This report parametrically examines multiple design parameters of a vortex-type fluidic diode to determine the size of diode needed to reject a particular amount of decay heat. Additional calculations were performed to size a scaled diode that could be tested in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Liquid Salt Flow Loop. These parametric studies have shown that a 152.4 mm diode could be used as a test article in that facility. A design for this diode is developed, and changes to the loop that will be necessary to test the diode are discussed. Initial testing of a scaled flow diode has been carried out in a water loop. The 150 mm diode design discussed above was modified to improve performance, and the final design tested was a 171.45 mm diameter vortex diode. The results of this testing indicate that diodicities of about 20 can be obtained for diodes of this size. Experimental

  20. Assessment of the Neutronic and Fuel Cycle Performance of the Transatomic Power Molten Salt Reactor Design

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Robertson, Sean [Transatomic Power Corp., Cambridge, MA (United States); Dewan, Leslie [Transatomic Power Corp., Cambridge, MA (United States); Massie, Mark [Transatomic Power Corp., Cambridge, MA (United States); Davidson, Eva E. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Betzler, Benjamin R. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Worrall, Andrew [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Powers, Jeffrey J. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

    2017-09-01

    This report presents results from a collaboration between Transatomic Power Corporation (TAP) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to provide neutronic and fuel cycle analysis of the TAP core design through the Department of Energy Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) Nuclear Energy Voucher program. The TAP concept is a molten salt reactor using configurable zirconium hydride moderator rod assemblies to shift the neutron spectrum in the core from mostly epithermal at beginning of life to thermal at end of life. Additional developments in the ChemTriton modeling and simulation tool provide the critical moderator-to-fuel ratio searches and time-dependent parameters necessary to simulate the continuously changing physics in this complex system. The implementation of continuous-energy Monte Carlo transport and depletion tools in ChemTriton provide for full-core three-dimensional modeling and simulation. Results from simulations with these tools show agreement with TAP-calculated performance metrics for core lifetime, discharge burnup, and salt volume fraction, verifying the viability of reducing actinide waste production with this concept. Additional analyses of mass feed rates and enrichments, isotopic removals, tritium generation, core power distribution, core vessel helium generation, moderator rod heat deposition, and reactivity coeffcients provide additional information to make informed design decisions. This work demonstrates capabilities of ORNL modeling and simulation tools for neutronic and fuel cycle analysis of molten salt reactor concepts.

  1. Analysis of the transmutational characteristics of a novel molten salt reactor concept

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Csom, Gy.; Feher, S.; Szieberth, M.

    2001-01-01

    One of the arguments most frequently brought up by the opponents of the utilization of nuclear energy is the requirement that the radioactive waste and the long-lived radioisotopes accumulated in the spent fuel should be isolated for a very long time from the biosphere. The solution is the elimination of long-lived actinides (plutonium isotopes and minor actinides) and long-lived fission products by transforming (transmuting) them into short-lived or stable nuclei. The high neutron flux required for transmutation can be realized in nuclear installations. these may be conventional therma; and fast reactors, furthermore dedicated devices, namely thermal and fast reactors and accelerator driven subcritical systems (ADSs), which are specifically designed for this purpose. Some of the most promising systems are the molten salt reactors and subcritical systems, in which the fuel and material to be transmuted circulate dissolved in some molten salt. In the present paper this transmutational device, as well as recommendations for the improvement are discussed in detail (Authors)

  2. Process and apparatus for extraction of gases produced during operation of a fused-salt nuclear reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blum, J.; Marie, J.

    1976-01-01

    The present invention relates to the field of fused-salt nuclear reactors and its object is the extraction of the gases produced in the course of operation of these reactors. The process according to the invention consists in placing into position a piece of material permeable for gases and impermeable for the used fused salts, for instance, a piece of graphite, in such a way that part of the surface of this piece is in contact with the circuit of the radioactive salts and another part connected to a gas suction device. The piece could also be scavenged in its mass by a flow of inert gas. Application is contemplated in reactors using a mixture of lithium fluoride, beryllium fluoride, and uranium and/or thorium fluoride. 10 claims, 2 drawing figures

  3. Open problems in reprocessing of a molten salt reactor fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lelek, Vladimir; Vocka, Radim

    2000-01-01

    The study of fuel cycle in a molten salt reactor (MSR) needs deeper understanding of chemical methods used for reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel and preparation of MSR fuel, as well as of the methods employed for reprocessing of MSR fuel itself. Assuming that all the reprocessing is done on the basis of electrorefining, we formulate some open questions that should be answered before a flow sheet diagram of the reactor is designed. Most of the questions concern phenomena taking place in the vicinity of an electrode, which influence the efficiency of the reprocessing and sensibility of element separation. Answer to these questions would be an important step forward in reactor set out. (Authors)

  4. Fuel cycle cost analysis on molten-salt reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shimazu, Yoichiro

    1976-01-01

    An evaluation is made of the fuel cycle costs for molten-salt reactors (MSR's), developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Eight combinations of conditions affecting fuel cycle costs are compared, covering 233 U-Th, 235 U-Th and 239 Pu-Th fuels, with and without on-site continuous fuel reprocessing. The resulting fuel cycle costs range from 0.61 to 1.18 mill/kWh. A discussion is also given on the practicability of these fuel cycles. The calculations indicate that somewhat lower fuel cycle costs can be expected from reactor operation in converter mode on 235 U make-up with fuel reprocessed in batches every 10 years to avoid fission product precipitation, than from operation as 233 U-Th breeder with continuous reprocessing. (auth.)

  5. Coupled neutronics/thermal-hydraulics for analysis of molten salt reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guo, Zhangpeng; Zhou, Jianjun; Zhang, Dalin; Chaudri, Khurrum Saleem; Tian, Wenxi; Su, Guanghui; Qiu, Suizheng

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► A multiple-channel analysis code (MAC) is developed to be coupled with MCNP. ► 1/8 of core is simulated in MCNP and thermal-hydraulic code. ► The coupling calculation can achieve stable state after a few iterations. ► The coupling calculation results are in reasonable agreement with the analytic solutions of the ORNL. ► Parametric studies of MSR are performed to provide valuable information for future design MSR. -- Abstract: The Generation IV International Forum (GIF) selected molten salt reactor (MSR) among six advanced reactor types. It is characterized by a liquid circulating fuel that also serves as coolant. In this study, a multiple-channel analysis code (MAC) is developed and it is coupled with MCNP4c to analyze the neutronics/thermal-hydraulics behavior of molten salt reactor experiment (MSRE). The MAC calculates thermal-hydraulic parameters, such as temperature distribution, flow distribution and pressure drop. MCNP4c performs the analysis of effective multiplication factor, neutron flux and power distribution. A linkage code is developed to exchange data between MAC and MCNP to implement coupling iteration process until the power convergence is achieved. The coupling calculation can achieve converged solution after a few iterations. The results are in reasonable agreement with the analytic solutions from the ORNL. For further design analysis, parametric studies are performed to provide valuable information for new design of MSR. The effect of inlet temperature, graphite to molten salt volume ratio (G/Ms) from varying channel diameter and different power levels on the effective multiplication factor, neutron flux, graphite lifetime and temperature distribution are discussed in detail

  6. Fission product behavior in the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Compere, E.L.; Kirslis, S.S.; Bohlmann, E.G.; Blankenship, F.F.; Grimes, W.R.

    1975-10-01

    Essentially all the fission product data for numerous and varied samples taken during operation of the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment or as part of the examination of specimens removed after particular phases of operation are reported, together with the appropriate inventory or other basis of comparison, and relevant reactor parameters and conditions. Fission product behavior fell into distinct chemical groups. Evidence for fission product behavior during operation over a period of 26 months with 235 U fuel (more than 9000 effective full-power hours) was consistent with behavior during operation using 233 U fuel over a period of about 15 months (more than 5100 effective full-power hours)

  7. Study of the pyrochemical treatment-recycling process of the Molten Salt Reactor fuel; Estudio de sistema de un proceso de tratamiento-reciclaje piroquimico del combustible de un reactor de sales fundidas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boussier, H.; Heuer, D.

    2010-07-01

    The Separation Processes Studies Laboratory (Commissariat a l'energie Atomique) has made a preliminary assessment of the reprocessing system associated with Molten Salt Fast Reactor (MSFR). The scheme studied in this paper is based on the principle of reductive extraction and metal transfer that constituted the core process designed for the Molten Salt Breeder Reactor (MSBR), although the flow diagram has been adapted to the current needs of the Molten Salt Fast Reactor (MSFR).

  8. Thorium converter (ThorCon) - a doable molten salt reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Myneni, Ganapati

    2015-01-01

    ThorCon mass-producible nuclear power plants are being built to generate electricity cheaper than coal, at a scale to make a real improvement in world poverty and environment, now. ThorCon irradiated materials and fuel salt are designed to be replaced in four-year cycles with no impact on electricity generation. This flex-fuel plant and its replaceable reactor cans can operate with mixtures of thorium and uranium at multiple enrichments. Fuel salt can be NaF/BeF 2 or LiF/BeF 2 if available. ThorCon's design exceeds current nuclear power safety practice. The team calls for regulatory participation in rigorous testing of a full-scale prototype to develop licensing guidance

  9. A Novel Molten Salt Reactor Concept to Implement the Multi-Step Time-Scheduled Transmutation Strategy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Csom, Gyula; Feher, Sandor; Szieberthj, Mate

    2002-01-01

    Nowadays the molten salt reactor (MSR) concept seems to revive as one of the most promising systems for the realization of transmutation. In the molten salt reactors and subcritical systems the fuel and material to be transmuted circulate dissolved in some molten salt. The main advantage of this reactor type is the possibility of the continuous feed and reprocessing of the fuel. In the present paper a novel molten salt reactor concept is introduced and its transmutation capabilities are studied. The goal is the development of a transmutation technique along with a device implementing it, which yield higher transmutation efficiencies than that of the known procedures and thus results in radioactive waste whose load on the environment is reduced both in magnitude and time length. The procedure is the multi-step time-scheduled transmutation, in which transformation is done in several consecutive steps of different neutron flux and spectrum. In the new MSR concept, named 'multi-region' MSR (MRMSR), the primary circuit is made up of a few separate loops, in which salt-fuel mixtures of different compositions are circulated. The loop sections constituting the core region are only neutronically and thermally coupled. This new concept makes possible the utilization of the spatial dependence of spectrum as well as the advantageous features of liquid fuel such as the possibility of continuous chemical processing etc. In order to compare a 'conventional' MSR and a proposed MRMSR in terms of efficiency, preliminary calculational results are shown. Further calculations in order to find the optimal implementation of this new concept and to emphasize its other advantageous features are going on. (authors)

  10. Reactor Sharing Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tehan, Terry

    2002-01-01

    Support utilization of the RINSC reactor for student and faculty instructions and research. The Department of Energy award has provided financial assistance during the period 9/29/1995 to 5/31/2001 to support the utilization of the Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center (RINSC) reactor for student and faculty instruction and research by non-reactor owning educational institutions within approximately 300 miles of Narragansett, Rhode Island. Through the reactor sharing program, the RINSC (including the reactor and analytical laboratories) provided reactor services and laboratory space that were not available to the other universities and colleges in the region. As an example of services provided to the users: Counting equipment, laboratory space, pneumatic and in-pool irradiations, demonstrations of sample counting and analysis, reactor tours and lectures. Funding from the Reactor Sharing Program has provided the RINSC to expand student tours and demonstration programs that emphasized our long history of providing these types of services to the universities and colleges in the area. The funding have also helped defray the cost of the technical assistance that the staff has routinely provided to schools, individuals and researchers who have called on the RINSC for resolution of problems relating to nuclear science. The reactor has been featured in a Public Broadcasting System documentary on Pollution in the Arctic and how a University of Rhode Island Professor used Neutron Activation Analysis conducted at the RINSC to discover the sources of the ''Arctic Haze''. The RINSC was also featured by local television on Earth Day for its role in environmental monitoring

  11. The effects of core zoning on optimization of design analysis of molten salt reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guo, Zhangpeng; Wang, Chenglong; Zhang, Dalin; Chaudri, Khurrum Saleem; Tian, Wenxi; Su, Guanghui; Qiu, Suizheng

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • 1/8 of core is simulated by MCNP and thermal-hydraulic code simultaneously. • Effects of core zoning are studied by dividing the core into two regions. • Both the neutronics and thermal-hydraulic behavior are investigated. • The flat flux distribution is achieved in the optimization analysis. • The flat flux can lead to worse thermal-hydraulic behavior occasionally. - Abstract: The molten salt reactor (MSR) is one of six advanced reactor types in the frame of the Generation 4 International Forum. In this study, a multiple-channel analysis code (MAC) is developed to analyze thermal-hydraulics behavior and MCNP4c is used to study the neutronics behavior of Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE). The MAC calculates thermal-hydraulic parameters, namely temperature distribution, flow distribution and pressure drop. The MCNP4c performs the analysis of effective multiplication factor, neutron flux, power distribution and conversion ratio. In this work, the modification of core configuration is achieved by different core zoning and various fuel channel diameters, contributing to flat flux distribution. Specifically, the core is divided into two regions and the effects of different core zoning on the both neutronics and thermal-hydraulic behavior of moderated molten salt reactor are investigated. We conclude that the flat flux distribution cannot always guarantee better performance in thermal-hydraulic perspective and can decreases the graphite lifetime significantly

  12. Safe actinide disposition in molten salt reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gat, U.

    1997-01-01

    Safe molten salt reactors (MSR) can readily accommodate the burning of all fissile actinides. Only minor compromises associated with plutonium are required. The MSRs can dispose safely of actinides and long lived isotopes to result in safer and simpler waste. Disposing of actinides in MSRs does increase the source term of a safety optimized MSR. It is concluded that the burning and transmutation of actinides in MSRs can be done in a safe manner. Development is needed for the processing to handle and separate the actinides. Calculations are needed to establish the neutron economy and the fuel management. 9 refs

  13. Preparation of pyrolytic carbon coating on graphite for inhibiting liquid fluoride salt and Xe135 penetration for molten salt breeder reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, Jinliang; Zhao, Yanling; He, Xiujie; Zhang, Baoliang; Xu, Li; He, Zhoutong; Zhang, DongSheng; Gao, Lina; Xia, Huihao; Zhou, Xingtai; Huai, Ping; Bai, Shuo

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Rough laminar pyrolytic carbon coating (RLPyC) is prepared by a fixed-bed method. • The salt-infiltration into IG-110 is 13.5%, less than 0.01% of RLPyC under 1.5 atm. • The helium diffusion coefficient of RLPyC coated graphite is 2.16 × 10 −8 cm 2 /s. • The coated graphite can inhibit the liquid fluoride salt and Xe 135 penetration. - Abstract: A fixed-bed deposition method was used to prepare rough laminar pyrolytic carbon coating (RLPyC) on graphite for inhibiting liquid fluoride salt and Xe 135 penetration during use in molten salt breeder reactor. The RLPyC coating possessed a graphitization degree of 44% and had good contact with graphite substrate. A high-pressure reactor was constructed to evaluate the molten salt infiltration in the isostatic graphite (IG-110, TOYO TANSO CO., LTD.) and RLPyC coated graphite under 1.01, 1.52, 3.04, 5.07 and 10.13 × 10 5 Pa for 12 h. Mercury injection and molten-salt infiltration experiments indicated the porosity and the salt-infiltration amount of 18.4% and 13.5 wt% under 1.52 × 10 5 Pa of IG-110, which was much less than 1.2% and 0.06 wt% under 10.13 × 10 5 Pa of the RLPyC, respectively. A vacuum device was constructed to evaluate the Xe 135 penetration in the graphite. The helium diffusion coefficient of RLPyC coated graphite was 2.16 × 10 −12 m 2 /s, much less than 1.21 × 10 −6 m 2 /s of the graphite. Thermal cycle experiment indicated the coatings possessed excellent thermal stability. The coated graphite could effectively inhibit the liquid fluoride salt and Xe 135 penetration

  14. Annular core liquid-salt cooled reactor with multiple fuel and blanket zones

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peterson, Per F.

    2013-05-14

    A liquid fluoride salt cooled, high temperature reactor having a reactor vessel with a pebble-bed reactor core. The reactor core comprises a pebble injection inlet located at a bottom end of the reactor core and a pebble defueling outlet located at a top end of the reactor core, an inner reflector, outer reflector, and an annular pebble-bed region disposed in between the inner reflector and outer reflector. The annular pebble-bed region comprises an annular channel configured for receiving pebble fuel at the pebble injection inlet, the pebble fuel comprising a combination of seed and blanket pebbles having a density lower than the coolant such that the pebbles have positive buoyancy and migrate upward in said annular pebble-bed region toward the defueling outlet. The annular pebble-bed region comprises alternating radial layers of seed pebbles and blanket pebbles.

  15. The source term and waste optimization of molten salt reactors with processing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gat, U.; Dodds, H.L.

    1993-01-01

    The source term of a molten salt reactor (MSR) with fuel processing is reduced by the ratio of processing time to refueling time as compared to solid fuel reactors. The reduction, which can be one to two orders of magnitude, is due to removal of the long-lived fission products. The waste from MSRs can be optimized with respect to its chemical composition, concentration, mixture, shape, and size. The actinides and long-lived isotopes can be separated out and returned to the reactor for transmutation. These features make MSRs more acceptable and simpler in operation and handling

  16. Engineering Evaluation of Proposed Alternative Salt Transfer Method for the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carlberg, Jon A.; Roberts, Kenneth T.; Kollie, Thomas G.; Little, Leslie E.; Brady, Sherman D.

    2009-01-01

    This evaluation was performed by Pro2Serve in accordance with the Technical Specification for an Engineering Evaluation of the Proposed Alternative Salt Transfer Method for the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (BJC 2009b). The evaluators reviewed the Engineering Evaluation Work Plan for Molten Salt Reactor Experiment Residual Salt Removal, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (DOE 2008). The Work Plan (DOE 2008) involves installing a salt transfer probe and new drain line into the Fuel Drain Tanks and Fuel Flush Tank and connecting them to the new salt transfer line at the drain tank cell shield. The probe is to be inserted through the tank ball valve and the molten salt to the bottom of the tank. The tank would then be pressurized through the Reactive Gas Removal System to force the salt into the salt canisters. The Evaluation Team reviewed the work plan, interviewed site personnel, reviewed numerous documents on the Molten Salt Reactor (Sects. 7 and 8), and inspected the probes planned to be used for the transfer. Based on several concerns identified during this review, the team recommends not proceeding with the salt transfer via the proposed alternate salt transfer method. The major concerns identified during this evaluation are: (1) Structural integrity of the tanks - The main concern is with the corrosion that occurred during the fluorination phase of the uranium removal process. This may also apply to the salt transfer line for the Fuel Flush Tank. Corrosion Associated with Fluorination in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Fluoride Volatility Process (Litman 1961) shows that this problem is significant. (2) Continued generation of Fluorine - Although the generation of Fluorine will be at a lower rate than experienced before the uranium removal, it will continue to be generated. This needs to be taken into consideration regardless of what actions are taken with the salt. (3) More than one phase of material

  17. Preliminary Demonstration Reactor Point Design for the Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Qualls, A. L. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Betzler, Benjamin R. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Brown, Nicholas R. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Carbajo, Juan [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Greenwood, Michael Scott [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Hale, Richard Edward [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Harrison, Thomas J. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Powers, Jeffrey J. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Robb, Kevin R. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Terrell, Jerry W. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

    2015-12-01

    Development of the Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (FHR) Demonstration Reactor (DR) is a necessary intermediate step to enable commercial FHR deployment through disruptive and rapid technology development and demonstration. The FHR DR will utilize known, mature technology to close remaining gaps to commercial viability. Lower risk technologies are included in the initial FHR DR design to ensure that the reactor can be built, licensed, and operated within an acceptable budget and schedule. These technologies include tristructural-isotropic (TRISO) particle fuel, replaceable core structural material, the use of that same material for the primary and intermediate loops, and tube-and-shell heat exchangers. This report provides an update on the development of the FHR DR. At this writing, the core neutronics and thermal hydraulics have been developed and analyzed. The mechanical design details are still under development and are described to their current level of fidelity. It is anticipated that the FHR DR can be operational within 10 years because of the use of low-risk, near-term technology options.

  18. Preliminary Demonstration Reactor Point Design for the Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qualls, A. L.; Betzler, Benjamin R.; Brown, Nicholas R.; Carbajo, Juan; Greenwood, Michael Scott; Hale, Richard Edward; Harrison, Thomas J.; Powers, Jeffrey J.; Robb, Kevin R.; Terrell, Jerry W.

    2015-01-01

    Development of the Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (FHR) Demonstration Reactor (DR) is a necessary intermediate step to enable commercial FHR deployment through disruptive and rapid technology development and demonstration. The FHR DR will utilize known, mature technology to close remaining gaps to commercial viability. Lower risk technologies are included in the initial FHR DR design to ensure that the reactor can be built, licensed, and operated within an acceptable budget and schedule. These technologies include tristructural-isotropic (TRISO) particle fuel, replaceable core structural material, the use of that same material for the primary and intermediate loops, and tube-and-shell heat exchangers. This report provides an update on the development of the FHR DR. At this writing, the core neutronics and thermal hydraulics have been developed and analyzed. The mechanical design details are still under development and are described to their current level of fidelity. It is anticipated that the FHR DR can be operational within 10 years because of the use of low-risk, near-term technology options.

  19. Overview of ONWI'S Salt site selection program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Madia, W.J.

    1983-01-01

    In the past year, activities in the salt site selection program of the Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation (ONWI) have focused on narrowing the number and size of areas under consideration as candidate repository sites. The progressive focusing is illustrated. Bedded salt, in the Permian Basin of West Texas and the Paradox Basin of Utah, and salt domes in the Gulf Coast Salt Dome Region (including parts of East Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi) have been the subjects of geologic, environmental, and socioeconomic characterization of progressively greater detail as the screening process has proceeded. Detailed, field-oriented research and testing have superceded broad-based studies relying heavily on literature and other existing data. Coinciding with the increased field activities has been the publication of results and recommendations resulting from earlier program efforts

  20. Reactor Vessel Surveillance Program for Advanced Reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jeong, Kyeong-Hoon; Kim, Tae-Wan; Lee, Gyu-Mahn; Kim, Jong-Wook; Park, Keun-Bae; Kim, Keung-Koo

    2008-10-15

    This report provides the design requirements of an integral type reactor vessel surveillance program for an integral type reactor in accordance with the requirements of Korean MEST (Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Development) Notice 2008-18. This report covers the requirements for the design of surveillance capsule assemblies including their test specimens, test block materials, handling tools, and monitors of the surveillance capsule neutron fluence and temperature. In addition, this report provides design requirements for the program for irradiation surveillance of reactor vessel materials, a layout of specimens and monitors in the surveillance capsule, procedures of installation and retrieval of the surveillance capsule assemblies, and the layout of the surveillance capsule assemblies in the reactor.

  1. Molten salt reactors and the oil sands: odd couple or key to north american energy independence?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    LeBlanc, D., E-mail: d_leblanc@rogers.com [Ottawa Valley Research Associates Ltd., Ottawa, Ontario (Canada); Quesada, M.; Popoff, C.; Way, D. [Penumbra Energy, Calgary, Alberta (Canada)

    2012-07-01

    The use of nuclear power to aid oil sands development has often been proposed largely due to the virtual elimination of natural gas use and thus a large reduction in GHG emissions. Nuclear power can replace natural gas for process steam production (SAGD) and electricity generation but also potentially for hydrogen production to upgrade bitumen for pipeline transit, synthetic crude production and even at the final refinery stage. Prior candidates included CANDU and gas cooled Pebble Bed Reactors. The case for CANDU use can be shown to be marginally economic with a proven technology but with an uncertainty of current construction costs and too large a unit size (~2400 MWth). PBRs offered modest theoretical cost savings, smaller unit size and the ability to offer higher temperatures needed for thermochemical hydrogen production from water. Interest in PBRs however has greatly waned with the cancellation of their major South African development program which highlighted the severe challenges of helium as a coolant and TRISO fuel manufacturing. More recently, Small Modular Reactors based on scaled down light water reactor technology have attracted interest but are unlikely to compete economically outside of niche applications. However, a 'new' reactor option, the Molten Salt Reactor, has been rapidly gaining momentum over the past decade. This 'new' technology was actually developed over 50 years ago as a thorium breeder reactor to compete with the sodium cooled fast breeder reactor (U-Pu cycle). During this time two molten salt test reactors were constructed. A modern version however would likely be a simpler converter design using Low Enriched Uranium but needing only a small fraction the uranium resources of LWRs or CANDUs. Besides resource sustainability, these unique designs offer large potential improvements in the areas of capital costs, safety and nuclear waste. This presentation will explain the unique attributes and advantages of these

  2. Preparation of pyrolytic carbon coating on graphite for inhibiting liquid fluoride salt and Xe{sup 135} penetration for molten salt breeder reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Song, Jinliang [Key Laboratory of Nuclear Radiation and Nuclear Energy Technology, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); Zhao, Yanling, E-mail: jlsong1982@yeah.net [School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022 (China); He, Xiujie; Zhang, Baoliang [Key Laboratory of Nuclear Radiation and Nuclear Energy Technology, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); Xu, Li [Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016 (China); He, Zhoutong; Zhang, DongSheng; Gao, Lina; Xia, Huihao; Zhou, Xingtai; Huai, Ping [Key Laboratory of Nuclear Radiation and Nuclear Energy Technology, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); Bai, Shuo [Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016 (China)

    2015-01-15

    Highlights: • Rough laminar pyrolytic carbon coating (RLPyC) is prepared by a fixed-bed method. • The salt-infiltration into IG-110 is 13.5%, less than 0.01% of RLPyC under 1.5 atm. • The helium diffusion coefficient of RLPyC coated graphite is 2.16 × 10{sup −8} cm{sup 2}/s. • The coated graphite can inhibit the liquid fluoride salt and Xe{sup 135} penetration. - Abstract: A fixed-bed deposition method was used to prepare rough laminar pyrolytic carbon coating (RLPyC) on graphite for inhibiting liquid fluoride salt and Xe{sup 135} penetration during use in molten salt breeder reactor. The RLPyC coating possessed a graphitization degree of 44% and had good contact with graphite substrate. A high-pressure reactor was constructed to evaluate the molten salt infiltration in the isostatic graphite (IG-110, TOYO TANSO CO., LTD.) and RLPyC coated graphite under 1.01, 1.52, 3.04, 5.07 and 10.13 × 10{sup 5} Pa for 12 h. Mercury injection and molten-salt infiltration experiments indicated the porosity and the salt-infiltration amount of 18.4% and 13.5 wt% under 1.52 × 10{sup 5} Pa of IG-110, which was much less than 1.2% and 0.06 wt% under 10.13 × 10{sup 5} Pa of the RLPyC, respectively. A vacuum device was constructed to evaluate the Xe{sup 135} penetration in the graphite. The helium diffusion coefficient of RLPyC coated graphite was 2.16 × 10{sup −12} m{sup 2}/s, much less than 1.21 × 10{sup −6} m{sup 2}/s of the graphite. Thermal cycle experiment indicated the coatings possessed excellent thermal stability. The coated graphite could effectively inhibit the liquid fluoride salt and Xe{sup 135} penetration.

  3. Simulation of Molten Salt Reactor dynamics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krepel, J.; Rohde, U.; Grundmann, U.

    2005-01-01

    Dynamics of the Molten Salt Reactor - one of the 'Generation IV' concepts - was studied in this paper. The graphite-moderated channel type MSR was selected for the numerical simulation of the reactor with liquid fuel. The MSR dynamics is very specific because of two physical peculiarities of the liquid fueled reactor: the delayed neutrons precursors are drifted by the fuel flow and the fission energy is immediately released directly into the coolant. Presently, there are not many accessible numerical codes appropriate for the MSR simulation, therefore the DYN3D-MSR code was developed based on the FZR in-house code DYN3D. It allows calculating of full 3D transient neutronics in combination with parallel channel type thermal-hydraulics. By means of DYN3D-MSR, several transients typical for the liquid fuel system were analyzed. Those transients were initiated by reactivity insertion, by overcooling of fuel at the core inlet, by the fuel pump start-up or coast-down, or by the blockage of selected fuel channels. In these considered transients, the response of the MSR is characterized by the immediate change of the fuel temperature with changing power and fast negative temperature feedback to the power. The response through the graphite temperature is slower. Furthermore, for big MSR cores fueled with U233 the graphite feedback coefficient can be positive. In this case the addition of erbium to the graphite can ensure the inherent safety features. The DYN3D-MSR code has been shown to be an effective tool for MSR dynamics studies. (author)

  4. Coupled neutronics and thermal-hydraulics numerical simulations of a Molten Salt Fast Reactor (MSFR)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laureau, A.; Rubiolo, P.R.; Heuer, D.; Merle-Lucotte, E.; Brovchenko, M.

    2013-01-01

    Coupled neutronics and thermalhydraulic numerical analyses of a molten salt fast reactor (MSFR) are presented. These preliminary numerical simulations are carried-out using the Monte Carlo code MCNP and the Computation Fluid Dynamic code OpenFOAM. The main objectives of this analysis performed at steady-reactor conditions are to confirm the acceptability of the current neutronic and thermalhydraulic designs of the reactor, to study the effects of the reactor operating conditions on some of the key MSFR design parameters such as the temperature peaking factor. The effects of the precursor's motion on the reactor safety parameters such as the effective fraction of delayed neutrons have been evaluated. (authors)

  5. Transport properties of molten-salt reactor fuel mixtures: the case of Na, Li, Be/F and Li, Be, Th/F salts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ignatiev, V.; Merzlyakov, A.; Afonichkin, V.; Khokhlov, V.; Salyulev, A.

    2003-01-01

    In this paper we have compiled transport properties information, available, on two types of FLiBe based salt mixtures (Na,Li,Be/F and Li,Be,Th/F) that are presently of importance in the design of innovative molten-salt burner reactors. Estimated and/or experimental values measured (particularly, from prior US and Russian studies, as well our recent studies) are given for the following properties: viscosity, thermal conductivity, phase transition behaviour, heat capacity, density and thermal expansion. (author)

  6. Transport properties of molten-salt reactor fuel mixtures: the case of Na, Li, Be/F and Li, Be, Th/F salts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ignatiev, V; Merzlyakov, A [Kurchatov Institute - KI (Russian Federation); Afonichkin, V; Khokhlov, V; Salyulev, A [Institute of High Temperature Electrochemisty (IHTE), RF Yuri Golovatov, Konstantin Grebenkine, Vladimir Subbotin Institute of Technical Physics (VNIITF) (Russian Federation)

    2003-07-01

    In this paper we have compiled transport properties information, available, on two types of FLiBe based salt mixtures (Na,Li,Be/F and Li,Be,Th/F) that are presently of importance in the design of innovative molten-salt burner reactors. Estimated and/or experimental values measured (particularly, from prior US and Russian studies, as well our recent studies) are given for the following properties: viscosity, thermal conductivity, phase transition behaviour, heat capacity, density and thermal expansion. (author)

  7. A scaled experimental study of control blade insertion dynamics in Pebble-Bed Fluoride-Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Buster, Grant C., E-mail: grant.buster@gmail.com; Laufer, Michael R.; Peterson, Per F.

    2016-07-15

    Highlights: • A granular dynamics scaling methodology is discussed. • Control blade insertion in a representative pebble-bed core is experimentally studied. • Control blade insertion forces and pebble displacements are experimentally measured. • X-ray tomography techniques are used to observe pebble displacement distributions. - Abstract: Direct control element insertion into a pebble-bed reactor core is proposed as a viable control system in molten-salt-cooled pebble-bed reactors. Unlike helium-cooled pebble-bed reactors, this reactor type uses spherical fuel elements with near-neutral buoyancy in the molten-salt coolant, thus reducing contact forces on the fuel elements. This study uses the X-ray Pebble Bed Recirculation Experiment facility to measure the force required to insert a control element directly into a scaled pebble-bed. The required control element insertion force, and therefore the contact force on fuel elements, is measured to be well below recommended limits. Additionally, X-ray tomography is used to observe how the direct insertion of a control element physically displaces spherical fuel elements. The tomography results further support the viability of direct control element insertion into molten-salt-cooled pebble-bed reactor cores.

  8. Thorium molten-salt nuclear energy synergetics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Furukawa, Kazuo

    1989-01-01

    One of the most practical and rational approaches for establishing the idealistic Thorium resource utilization program has been presented, which might be effective to solve the principal energy problems, concerning safety, proliferation and terrorism, resource, power size and fuel cycle economy, for the next century. The first step will be the development of Small Molten-Salt Reactors as a flexible power station, which is suitable for early commercialization of Th reactors not necessarily competing with proven Large Solid-Fuel Reactors. Therefore, the more detailed design works and practical R and D planning should be performed under the international cooperations soon, soundly depending on the basic technology established by ORNL already. R and D cost would be surprisingly low. This reactor(MSR) seems to be idealistic not only in power-size, siting, safety, safeguard and economy, but also as an effective partner of Molten-Salt Fissile Breeders(MSB) in order to establish the simplest and economical Thorium molten-salt breeding fuel cycle named THORIMS-NES in all over the world including the developing countries and isolated areas. This would be one of the most practical replies to the Lilienthal's appeal of 'A NEW START' in Nuclear Energy. (author)

  9. An overview of radiolysis studies for the molten salt reactor remediation project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Icenhour, A.S.; Williams, D.F.; Trowbridge, L.D.; Toth, L.M.; Del Cul, G.D.

    2001-01-01

    A number of radiolysis experiments have been performed in support of the remediation of the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE)at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.Materials studied included simulated MSRE fuel salt,fluorinated charcoal, NH 4 F,2NaFUF 6 ,UO 2 F 2 uranium oxides with a known residual fluoride content,and uranium oxides with a known moisture content.The results from these studies were used as part of the basis for the interim or long-term storage of materials removed from the MSRE. (author)

  10. On-line reprocessing of a molten salt reactor: a simulation tool

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Simon, Nicole; Gastaldi, Olivier; Penit, Thomas; Cohin, Olivier; Campion, Pierre-Yves

    2008-01-01

    The molten salt reactor (MSR) is one of the concepts studied in the frame of GEN IV road-map. Due to the specific features of its liquid fuel, the reprocessing unit may be directly connected to the reactor. A modelling of this unit is presented. The final objective is to create a flexible computer reprocessing code which can use data from neutron calculations and can be coupled to a neutron code. Such a code allows the description of the whole behaviour of MSR, including, in a coupled manner, both the design of the core and the optimised reprocessing scheme effects. (authors)

  11. System Requirements Document for the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment 233U conversion system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aigner, R.D.

    2000-01-01

    The purpose of the conversion process is to convert the 233 U fluoride compounds that are being extracted from the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) equipment to a stable oxide for long-term storage at Bldg. 3019

  12. Transient coupled calculations of the Molten Salt Fast Reactor using the Transient Fission Matrix approach

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Laureau, A., E-mail: laureau.axel@gmail.com; Heuer, D.; Merle-Lucotte, E.; Rubiolo, P.R.; Allibert, M.; Aufiero, M.

    2017-05-15

    Highlights: • Neutronic ‘Transient Fission Matrix’ approach coupled to the CFD OpenFOAM code. • Fission Matrix interpolation model for fast spectrum homogeneous reactors. • Application for coupled calculations of the Molten Salt Fast Reactor. • Load following, over-cooling and reactivity insertion transient studies. • Validation of the reactor intrinsic stability for normal and accidental transients. - Abstract: In this paper we present transient studies of the Molten Salt Fast Reactor (MSFR). This generation IV reactor is characterized by a liquid fuel circulating in the core cavity, requiring specific simulation tools. An innovative neutronic approach called “Transient Fission Matrix” is used to perform spatial kinetic calculations with a reduced computational cost through a pre-calculation of the Monte Carlo spatial and temporal response of the system. Coupled to this neutronic approach, the Computational Fluid Dynamics code OpenFOAM is used to model the complex flow pattern in the core. An accurate interpolation model developed to take into account the thermal hydraulics feedback on the neutronics including reactivity and neutron flux variation is presented. Finally different transient studies of the reactor in normal and accidental operating conditions are detailed such as reactivity insertion and load following capacities. The results of these studies illustrate the excellent behavior of the MSFR during such transients.

  13. Transient coupled calculations of the Molten Salt Fast Reactor using the Transient Fission Matrix approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laureau, A.; Heuer, D.; Merle-Lucotte, E.; Rubiolo, P.R.; Allibert, M.; Aufiero, M.

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Neutronic ‘Transient Fission Matrix’ approach coupled to the CFD OpenFOAM code. • Fission Matrix interpolation model for fast spectrum homogeneous reactors. • Application for coupled calculations of the Molten Salt Fast Reactor. • Load following, over-cooling and reactivity insertion transient studies. • Validation of the reactor intrinsic stability for normal and accidental transients. - Abstract: In this paper we present transient studies of the Molten Salt Fast Reactor (MSFR). This generation IV reactor is characterized by a liquid fuel circulating in the core cavity, requiring specific simulation tools. An innovative neutronic approach called “Transient Fission Matrix” is used to perform spatial kinetic calculations with a reduced computational cost through a pre-calculation of the Monte Carlo spatial and temporal response of the system. Coupled to this neutronic approach, the Computational Fluid Dynamics code OpenFOAM is used to model the complex flow pattern in the core. An accurate interpolation model developed to take into account the thermal hydraulics feedback on the neutronics including reactivity and neutron flux variation is presented. Finally different transient studies of the reactor in normal and accidental operating conditions are detailed such as reactivity insertion and load following capacities. The results of these studies illustrate the excellent behavior of the MSFR during such transients.

  14. Small molten-salt reactors with a rational thorium fuel-cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Furukawa, Kazuo; Mitachi, Kohshi; Kato, Yoshio

    1992-01-01

    In the fission-energy utilization for solving global social and environmental problems including the 'Greenhouse Effect' in the next century, a new strategy should be introduced considering high safety and economy, simplicity, size-flexibility, anti-nuclear proliferation and terrorism, high temperature heat supply, etc., aiming to establish a rational breeding fuelcycle. Thorium Molten-Salt Nuclear Energy Synergetics based on [I] Th utilization, [II] fluid-fuel concept and [III] separation of fissile breeding and power generation functions would be one of the most promising approach. A design study of a standard Molten-Salt Reactor: FUJI-II (350 MWth, 155-161 MWe) ensuring fuel self-sustaining nature (conversion-ratio ∝ 1.0) in spite of small-size, and pilot-plant miniFUJI-II has been proceeded. (orig.)

  15. Development of strong-sense validation benchmarks for the fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blandford, E. D.

    2012-01-01

    The Fluoride salt-cooled High-temperature Reactor (FHR) is a class of reactor concepts currently under development for the U. S. Dept. of Energy. The FHR is defined as a Generation IV reactor that features low-pressure liquid fluoride salt cooling, coated-particle fuel, a high-temperature power cycle, and fully passive decay heat rejection. Recent experimental work using simulant fluids have been performed to demonstrate key 'proof of principle' FHR concepts and have helped inform the reactor design process. An important element of developing FHR technology is to sufficiently validate the predictive accuracy of the computer codes used to model system response. This paper presents a set of thermal-hydraulics experiments, defined as Strong-Sense Benchmarks (SSB's), which will help establish the FHR validation domain for simulant fluid suitability. These SSB's are more specifically designed to investigate single-phase natural circulation which is the dominant mode of FHR decay heat removal during off-normal conditions. SSB s should be viewed as engineering reference standards and differ from traditional confirmatory experiments in the sense that they are more focused on fundamental physics as opposed to reproducing high levels of physical similarity with the prototypical design. (authors)

  16. Investigation of an Alternative Fuel Form for the Liquid Salt Cooled Very High Temperature Reactor (LS-VHTR)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Casino, William A. Jr.

    2006-01-01

    Much of the recent studies investigating the use of liquid salts as reactor coolants have utilized a core configuration of graphite prismatic fuel block assemblies with TRISO particles embedded into cylindrical fuel compacts arranged in a triangular pitch lattice. Although many calculations have been performed for this fuel form in gas cooled reactors, it would be instructive to investigate whether an alternative fuel form may yield improved performance for the liquid salt-cooled Very High Temperature Reactor (LS-VHTR). This study investigates how variations in the fuel form will impact the performance of the LS-VHTR during normal and accident conditions and compares the results with a similar analysis that was recently completed for a LS-VHTR core made up of prismatic block fuel. (author)

  17. The 'SURA' fast reactor program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1979-01-01

    The Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique's SURA program on fast reactor safety consists of two specific testing programs on fastbreeder reactor safety: the Cabri and Scarabee programs. Both Cabri and Scarabee are examples of multinational research collaboration. The CEA and the Karlsruhe Nuclear Research Center are each covering half of the construction costs. Britain, the US and Japan are also due to participate in these experiments. The aim of the programs is to examine the behaviour of fuel in sodium cooled fast reactors. The Cabri program consists of setting off a reactivity accident in a power reactor core which is cooled with liquid sodium, such an accident occurring after a sharp increase in reactivity or as a result of the pump suddenly breaking down without there at the same time being any fall in the control rods. In 1967 the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique started its Scarabee research program which is trying to analyse the sort of things that can go wrong with fuel cooling systems and what the consequences can be [fr

  18. Molten Salt Breeder Reactor Analysis Methods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Jinsu; Jeong, Yongjin; Lee, Deokjung [Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-05-15

    Utilizing the uranium-thorium fuel cycle shows considerable potential for the possibility of MSR. The concept of MSBR should be revised because of molten salt reactor's advantage such as outstanding neutron economy, possibility of continuous online reprocessing and refueling, a high level of inherent safety, and economic benefit by keeping off the fuel fabrication process. For the development of MSR research, this paper provides the MSBR single-cell, two-cell and whole core model for computer code input, and several calculation results including depletion calculation of each models. The calculations are carried out by using MCNP6, a Monte Carlo computer code, which has CINDER90 for depletion calculation using ENDF-VII nuclear data. From the calculation results of various reactor design parameters, the temperature coefficients are all negative at the initial state and MTC becomes positive at the equilibrium state. From the results of core rod worth, the graphite control rod alone cannot makes the core subcritical at initial state. But the equilibrium state, the core can be made subcritical state only by graphite control rods. Through the comparison of the results of each models, the two-cell method can represent the MSBR core model more accurately with a little more computational resources than the single-cell method. Many of the thermal spectrum MSR have adopted a multi-region single-fluid strategy.

  19. Advanced High-Temperature Reactor for Production of Electricity and Hydrogen: Molten-Salt-Coolant, Graphite-Coated-Particle-Fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Forsberg, C.W.

    2002-01-01

    The objective of the Advanced High-Temperature Reactor (AHTR) is to provide the very high temperatures necessary to enable low-cost (1) efficient thermochemical production of hydrogen and (2) efficient production of electricity. The proposed AHTR uses coated-particle graphite fuel similar to the fuel used in modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (MHTGRs), such as the General Atomics gas turbine-modular helium reactor (GT-MHR). However, unlike the MHTGRs, the AHTR uses a molten salt coolant with a pool configuration, similar to that of the PRISM liquid metal reactor. A multi-reheat helium Brayton (gas-turbine) cycle, with efficiencies >50%, is used to produce electricity. This approach (1) minimizes requirements for new technology development and (2) results in an advanced reactor concept that operates at essentially ambient pressures and at very high temperatures. The low-pressure molten-salt coolant, with its high heat capacity and natural circulation heat transfer capability, creates the potential for (1) exceptionally robust safety (including passive decay-heat removal) and (2) allows scaling to large reactor sizes [∼1000 Mw(e)] with passive safety systems to provide the potential for improved economics

  20. Nuclear power technology system with molten salt reactor for transuranium nuclides burning in closed fuel cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alekseev, P.N.; Dudnikov, A.A.; Ignatiev, V.V.; Prusakov, V.N.; Ponomarev-Stepnoy, N.N.; Subbotin, S.A.

    2000-01-01

    A concept of nuclear power technology system with homogeneous molten salt reactors for burning and transmutation of long-lived radioactive toxic nuclides is considered in the paper. Disposition of such reactors in enterprises of fuel cycle allows to provide them with power and facilitate solution of problems with rad waste with minimal losses. (Authors)

  1. Improvements and validation of the transient analysis code MOREL for molten salt reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhuang Kun; Zheng Youqi; Cao Liangzhi; Hu Tianliang; Wu Hongchun

    2017-01-01

    The liquid fuel salt used in the molten salt reactors (MSRs) serves as the fuel and coolant simultaneously. On the one hand, the delayed neutron precursors circulate in the whole primary loop and part of them decay outside the core. On the other hand, the fission heat is carried off directly by the fuel flow. These two features require new analysis method with the coupling of fluid flow, heat transfer and neutronics. In this paper, the recent update of MOREL code is presented. The update includes: (1) the improved quasi-static method for the kinetics equation with convection term is developed. (2) The multi-channel thermal hydraulic model is developed based on the geometric feature of MSR. (3) The Variational Nodal Method is used to solve the neutron diffusion equation instead of the original analytic basis functions expansion nodal method. The update brings significant improvement on the efficiency of MOREL code. And, the capability of MOREL code is extended for the real core simulation with feedback. The numerical results and experiment data gained from molten salt reactor experiment (MSRE) are used to verify and validate the updated MOREL code. The results agree well with the experimental data, which prove the new development of MOREL code is correct and effective. (author)

  2. Use of thorium in the generation IV Molten Salt reactors and perspectives for Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seneda, Jose A.; Lainetti, Paulo E.O.

    2013-01-01

    Interest in thorium stems mainly from the fact that it is expected a substantial increase in uranium prices over the next fifty years. The reactors currently in operation consume 65,500 tons of uranium per year. Each electrical gigawatt (GWe) additional need about 200 tU mined per year. So advanced fuel cycles, which increase the reserves of nuclear materials are interesting, particularly the use of thorium to produce the fissile isotope 233 U. It is important to mention some thorium advantages. Thorium is three to five times more abundant than uranium in the earth's crust. Thorium has only one oxidation state. Additionally, thoria produces less radiotoxicity than the UO 2 because it produces fewer amounts of actinides, reducing the radiotoxicity of long life nuclear waste. ThO 2 has higher corrosion resistance than UO 2 , besides being chemically stable due to their low water solubility. The burning of Pu in a reactor based in thorium also decreases the inventories of Pu from the current fuel cycles, resulting in lower risks of material diversion for use in nuclear weapons. There are some ongoing projects in the world, taking into consideration the proposed goals for Generation IV reactors, namely: sustainability, economics, safety and reliability, proliferation resistance and physical protection. Some developments on the use of thorium in reactors are underway, with the support of the IAEA and some governs. Can be highlighted some reactor concepts using thorium as fuel: CANDU; ADTR -Accelerator Driven Thorium Reactor; AHWR -Advanced Heavy Water Reactor proposed by India (light water cooled and moderated by heavy water) and the MSR -Molten Salt Reactor. The latter is based on a reactor concept that has already been successfully tested in the U.S. in the 50s, for use in aircrafts. In this paper, we discuss the future importance of thorium, particularly for Brazil, which has large mineral reserves of this strategic element, the characteristics of the molten salt

  3. Use of thorium in the generation IV Molten Salt reactors and perspectives for Brazil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Seneda, Jose A.; Lainetti, Paulo E.O., E-mail: jaseneda@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

    2013-07-01

    Interest in thorium stems mainly from the fact that it is expected a substantial increase in uranium prices over the next fifty years. The reactors currently in operation consume 65,500 tons of uranium per year. Each electrical gigawatt (GWe) additional need about 200 tU mined per year. So advanced fuel cycles, which increase the reserves of nuclear materials are interesting, particularly the use of thorium to produce the fissile isotope {sup 233}U. It is important to mention some thorium advantages. Thorium is three to five times more abundant than uranium in the earth's crust. Thorium has only one oxidation state. Additionally, thoria produces less radiotoxicity than the UO{sub 2} because it produces fewer amounts of actinides, reducing the radiotoxicity of long life nuclear waste. ThO{sub 2} has higher corrosion resistance than UO{sub 2}, besides being chemically stable due to their low water solubility. The burning of Pu in a reactor based in thorium also decreases the inventories of Pu from the current fuel cycles, resulting in lower risks of material diversion for use in nuclear weapons. There are some ongoing projects in the world, taking into consideration the proposed goals for Generation IV reactors, namely: sustainability, economics, safety and reliability, proliferation resistance and physical protection. Some developments on the use of thorium in reactors are underway, with the support of the IAEA and some governs. Can be highlighted some reactor concepts using thorium as fuel: CANDU; ADTR -Accelerator Driven Thorium Reactor; AHWR -Advanced Heavy Water Reactor proposed by India (light water cooled and moderated by heavy water) and the MSR -Molten Salt Reactor. The latter is based on a reactor concept that has already been successfully tested in the U.S. in the 50s, for use in aircrafts. In this paper, we discuss the future importance of thorium, particularly for Brazil, which has large mineral reserves of this strategic element, the

  4. The US Liquid Metal Reactor Development Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Till, C.E.; Arnold, W.H.; Griffith, J.D.

    1988-01-01

    The US Liquid Metal Reactor Development Program has been restructured to take advantage of the opportunity today to carry out R and D on truly advanced reactor technology. The program gives particular emphasis to improvements to reactor safety. The new directions are based on the technology of the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR). Much of the basis for superior safety performance using IFR technology has been experimentally verified and aggressive programs continue in EBR-II and TREAT. Progress has been made in demonstrating both the metallic fuel and the new electrochemical processes of the IFR. The FFTF facility is converting to metallic fuel; however, FFTF also maintains a considerable US program in oxide fuels. In addition, generic programs are continuing in steam generator testing, materials development, and, with international cooperation, aqueous reprocessing. Design studies are carried out in conjunction with the IFR technology development program. In summary, the US maintains an active development program in Liquid Metal Reactor technology, and new directions in reactor safety are central to the program

  5. Pore Scale Thermal Hydraulics Investigations of Molten Salt Cooled Pebble Bed High Temperature Reactor with BCC and FCC Configurations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shixiong Song

    2014-01-01

    CFD results and empirical correlations’ predictions of pressure drop and local Nusselt numbers. Local pebble surface temperature distributions in several default conditions are investigated. Thermal removal capacities of molten salt are confirmed in the case of nominal condition; the pebble surface temperature under the condition of local power distortion shows the tolerance of pebble in extreme neutron dose exposure. The numerical experiments of local pebble insufficient cooling indicate that in the molten salt cooled pebble bed reactor, the pebble surface temperature is not very sensitive to loss of partial coolant. The methods and results of this paper would be useful for optimum designs and safety analysis of molten salt cooled pebble bed reactors.

  6. U.S. Domestic Reactor Conversion Programs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Woolstenhulme, Eric

    2008-01-01

    The Conversion Projects Include: the revision of the facilities safety basis documents and supporting analysis, the fabrication of new LEU fuel, the change-out of the reactor core, and the removal of the used HEU fuel (by INL University Fuels Program or DOE-NE). The major entities involved are: the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the University reactor department, the fuel and hardware fabricators, the Spent fuel receipt facilities, the Spent fuel shipping services, and the U.S. Department of Energy and their subcontractors. Three major Reactor Conversion Program milestones have been accomplished since 2006: the conversion of the TRIGA reactor at Texas A and M University Nuclear Science Center, the conversion of the University of Florida Training Reactor, and the conversion of the Purdue University Reactor. Four Reactor Conversion Program milestones yet to be accomplished in 2008 and 2009: the Washington State University Nuclear Radiation Center reactor, the Oregon State University TRIGA Reactor, the University of Wisconsin Nuclear Reactor, and the Neutron Radiography Reactor Facility. NNSA is committed to doing things cheaper, better, smarter, safer through a 'Lessons Learned' process. The conversion team assessed each major activity grouping: Project Initiation, Conversion Proposal Development, Fuel Fabrication and Hardware, Core Conversion, and Spent Nuclear Fuel Removal. Issues were identified and recommendations were given

  7. Neutronics calculations for denatured molten salt reactors: Assessing resource requirements and proliferation-risk attributes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmad, Ali; McClamrock, Edward B.; Glaser, Alexander

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • We study the proliferation-risk and resource attributes of denatured MSRs. • MSRs offer significantly better resource efficiency compared to light-water reactors. • Denatured single-fluid MSRs reactors offer promising non-proliferation attributes. - Abstract: Molten salt reactors (MSRs) are often advocated as a radical but worthwhile alternative to traditional reactor concepts based on solid fuels. This article builds upon the existing research into MSRs to model and simulate the operation of thorium-fueled single-fluid and two-fluid reactors. The analysis is based on neutronics calculations and focuses on denatured MSR systems. Resource utilization and basic proliferation-risk attributes are compared to those of standard light-water reactors. Depending on specific design choices, even fully denatured reactors could reduce uranium and enrichment requirements by a factor of 3–4. Overall, denatured single-fluid designs appear as the most promising candidate technology minimizing both design complexity and overall proliferation risks despite being somewhat less attractive from the perspective of resource utilization

  8. Generation IV reactors: reactor concepts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cardonnier, J.L.; Dumaz, P.; Antoni, O.; Arnoux, P.; Bergeron, A.; Renault, C.; Rimpault, G.; Delpech, M.; Garnier, J.C.; Anzieu, P.; Francois, G.; Lecomte, M.

    2003-01-01

    Liquid metal reactor concept looks promising because of its hard neutron spectrum. Sodium reactors benefit a large feedback experience in Japan and in France. Lead reactors have serious assets concerning safety but they require a great effort in technological research to overcome the corrosion issue and they lack a leader country to develop this innovative technology. In molten salt reactor concept, salt is both the nuclear fuel and the coolant fluid. The high exit temperature of the primary salt (700 Celsius degrees) allows a high energy efficiency (44%). Furthermore molten salts have interesting specificities concerning the transmutation of actinides: they are almost insensitive to irradiation damage, some salts can dissolve large quantities of actinides and they are compatible with most reprocessing processes based on pyro-chemistry. Supercritical water reactor concept is based on operating temperature and pressure conditions that infers water to be beyond its critical point. In this range water gets some useful characteristics: - boiling crisis is no more possible because liquid and vapour phase can not coexist, - a high heat transfer coefficient due to the low thermal conductivity of supercritical water, and - a high global energy efficiency due to the high temperature of water. Gas-cooled fast reactors combining hard neutron spectrum and closed fuel cycle open the way to a high valorization of natural uranium while minimizing ultimate radioactive wastes and proliferation risks. Very high temperature gas-cooled reactor concept is developed in the prospect of producing hydrogen from no-fossil fuels in large scale. This use implies a reactor producing helium over 1000 Celsius degrees. (A.C.)

  9. Studies of thermal hydraulics and heat transfer in cascade subcritical molten salt reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aysen, E.M.; Sedov, A.A.; Subbotin, A.S.

    2005-01-01

    Full text of publication follows: Cascade Subcritical Molten Salt Reactor (CSMSR) consists of three main parts: accelerator-driven proton-bombarded target, central and peripheral zones. External neutrons generated in the result of interaction of protons with the target nuclei are multiplied then in the central zone and leak farther into the peripheral reactor zone, where an efficient burning of Minor Actinides dissolved in a molten salt fluoride composition is produced. The bunch of target and two zones is designed so that preset subcriticality of reactor would not be less than 1% of k eff . A characteristic feature of the reactor is a high density of neutron flux (2.10 15 n/cm 2 s) in the central zone and target and very high volumetric power rate (2000 - 6000 W/cm 3 ) in all the parts of CSMSR. To provide a workability of the core structures under condition of so big level of power rate it is necessary to impose strict limitations on the temperatures and temperature gradients developed in the coolants and constructions. In this reason it has been arranged a calculational-designing study to reveal the problems of heat transfer in the coolant and core structures and to find more appropriate variant of the core and target design, which is a compromise of contradictory requirements: provision of high neutron flux and coolability of the core structures. In this paper the results of studies of thermal hydraulics and heat transfer in the core zones and proton-beam target are presented. Different variants of the target and central zone design as well as application of different kind of coolants in them are discussed and the main problems of heat removal in their structures are analyzed. Multidimensional fields of velocity and temperature got in thermal hydraulics calculations for free flow of fuelled molten salt in cylindrical-cave peripheral CSMSR zone without structures inside are demonstrated. The role of turbulent exchange of momentum and heat for free flow in the

  10. Preliminary Study for Inventories of Minor Actinides in Thorium Molten Salt Reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Choong Wie; Kim, Hee Reyoung [Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-05-15

    It has different characteristic with the conventional reactors which use a solid fuel. It can continually supply the fuel by online refueling and reprocessing of minor actinides so that those can be separated and eliminated from the reactor. The MSR maintains steady state except initial stage and the reactor becomes stable. In this research, considering online refueling, bubbling and reprocessing, the basic concept for evaluation of the inventory of minor actinide in the molten salt reactor is driven using the Bateman equation. The simulation results, where REM and MCNP code from CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) applied to the concept equation are analyzed. The analysis of the basic concept was carried out for evaluation of the inventory of the minor actinides in MSR. It was thought that the inventories of the minor actinides should be evaluated by solving the modified Bateman equation due to the MSR characteristic of online refueling, chemical reprocessing and bubbling.

  11. Preliminary Study for Inventories of Minor Actinides in Thorium Molten Salt Reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Choong Wie; Kim, Hee Reyoung

    2015-01-01

    It has different characteristic with the conventional reactors which use a solid fuel. It can continually supply the fuel by online refueling and reprocessing of minor actinides so that those can be separated and eliminated from the reactor. The MSR maintains steady state except initial stage and the reactor becomes stable. In this research, considering online refueling, bubbling and reprocessing, the basic concept for evaluation of the inventory of minor actinide in the molten salt reactor is driven using the Bateman equation. The simulation results, where REM and MCNP code from CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) applied to the concept equation are analyzed. The analysis of the basic concept was carried out for evaluation of the inventory of the minor actinides in MSR. It was thought that the inventories of the minor actinides should be evaluated by solving the modified Bateman equation due to the MSR characteristic of online refueling, chemical reprocessing and bubbling

  12. Effects of Coolant Temperature Changes on Reactivity for Various Coolants in a Liquid Salt Cooled Very High Temperature Reactor (LS-VHTR)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Casino, William A. Jr.

    2006-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to perform an investigation into the relative merit of various salts and salt compounds being considered for use as coolants in the liquid salt cooled very high temperature reactor platform (LS-VHTR). Most of the non-nuclear properties necessary to evaluate these salts are known, but the neutronic characteristics important to reactor core design are still in need of a more extensive examination. This report provides a two-fold approach to further this investigation. First, a list of qualifying salts is assembled based upon acceptable non-nuclear properties. Second, the effect on system reactivity for a secondary system transient or an off-normal or accident condition is examined for each of these salt choices. The specific incident to be investigated is an increase in primary coolant temperature beyond normal operating parameters. In order to perform the relative merit comparison of each candidate salt, the System Temperature Coefficient of Reactivity is calculated for each candidate salt at various state points throughout the core burn history. (author)

  13. Heat Transfer in Pebble-Bed Nuclear Reactor Cores Cooled by Fluoride Salts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huddar, Lakshana Ravindranath

    With electricity demand predicted to rise by more than 50% within the next 20 years and a burgeoning world population requiring reliable emissions-free base-load electricity, can we design advanced nuclear reactors to help meet this challenge? At the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) Fluoride-salt-cooled High Temperature Reactors (FHR) are currently being investigated. FHRs are designed with better safety and economic characteristics than conventional light water reactors (LWR) currently in operation. These reactors operate at high temperature and low pressure making them more efficient and safer than LWRs. The pebble-bed FHR (PB-FHR) variant includes an annular nuclear reactor core that is filled with randomly packed pebble fuel. It is crucial to characterize the heat transfer within this unique geometry as this informs the safety limits of the reactor. The work presented in this dissertation focused on furthering the understanding of heat transfer in pebble-bed nuclear reactor cores using fluoride salts as a coolant. This was done through experimental, analytical and computational techniques. A complex nuclear system with a coolant that has never previously been in commercial use requires experimental data that can directly inform aspects of its design. It is important to isolate heat transfer phenomena in order to understand the underlying physics in the context of the PB-FHR, as well as to make decisions about further experimental work that needs to be done in support of developing the PB-FHR. Certain organic oils can simulate the heat transfer behaviour of the fluoride salt if relevant non-dimensional parameters are matched. The advantage of this method is that experiments can be done at a much lower temperature and at a smaller geometric scale compared to FHRs, thereby lowering costs. In this dissertation, experiments were designed and performed to collect data demonstrating similitude. The limitations of these experiments were also elucidated by

  14. Neutronics of a liquid salt cooled - very high temperature reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zakova, J.

    2007-01-01

    During last few years, the interest in the innovative, Liquid Salt cooled - Very High Temperature Reactor (LS-VHTR), has been growing. The preconceptual design of the LS-VHTR was suggested in Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) [1] and nowadays, several research institutions contribute to the development of this concept. The LS-VHTR design utilises a prismatic, High Temperature Reactor (HTR) fuel [2] in combination with liquid salt as a coolant. This connection of high-performance fuel and a coolant with enhanced heat transfer abilities enables efficient and economical operation. Main objective of the LS-VHTR operation may be either an efficient electricity production or a heat supply for a production of hydrogen or, combination of both. The LS-VHTR is moderated by graphite. The graphite matrix of the fuel blocks, as well as the inner and outer core reflectors serve as a thermal buffer in case of an accident, and they provide a strong thermal feedback during normal reactor operation. The high inherent safety of the LS-VHTR meets the strict requirements on future reactor systems, as defined by the Gen IV project. This work, purpose, scope, contribution to the state-of-art: The design, used in the present work is based on the first ORNL suggestion [1]. Recent study is focused on comparison of the neutronic performance of two types of fuel in the LS-VHTR core, whereas, in all previous works, only uranium fuel has been investigated. The first type of fuel, which has been employed in the present analysis, is based on the spent Light Water Reactor (LWR) fuel, whereas the second one consists of enriched uranium oxide. The results of such a comparison bring a valuable knowledge about limits and possibilities of the LS-VHTR concept, when employed as a spent fuel burner. Method:It is used a 3-D drawing of the LS-VHTR core, which contains 324x10 hexagonal fuel blocks. Each fuel block contains 216x10 fuel pins, which consists of TRISO particles incorporated into a graphite

  15. Experimental investigation of the MSFR molten salt reactor concept

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yamaji, Bogdan; Aszodi, Attila [Budapest University of Technology and Economics (Hungary). Inst. of Nuclear Techniques

    2014-11-15

    In the paper experimental modelling and investigation of the MSFR concept will be presented. MSFR is a homogeneous, single region liquid fuelled fast reactor concept. In case of molten salt reactors the core neutron flux and fission distribution is determined by the flow field through distribution and transport of fissile material and delayed neutron precursors. Since the MSFR core is a single region homogeneous volume without internal structures, it is a difficult task to ensure stable flow field, which is strongly coupled to the volumetric heat generation. These considerations suggest that experimental modelling would greatly help to understand the flow phenomena in such geometry. A scaled and segmented experimental mock-up of MSFR was designed and built in order to carry out particle image velocimetry measurements. Basic flow behaviour inside the core region can be investigated and the measurement data can also provide resource for the validation of computational fluid dynamics models. Measurement results of steady state conditions will be presented and discussed.

  16. Methane-steam reforming by molten salt - membrane reactor using concentrated solar thermal energy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watanuki, K.; Nakajima, H.; Hasegawa, N.; Kaneko, H.; Tamaura, Y.

    2006-01-01

    By utilization of concentrated solar thermal energy for steam reforming of natural gas, which is an endothermic reaction, the chemical energy of natural gas can be up-graded. The chemical system for steam reforming of natural gas with concentrated solar thermal energy was studied to produce hydrogen by using the thermal storage with molten salt and the membrane reactor. The original steam reforming module with hydrogen permeable palladium membrane was developed and fabricated. Steam reforming of methane proceeded with the original module with palladium membrane below the decomposition temperature of molten salt (around 870 K). (authors)

  17. The concept of fuel cycle integrated molten salt reactor for transmuting Pu+MA from spent LWR fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hirose, Y.; Takashima, Y.

    2001-01-01

    Japan should need a new fuel cycle, not to save spent fuels indefinitely as the reusable resources but to consume plutonium and miner actinides orderly without conventional reprocessing. The key component is a molten salt reactor fueled with the Pu+MA (PMA) separated from LWR spent fuels using fluoride volatility method. A double-tiered once-through reactor system can burn PMA down to 5% remnant ratio, and can make PMA virtually free from the HAW to be disposed geometrically. A key issue to be demonstrated is the first of all solubility behavior of trifluoride species in the molten fuel salt of 7 LiF-BeF 2 mixture. (author)

  18. Vertical boreholes in salt - An industrial demonstration program -

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bollingerfehr, W.; Filbert, W.

    2006-01-01

    In order to synchronize and optimize the emplacement technologies used for both categories of waste (vitrified waste and spent fuel) the borehole emplacement technique for consolidated spent fuel was reconsidered in Germany. The appropriate design resulted in a fuel rod canister of the type 'BSK 3'. This BSK 3 steel canister is of the same diameter as the standard HLW-canister which allows the use of a common transfer and handling technique. The canister is tightly sealed by welding and designed to withstand petrostatic pressure. Thermal calculations showed that the emplacement of a BSK 3-canister into a vertical borehole in a salt repository is possible after only about 3 to 7 years after reactor unloading of the fuel assemblies. Thus, the emplacement of BSK 3-canisters allows a complete revision of the schedule of spent fuel disposal concepts and may lead to a considerable reduction of time and costs. Accordingly, a research program was launched in 2004 within the framework of the 6th European Research Program to develop the transport and emplacement components, the functionality and reliability of which are to be tested in a one-year demonstration phase which will commence at the beginning of 2008. (author)

  19. Fluoride-Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (FHR) with Silicon-Carbide-Matrix Coated-Particle Fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Forsberg, C. W.; Snead, Lance Lewis; Katoh, Yutai

    2012-01-01

    The FHR is a new reactor concept that uses coated-particle fuel and a low-pressure liquid-salt coolant. Its neutronics are similar to a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR). The power density is 5 to 10 times higher because of the superior cooling properties of liquids versus gases. The leading candidate coolant salt is a mixture of 7 LiF and BeF 2 (FLiBe) possessing a boiling point above 1300 C and the figure of merit ρC p (volumetric heat capacity) for the salt slightly superior to water. Studies are underway to define a near-term base-line concept while understanding longer-term options. Near-term options use graphite-matrix coated-particle fuel where the graphite is both a structural component and the primary neutron moderator. It is the same basic fuel used in HTGRs. The fuel can take several geometric forms with a pebble bed being the leading contender. Recent work on silicon-carbide-matrix (SiCm) coated-particle fuel may create a second longer-term fuel option. SiCm coated-particle fuels are currently being investigated for use in light-water reactors. The replacement of the graphite matrix with a SiCm creates a new family of fuels. The first motivation behind the effort is to take advantage of the superior radiation resistance of SiC compared to graphite in order to provide a stable matrix for hosting coated fuel particles. The second motivation is a much more rugged fuel under accident, repository, and other conditions.

  20. Engineering development studies for molten-salt breeder reactor processing No. 18

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hightower, J.R. Jr.

    1975-03-01

    A water--mercury system was used to study the effect of geometric variations on mass transfer rates in rectangular contractors similar to those proposed for the molten-salt breeder reactor (MSBR) fuel reprocessing scheme. Since mass transfer rates were not accurately predicted by the Lewis correlation, other correlations were investigated. A correlation which was found to fit the experimental results is given. Mass transfer rates are being measured in a fluoride salt--bismuth contactor. Experimental results indicate that the mass transfer rates in the salt--bismuth system fall between the Lewis correlation and the modified correlation given above. Autoresistance heating tests were continued in the fluorinator mock-up using LiF--BeF 2 --ThF 4 (72-16-12 mole percent) salt. The equipment was returned to operating condition, and five experiments were run. Although correct steady-state operation was not achieved, the results were encouraging. A two-dimensional electrical analog was constructed to study current flow through the electrode sidearm and other critical areas of the test vessel. These studies indicate that no regions of abnormally high current density existed in the first nine runs with the present autoresistance heating equipment. Localized heating had previously been the suspected cause for the failure to achieve proper operation of this equipment. (U.S.)

  1. A low-risk aqueous lithium salt blanket for engineering test reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gierszewski, P.

    1986-09-01

    A simple blanket concept is proposed based on 1-3 wt.% lithium dissolved as a salt in low temperature (80 degrees C) and low pressure (0.1 MPa) water. This concept can provide, for example, a 0.5 tritium breeding ratio with 60% steel structure and 70% coverage. The use of neutron multipliers, other structural materials (especially zirconium alloys), higher coverage and higher lithium salt concentrations allows tritium breeding ratios over unity if necessary. Other advantages of this concept include the simple shield-like geometry, substantial structural volume for mechanical strength, excellent heat transfer ability of water coolant, efficient neutron and gamma shielding through the combination of high-Z structure and low-Z water, and conventional tritium recovery and control technology. This concept could initially provide the shielding needs for an engineering test reactor and later, by the addition of lithium salt and tritium recovery systems, also provide tritium breeding. This staged operation and liquid breeder/coolant allows control over the tritium inventory in the device without machine disassembly. 14 refs

  2. The thorium fuel cycle in molten salt reactors as a solution for the energetic problem of the 21. century? The TMSR-NM concept

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Merle-Lucotte, E.

    2008-06-01

    Within the frame of development of sustainable nuclear programs, this report does not only deal with the development of nuclear systems, but with the general context in which such a development will occur. While describing and commenting her professional career in different nuclear research institutions and on various research programs, the author describes the assets and challenges of the electro-nuclear sector, and then focuses on the research structures and contexts for future possible nuclear concepts, and more particularly like melted salt reactors for which she highlights scientific and technical problems which are still to be solved. She describes French, European and world programs which were to start by 2009

  3. Safety studies dedicated to molten salt reactors with a fast neutron spectrum and operated in the Thorium fuel cycle - Innovative concept of Molten Salt Fast Reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brovchenko, Mariya

    2013-01-01

    The nuclear reactors of the 4. generation must allow an optimized use of natural resources, while performing at a high safety level. The framework of this thesis is the deployment study of one of such a system, an innovative and still little studied Molten Salt Fast Reactor. An excellent safety is an ultimate requirement of the nuclear energy deployment, so it is important to raise this question at the current early stage of the MSFR concept development. This concept was the subject of a neutronic tool benchmark within a European project EVOL. Definition, calculations and results analyses were performed during this thesis. Comparisons of static neutronic and burn-up calculations, performed by the project participants, concluded to a good agreement between the different codes and methods used and pointed out the sensibility of the nuclear database choice on the results. With the aim of safety analysis of the MSFR, the decay heat was studied in detail. The tool used for the decay heat calculation was developed and validated, to finally evaluate the decay heat in the reactor. The decay heat source presented in different zones was quantified, concluding to a high importance of the cooling of the fuel salt and the bubbling system enclosing a part of the fission products. The safety analysis methodology was also studied in this thesis. Even if the safety principles are directly transposable to the MSFR, the precise recommendations are not. This is due to the specificity of the design that relies on the liquid state of the fuel, on the reprocessing systems located in the reactor and the embryonic stage of the design. First, a preliminary transposition work of some criteria to the MSFR design was realized, resulting amongst other things in a list of accidental scenarios particular for MSFR. Finally, a preliminary physical study of some types of accidental scenarios was performed, that can be used as a basis for further analyses with more sophisticated tools. (author) [fr

  4. Programming for a nuclear reactor instrument simulator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cohn, C.E.

    1989-01-01

    A new computerized control system for a transient test reactor incorporates a simulator for pre-operational testing of control programs. The part of the simulator pertinent to the discussion here consists of two microprocessors. An 8086/8087 reactor simulator calculates simulated reactor power by solving the reactor kinetics equations. An 8086 instrument simulator takes the most recent power value developed by the reactor simulator and simulates the appropriate reading on each of the eleven reactor instruments. Since the system is required to run on a one millisecond cycle, careful programming was required to take care of all eleven instruments in that short time. This note describes the special programming techniques used to attain the needed performance

  5. Amster: a molten-salt reactor concept generating its own 233U and incinerating transuranium elements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lecarpentier, D.; Garzenne, C.; Vergnes, J.; Mouney, H.; Delpech, M.

    2002-01-01

    In the coming century, sustainable development of atomic energy will require the development of new types of reactors able to exceed the limits of the existing reactor types, be it in terms of optimum use of natural fuel resources, reduction in the production of long-lived radioactive waste, or economic competitiveness. Of the various candidates with the potential to meet these needs, molten-salt reactors are particularly attractive, in the light of the benefits they offer, arising from two fundamental features: - A liquid fuel does away with the constraints inherent in solid fuel, leading to a drastic simplification of the fuel cycle, in particular making in possible to carry out on-line pyrochemical reprocessing; - Thorium cycle and thermal spectrum breeding. The MSBR concept proposed by ORNL in the 1970's thus gave a breeding factor of 1.06, with a doubling time of about 25 years. However, given the tight neutron balance of the thorium cycle (the η of 233 U is about 2.3), MSBR performance is only possible if there are strict constraints set on the in-line reprocessing unit: all the 233 Pa must be removed from the core so that it can decay on the 233 U in no more than about ten days (or at least 15 tonnes of salt to be extracted from the core daily), and the absorbing fission products, in particular the rare earths, must be extracted in about fifty days. With the AMSTER MSR concept, which we initially developed for incinerating transuranium elements, we looked to reduce the mass of salt to be reprocessed in order to minimise the size and complexity of the reprocessing unit coupled to the reactor, and the quantity of transuranium elements sent for disposal, as this is directly proportional to the mass of salt reprocessed for extraction of the fission products. Given that breeding was not an absolute necessity, because the reactor can be started by incinerating the transuranium elements from the spent fuel assemblies of current reactors, or if necessary by loading

  6. A general overview of generation IV molten salt reactor (MSR) and the use of thorium as fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yamaguchi, Carlos H.; Stefani, Giovanni L.; Santos, Thiago A., E-mail: carlos.yamaguchi@usp.br, E-mail: giovanni.stefani@ipen.br, E-mail: thiago.santos@ufabc.edu.br [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), SP (Brazil). Instituto de Fisica; Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Universidade Federal do ABC (CECS/UFABC), Santo Andre, SP (Brazil). Centro de Engenharia, Modelagem e Ciencias Sociais Aplicadas

    2017-07-01

    The molten salt reactors (MSRs) make use of fluoride salt as primary cooler, at low pressure. Although considered a generation IV reactor, your concept isn't new, since in the 1960 years the Oak Ridge National Laboratory created a little prototype of 8MWt. Over the 20{sup th} century, other countries, like UK, Japan, Russia, China and France also did research in the area, especially with the use of thorium as fuel. This goes with the fact that Brazil possess the biggest reserve of thorium in the world. In the center of nuclear engineering at IPEN is being created a study group connected to thorium reactors, which purpose is to investigate reactors using thorium to produce {sup 233}U and tailing burn, thus making the MSR using thorium as fuel, an object of study. This present work searches to do a general summary about the researches of MSR's, having as focus the utilization of thorium with the goal being to show it's efficiency and utilization is doable. (author)

  7. Impacts on power reactor health physics programs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meyer, B.A.

    1991-01-01

    The impacts on power reactor health physics programs form implementing the revised 10 CFR Part 20 will be extensive and costly. Every policy, program, procedure and training lesson plan involving health physics will require changes and the subsequent retraining of personnel. At each power reactor facility, hundreds of procedures and thousands of people will be affected by these changes. Every area of a power reactor health physics program will be affected. These areas include; ALARA, Respiratory Protection, Exposure Control, Job Coverage, Dosimetry, Radwaste, Effluent Accountability, Emergency Planning and Radiation Worker Training. This paper presents how power reactor facilities will go about making these changes and gives possible examples of some of these changes and their impact on each area of power reactor health physics program

  8. Sustainability of thorium-uranium in pebble-bed fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, G.; Zou, Y.; Xu, H.

    2016-01-01

    Sustainability of thorium fuel in a Pebble-Bed Fluoride salt-cooled High temperature Reactor (PBFHR) is investigated to find the feasible region of high discharge burnup and negative Flibe (2LiF-BeF_2) salt Temperature Reactivity Coefficient (TRC). Dispersion fuel or pellet fuel with SiC cladding and SiC matrix is used to replace the tri-structural-isotropic (TRISO) coated particle system for increasing fuel loading and decreasing excessive moderation. To analyze the neutronic characteristics, an equilibrium calculation method of thorium fuel self-sustainability is developed. We have compared two refueling schemes (mixing flow pattern and directional flow pattern) and two kinds of reflector materials (SiC and graphite). This method found that the feasible region of breeding and negative Flibe TRC is between 20 vol% and 62 vol% fuel loading in the fuel. A discharge burnup could be achieved up to about 200 MWd/kgHM. The case with directional flow pattern and SiC reflector showed superior burnup characteristics but the worst radial power peak factor, while the case with mixing flow pattern and SiC reflector, which was the best tradeoff between discharge burnup and radial power peak factor, could provide burnup of 140 MWd/kgHM and about 1.4 radial power peak factor with 50 vol% dispersion fuel. In addition, Flibe salt displays good neutron properties as a coolant of quasi-fast reactors due to the strong "9Be(n,2n) reaction and low neutron absorption of "6Li (even at 1000 ppm) in fast spectrum. Preliminary thermal hydraulic calculation shows a good safety margin. The greatest challenge of this reactor may be the decades irradiation time of the pebble fuel. (A.C)

  9. Molten Salt Breeder Reactor Analysis Based on Unit Cell Model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jeong, Yongjin; Choi, Sooyoung; Lee, Deokjung [Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-05-15

    Contemporary computer codes like the MCNP6 or SCALE are only good for solving a fixed solid fuel reactor. However, due to the molten-salt fuel, MSR analysis needs some functions such as online reprocessing and refueling, and circulating fuel. J. J. Power of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) suggested in 2013 a method for simulating the Molten Salt Breeder Reactor (MSBR) with SCALE, which does not support continuous material processing. In order to simulate MSR characteristics, the method proposes dividing a depletion time into short time intervals and batchwise reprocessing and refueling at each step. We are applying this method by using the MCNP6 and PYTHON and NEWT-TRITON-PYTHON and PYTHON code systems to MSBR. This paper contains various parameters to analyze the MSBR unit cell model such as the multiplication factor, breeding ratio, change of amount of fuel, amount of fuel feeding, and neutron flux distribution. The result of MCNP6 and NEWT module in SCALE show some difference in depletion analysis, but it still seems that they can be used to analyze MSBR. Using these two computer code system, it is possible to analyze various parameters for the MSBR unit cells such as the multiplication factor, breeding ratio, amount of material, total feeding, and neutron flux distribution. Furthermore, the two code systems will be able to be used for analyzing other MSR model or whole core models of MSR.

  10. Molten Salt Breeder Reactor Analysis Based on Unit Cell Model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeong, Yongjin; Choi, Sooyoung; Lee, Deokjung

    2014-01-01

    Contemporary computer codes like the MCNP6 or SCALE are only good for solving a fixed solid fuel reactor. However, due to the molten-salt fuel, MSR analysis needs some functions such as online reprocessing and refueling, and circulating fuel. J. J. Power of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) suggested in 2013 a method for simulating the Molten Salt Breeder Reactor (MSBR) with SCALE, which does not support continuous material processing. In order to simulate MSR characteristics, the method proposes dividing a depletion time into short time intervals and batchwise reprocessing and refueling at each step. We are applying this method by using the MCNP6 and PYTHON and NEWT-TRITON-PYTHON and PYTHON code systems to MSBR. This paper contains various parameters to analyze the MSBR unit cell model such as the multiplication factor, breeding ratio, change of amount of fuel, amount of fuel feeding, and neutron flux distribution. The result of MCNP6 and NEWT module in SCALE show some difference in depletion analysis, but it still seems that they can be used to analyze MSBR. Using these two computer code system, it is possible to analyze various parameters for the MSBR unit cells such as the multiplication factor, breeding ratio, amount of material, total feeding, and neutron flux distribution. Furthermore, the two code systems will be able to be used for analyzing other MSR model or whole core models of MSR

  11. N Reactor Deactivation Program Plan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Walsh, J.L.

    1993-12-01

    This N Reactor Deactivation Program Plan is structured to provide the basic methodology required to place N Reactor and supporting facilities · in a radiologically and environmentally safe condition such that they can be decommissioned at a later date. Deactivation will be in accordance with facility transfer criteria specified in Department of Energy (DOE) and Westinghouse Hanford Company (WHC) guidance. Transition activities primarily involve shutdown and isolation of operational systems and buildings, radiological/hazardous waste cleanup, N Fuel Basin stabilization and environmental stabilization of the facilities. The N Reactor Deactivation Program covers the period FY 1992 through FY 1997. The directive to cease N Reactor preservation and prepare for decommissioning was issued by DOE to WHC on September 20, 1991. The work year and budget data supporting the Work Breakdown Structure in this document are found in the Activity Data Sheets (ADS) and the Environmental Restoration Program Baseline, that are prepared annually

  12. The Molten Salt Reactor option for beneficial use of fissile material from dismantled weapons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gat, U.; Engel, J.R.; Dodds, H.L.

    1991-01-01

    The Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) option for burning fissile fuel from dismantled weapons is examined. It is concluded that MSRs are very suitable for beneficial utilization of the dismantled fuel. The MSRs can utilize any fissile fuel in continuous operation with no special modifications, as demonstrated in the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment. Thus MSRs are flexible while maintaining their economy. MSRs further require a minimum of special fuel preparation and can tolerate denaturing and dilution of the fuel. Fuel shipments can be arbitrarily small, all of which supports nonproliferation and averts diversion. MSRs have inherent safety features which make them acceptable and attractive. They can burn a fuel type completely and convert it to other fuels. MSRs also have the potential for burning the actinides and delivering the waste in an optimal form, thus contributing to the solution of one of the major remaining problems for deployment of nuclear power. 19 refs

  13. The molten salt reactor option for beneficial use of fissile material from dismantled weapons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gat, U.; Engel, J.R.

    1991-01-01

    The Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) option for burning fissile fuel from dismantled weapons is examined and is found very suitable for the beneficial use of this fuel. MSRs can utilize any fissile fuel in continuous operation with no special modifications, as demonstrated in the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment. Thus, MSRs are flexible while maintaining their economy. Furthermore, MSRs require only a minimum of special fuel preparation. They can tolerate denaturing and dilution of their fuel. The size of fuel shipments can be determined to optimize safety and security-all of which supports nonproliferation and resists diversion. In addition, MSRs have inherent safety features that make them acceptable and attractive. They can burn fissile material completely or can convert it to other fuels. MSRs also have the potential for burning the actinides and delivering the waste in an optimal form, thus contributing to the solution of one of the major remaining problems in the deployment of nuclear power

  14. The Radiative Heat Transfer Properties of Molten Salts and Their Relevance to the Design of Advanced Reactors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaleff, Ethan Solomon

    Molten salts, such as the fluoride salt eutectic LiF-NaF-KF (FLiNaK) or the transition metal fluoride salt KF-ZrF4, have been proposed as coolants for numerous advanced reactor concepts. These reactors are designed to operate at high temperatures where radiative heat transfer may play a significant role. If this is the case, the radiative heat transfer properties of the salt coolants are required to be known for heat transfer calculations to be performed accurately. Chapter 1 describes the existing literature and experimental efforts pertaining to radiative heat transfer in molten salts. The physics governing photon absorption by halide salts is discussed first, followed by a more specific description of experimental results pertaining to salts of interest. The phonon absorption edge in LiF-based salts such as FLiNaK is estimated and the technique described for potential use in other salts. A description is given of various spectral measurement techniques which might plausibly be employed in the present effort, as well as an argument for the use of integral techniques. Chapter 2 discusses the mathematical treatments required to approximate and solve for the radiative flux in participating materials. The differential approximation and the exact solutions to the radiative flux are examined, and methods are given to solve radiative and energy equations simultaneously. A coupled solution is used to examine radiative heat transfer to molten salt coolants. A map is generated of pipe diameters, wall temperatures, and average absorption coefficients where radiative heat transfer will increase expected heat transfer by more than 10% compared to convective methods alone. Chapter 3 presents the design and analysis of the Integral Radiative Absorption Chamber (IRAC). The IRAC employs an integral technique for the measurement of the entire electromagnetic spectrum, negating some of the challenges associated with the methods discussed in Chapter 1 at the loss of spectral

  15. Proposals on the organization of a fuel cycle of the cascade sub-critical molten salt reactor (CSMSR)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bychkov, A.V.; Kormilitsyn, M.V.; Melnik, M.I.; Babikov, L.G.; Ponomarev, L.I.

    2002-01-01

    At present the approach of burning out long-lived radioactive waste (RW) in the reactor core neutron flux is the most feasible one. Currently the way of closing nuclear fuel cycle (NFC) on the basis of the nuclear chemical concept of the cascade sub-critical molten salt reactor (CSMSR) is considered as the most promising one. It is characterised by a number of advantages. CSMSR controlled by a beam of protons or electrons is the optimal reactor for closing the NFC using non-aqueous fluoride methods of fuel reprocessing. They, in comparison with aqueous methods, are characterised by a small waste quantity and are less laborious because of the absence of severe requirements to the product purity. A high productivity of high-temperature electrochemical processes allows the implementation of the fuel recycling process as part of the CSMSR total technological cycle. It can be conducted in the 'on-line' mode in the bypass molten salt circuit that brings the transportation volume of high-activity materials to a minimum. In order to reprocess the CSMSR irradiated molten salt fuel on the basis of salt composition LiF-NaF-(BeF 2 ) an option, based on the following three main operations of the melt treatment, was proposed at SSC RF RIAR: (i) On-line argon treatment of molten salt fuel for removal of gaseous fission products (FP) and also FP that form volatile fluorides and aerosols; (ii) Organisation of the fuel-active metal (probably with a fine-dispersed plutonium alloy) interaction in the on-line mode for removal of 'noble' and 'semi-noble' FP and corrosion products such as Ni, Fe, Cr (when using Pu alloy it allows to regenerate at the same time of the burned-out plutonium component); (iii) Portion-by-portion (fuel composition partially being removed from the CSMSR molten salt circuit) pyroelectrochemical reprocessing of the molten salt composition aimed at the removal of lanthanides - FP followed by a return of actinides to the CSMSR fuel cycle. This technology will allow

  16. Molten salt reactors: chemistry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-01-01

    This work is a critical analysis of the 1000 MW MSBR project. Behavior of rare gases in the primary coolant circuit, their extraction from helium. Coating of graphite by molybdenum, chemistry of protactinium and niobium produced in the molten salt, continuous reprocessing of the fuel salt and use of stainless steel instead of hastelloy are reviewed [fr

  17. Molten Salts for High Temperature Reactors: University of Wisconsin Molten Salt Corrosion and Flow Loop Experiments -- Issues Identified and Path Forward

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Piyush Sabharwall; Matt Ebner; Manohar Sohal; Phil Sharpe; Thermal Hydraulics Group

    2010-03-01

    Considerable amount of work is going on regarding the development of high temperature liquid salts technology to meet future process needs of Next Generation Nuclear Plant. This report identifies the important characteristics and concerns of high temperature molten salts (with lesson learned at University of Wisconsin-Madison, Molten Salt Program) and provides some possible recommendation for future work

  18. NCSU reactor sharing program. Final technical report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perez, P.B.

    1997-01-01

    The Nuclear Reactor Program at North Carolina State University provides the PULSTAR Research Reactor and associated facilities to eligible institutions with support, in part, from the Department of Energy Reactor Sharing Program. Participation in the NCSU Reactor Sharing Program continues to increase steadily with visitors ranging from advance high school physics and chemistry students to Ph.D. level research from neighboring universities. This report is the Final Technical Report for the DOE award reference number DE-FG05-95NE38136 which covers the period September 30, 1995 through September 30, 1996

  19. The analysis of the initiating events in thorium-based molten salt reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zuo Jiaxu; Song Wei; Jing Jianping; Zhang Chunming

    2014-01-01

    The initiation events analysis and evaluation were the beginning of nuclear safety analysis and probabilistic safety analysis, and it was the key points of the nuclear safety analysis. Currently, the initiation events analysis method and experiences both focused on water reactor, but no methods and theories for thorium-based molten salt reactor (TMSR). With TMSR's research and development in China, the initiation events analysis and evaluation was increasingly important. The research could be developed from the PWR analysis theories and methods. Based on the TMSR's design, the theories and methods of its initiation events analysis could be researched and developed. The initiation events lists and analysis methods of the two or three generation PWR, high-temperature gascooled reactor and sodium-cooled fast reactor were summarized. Based on the TMSR's design, its initiation events would be discussed and developed by the logical analysis. The analysis of TMSR's initiation events was preliminary studied and described. The research was important to clarify the events analysis rules, and useful to TMSR's designs and nuclear safety analysis. (authors)

  20. Development of flexible support for molten salt reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xie, Mingqiang

    2014-01-01

    Supporting member design for equipment and pipes is the requisite factor to realize the concept. It's a challenge to design a reliable supporting structure in molten salt reactor (MSR) due to the extraordinary working temperature (max 750 deg. C). High temperature may cause large expansion and reduce the mechanical strength of material, The support is required both enough strength and flexibility. In this paper, an all-dimensional support was designed, the validation work was carried out on a high temperature test loop. The results indicate that the support has a good performance, it reduce the thermal stress effectively and support the equipment and pipes stably for one year. The support design has a significance referential meaning for MSR construction (authors)

  1. Engineering development studies for molten-salt breeder reactor processing No. 21

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hightower, J.R. Jr.

    1976-03-01

    The status of the following programs is reported: (1) continuous fluorinator development: autoresistance heating test AHT-4; (2) development of the metal transfer process; (3) salt-metal contactor development: experiments with a mechanically agitated, nondispersing contactor using water and mercury and in the salt-bismuth flowthrough facility; and (4) fuel reconstitution development: installation of equipment for a fuel reconstitution engineering experiment

  2. Flow effect on {sup 135}I and {sup 135}Xe evolution behavior in a molten salt reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, Jianhui; Guo, Chen [Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); CAS Center for Excellence in TMSR Energy System, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); Cai, Xiangzhou [Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); CAS Center for Excellence in TMSR Energy System, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Yu, Chenggang; Zou, Chunyan [Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); CAS Center for Excellence in TMSR Energy System, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); Han, Jianlong [Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); CAS Center for Excellence in TMSR Energy System, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Chen, Jingen, E-mail: chenjg@sinap.ac.cn [Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); CAS Center for Excellence in TMSR Energy System, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China)

    2017-04-01

    Highlights: • {sup 135}Xe and {sup 135}I evolution law in a molten salt reactor is analytically deduced. • The circulation of fuel salt through the primary loop decreases the concentration of {sup 135}I and {sup 135}Xe. • {sup 135}I and {sup 135}Xe concentration reduction is independent with the mass flow rate at normal core operating condition. • Increasing the external core volume would raise {sup 135}I and {sup 135}Xe concentration reduction caused by the flow effect. - Abstract: Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) employs fissile material dissolved in the fluoride salt as fuel which continuously circulates through the primary loop with the flow cycle time being a few tens of seconds. The nuclei evolution law is quite different from that in a solid fuel reactor. In this paper, we analytically deduce the nuclei evolution law of {sup 135}Xe and {sup 135}I which are entrained in the flowing salt, evaluate its concentration changing with the burnup time, and validate the result with the SCALE6. The circulation of fuel salt could decrease the concentration of {sup 135}Xe and {sup 135}I, and the reduction can achieve to around 40% and 50% for {sup 135}Xe and {sup 135}I respectively at a small power level (e.g., 2 MW) when the core has the same fuel salt volume as that of the outer-loop. Furthermore, it can be found that the reduction is inversely proportional to the core to outer-loop volume ratio, but uncorrelated with the mass flow rate under normal operating condition of a MSR. At low core power scale, the flow effect on {sup 135}Xe concentration reduction is apparent, but it is mitigated as the core power scale increases because of the rise of {sup 135}I concentration, which raises its decay to {sup 135}Xe and compensates the loss of {sup 135}Xe due to decay at the outer-loop. The decreased {sup 135}Xe concentration results in a core reactivity increase varying from around 150 pcm to 1000 pcm depending on the core power and core to outer-loop volume ratio.

  3. Nuclear proliferation and civilian nuclear power: report of the Nonproliferation Alternative Systems Assessment Program. Volume IX. Reactor and fuel cycle descriptions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1979-12-01

    The Nonproliferation Alternative Systems Assessment Program (NASAP) has characterized and assessed various reactor/fuel-cycle systems. Volume IX provides, in summary form, the technical descriptions of the reactor/fuel-cycle systems studied. This includes the status of the system technology, as well as a discussion of the safety, environmental, and licensing needs from a technical perspective. This information was then used in developing the research, development, and demonstration (RD and D) program, including its cost and time frame, to advance the existing technology to the level needed for commercial use. Wherever possible, the cost data are given as ranges to reflect the uncertainties in the estimates. Volume IX is divided into three sections: Chapter 1, Reactor Systems; Chapter 2, Fuel-Cycle Systems; and the Appendixes. Chapter 1 contains the characterizations of the following 12 reactor types: light-water reactor; heavy-water reactor; water-cooled breeder reactor; high-temperature gas-cooled reactor; gas-cooled fast reactor; liquid-metal fast breeder reactor; spectral-shift-controlled reactor; accelerator-driven reactor; molten-salt reactor; gaseous-core reactor; tokamak fusion-fisson hybrid reactor; and fast mixed-spectrum reactor. Chapter 2 contains similar information developed for fuel-cycle facilities in the following categories: mining and milling; conversion and enrichment; fuel fabrication; spent fuel reprocessing; waste handling and disposal; and transportation of nuclear materials.

  4. Nuclear proliferation and civilian nuclear power: report of the Nonproliferation Alternative Systems Assessment Program. Volume IX. Reactor and fuel cycle descriptions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1979-12-01

    The Nonproliferation Alternative Systems Assessment Program (NASAP) has characterized and assessed various reactor/fuel-cycle systems. Volume IX provides, in summary form, the technical descriptions of the reactor/fuel-cycle systems studied. This includes the status of the system technology, as well as a discussion of the safety, environmental, and licensing needs from a technical perspective. This information was then used in developing the research, development, and demonstration (RD and D) program, including its cost and time frame, to advance the existing technology to the level needed for commercial use. Wherever possible, the cost data are given as ranges to reflect the uncertainties in the estimates. Volume IX is divided into three sections: Chapter 1, Reactor Systems; Chapter 2, Fuel-Cycle Systems; and the Appendixes. Chapter 1 contains the characterizations of the following 12 reactor types: light-water reactor; heavy-water reactor; water-cooled breeder reactor; high-temperature gas-cooled reactor; gas-cooled fast reactor; liquid-metal fast breeder reactor; spectral-shift-controlled reactor; accelerator-driven reactor; molten-salt reactor; gaseous-core reactor; tokamak fusion-fisson hybrid reactor; and fast mixed-spectrum reactor. Chapter 2 contains similar information developed for fuel-cycle facilities in the following categories: mining and milling; conversion and enrichment; fuel fabrication; spent fuel reprocessing; waste handling and disposal; and transportation of nuclear materials

  5. Reactor of the XXI century

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhotabaev, Zh.R.; Solov'ev, Yu.A.

    2001-01-01

    The advantages of both molten salt reactors (MSR) and homogenous molten salt reactors (HMSR) are illuminated. It is noted that the MSR possess accident probability A=10 -6 1/reactor.years and the HMSR with integral configuration has A=10 -7 1/reactor.years. The methods for these reactors technological problems solution - tritium removal, salt melt circulation and capacity pick up - are discussed

  6. Target salt 2025: a global overview of national programs to encourage the food industry to reduce salt in foods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Webster, Jacqui; Trieu, Kathy; Dunford, Elizabeth; Hawkes, Corinna

    2014-08-21

    Reducing population salt intake has been identified as a priority intervention to reduce non-communicable diseases. Member States of the World Health Organization have agreed to a global target of a 30% reduction in salt intake by 2025. In countries where most salt consumed is from processed foods, programs to engage the food industry to reduce salt in products are being developed. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of national initiatives to encourage the food industry to reduce salt. A systematic review of the literature was supplemented by key informant questionnaires to inform categorization of the initiatives. Fifty nine food industry salt reduction programs were identified. Thirty eight countries had targets for salt levels in foods and nine countries had introduced legislation for some products. South Africa and Argentina have both introduced legislation limiting salt levels across a broad range of foods. Seventeen countries reported reductions in salt levels in foods-the majority in bread. While these trends represent progress, many countries have yet to initiate work in this area, others are at early stages of implementation and further monitoring is required to assess progress towards achieving the global target.

  7. ERG [Engineering Review Group] review of the SRP [Salt Repository Project] salt irradiation effects program: Technical report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Clark, D.E.

    1986-11-01

    The Engineering Review Group (ERG) was established by the Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation (ONWI) to help evaluate engineering-related issues in the US Department of Energy's nuclear waste repository program. The August 1985 meeting of the ERG reviewed the Salt Repository Project (SRP) salt irradiation effects program. This report documents the ERG's comments and recommendations on these subjects and the ONWI response to the specific points raised by the ERG

  8. Fuel reprocessing of the fast molten salt reactor: actinides et lanthanides extraction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jaskierowicz, S.

    2012-01-01

    The fuel reprocessing of the molten salt reactor (Gen IV concept) is a multi-steps process in which actinides and lanthanides extraction is performed by a reductive extraction technique. The development of an analytic model has showed that the contact between the liquid fuel LiF-ThF 4 and a metallic phase constituted of Bi-Li provide firstly a selective and quantitative extraction of actinides and secondly a quantitative extraction of lanthanides. The control of this process implies the knowledge of saline phase properties. Studies of the physico-chemical properties of fluoride salts lead to develop a technique based on potentiometric measurements to evaluate the fluoro-acidity of the salts. An acidity scale was established in order to classify the different fluoride salts considered. Another electrochemical method was also developed in order to determine the solvation properties of solutes in fluoride F- environment (and particularly ThF 4 by F-) in reductive extraction technique, a metallic phase is also involved. A method to prepare this phase was developed by electro-reduction of lithium on a bismuth liquid cathode in LiCl-LiF melt. This technique allows to accurately control the molar fraction of lithium introduced into the liquid bismuth, which is a main parameter to obtain an efficient extraction. (author)

  9. Molten salts in nuclear reactors; Les sels fondus dans les reacteurs nucleaires

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dirian, J; Saint-James, [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France).Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

    1959-07-01

    Collection of references dealing with the physicochemical studies of fused salts, in particular the alkali and alkali earth halides. Numerous binary, ternary and quaternary systems of these halides with those of uranium and thorium are examined, and the physical properties, density, viscosity, vapour pressure etc... going from the halides to the mixtures are also considered. References relating to the corrosion of materials by these salts are included and the treatment of the salts with a view to recuperation after irradiation in a nuclear reactor is discussed. (author) [French] Bibliographie regroupant l'etude physico-chimique des sels fondus, en particulier des halogenures alcalins et alcalino-terreux. On etudie de nombreux systemes binaires, ternaires et quaternaires de ces halogenures avec des halogenures d'uranium, et de thorium. On etudie egalement les proprietes physiques des halogenures ou des melanges d'halogenures (densite, viscosite, tension de vapeur, etc...). On donne egalement des references quant a la corrosion des materiaux par ces sels, et le traitement de ceux-ci en vue de recuperation, apres irradiation dans un reacteur nucleaire. (auteur)

  10. Design of a heterogeneous subcritical nuclear reactor with molten salts based on thorium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Medina C, D.; Hernandez A, P.; Letechipia de L, C.; Vega C, H. R.; Sajo B, L.

    2015-09-01

    This paper presents the design of a heterogeneous subcritical nuclear reactor with molten salts based on thorium, with graphite moderator and a 252 Cf source, whose dose levels at the periphery allows its use in teaching and research activities. The design was realized by the Monte Carlo method, where the geometry, dimensions and the fuel was varied in order to obtain the best design. The result was a cubic reactor of 110 cm of side, with graphite moderator and reflector. In the central part having 9 ducts of 3 cm in diameter, eight of them are 110 cm long, which were placed on the Y axis; the separation between each duct is 10 cm. The central duct has 60 cm in length and this contains the 252 Cf source, also there are two irradiation channels and the other six contain a molten salt ( 7 LiF - BeF 2 - ThF 4 - UF 4 ) as fuel. For the design the k eff was calculated, neutron spectra and ambient dose equivalent. In the first instance the above was calculated for a virgin fuel, was called case 1; then a percentage of 233 U was used and the percentage of Th was decreased and was called case 2. This with the purpose of comparing two different fuels operating within the reactor. For the two irradiation ducts three positions are used: center, back and front, in each duct in order to have different flows. (Author)

  11. The program of reactors and nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Calabrese, Carlos R.

    2001-01-01

    Into de framework of the program of research reactors and nuclear power plants, the operating Argentine reactors are described. The uses of the research reactors in Argentina are summarized. The reactors installed by Argentina in other countries (Peru, Algeria, Egypt) are briefly described. The CAREM project for the design and construction of an innovator small power reactor (27 MWe) is also described in some detail. The next biennial research and development program for reactor is briefly outlined

  12. Molten salt reactor as asymptotic safety nuclear system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Novikov, V.M.; Ignatyev, V.V.

    1989-01-01

    Safety is becoming the main and priority problem of the nuclear power development. An increase of the active safety measures could hardly be considered as the proper way to achieve the asymptotically high level of nuclear safety. It seem that the more realistic way to achieve such a goal is to minimize risk factors and to maximize the use of inherent and passive safety properties. The passive inherent safety features of the liquid fuel molten salt reactor (MSR) technology are making it attractive for future energy generation. The achievement of the asymptotic safety in MSR is being connected with the minimization of such risk factors as a reactivity excess, radioactivity stored, decay heat, non nuclear energy stored in core. In this paper safety peculiarities of the different MSR concepts are discussed

  13. The program of reactors and nuclear power plants; Programa de reactores y centrales nucleares

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Calabrese, Carlos R [Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, General San Martin (Argentina). Centro Atomico Constituyentes

    2001-07-01

    Into de framework of the program of research reactors and nuclear power plants, the operating Argentine reactors are described. The uses of the research reactors in Argentina are summarized. The reactors installed by Argentina in other countries (Peru, Algeria, Egypt) are briefly described. The CAREM project for the design and construction of an innovator small power reactor (27 MWe) is also described in some detail. The next biennial research and development program for reactor is briefly outlined.

  14. The procedure and results of calculations of the equilibrium isotopic composition of a demonstration subcritical molten salt reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nevinitsa, V. A., E-mail: Neviniza-VA@nrcki.ru; Dudnikov, A. A.; Blandinskiy, V. Yu.; Balanin, A. L.; Alekseev, P. N. [National Research Centre Kurchatov Institute (Russian Federation); Titarenko, Yu. E.; Batyaev, V. F.; Pavlov, K. V.; Titarenko, A. Yu., E-mail: yuri.titarenko@itep.ru [Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics (Russian Federation)

    2015-12-15

    A subcritical molten salt reactor with an external neutron source is studied computationally as a facility for incineration and transmutation of minor actinides from spent nuclear fuel of reactors of VVER-1000 type and for producing {sup 233}U from {sup 232}Th. The reactor configuration is chosen, the requirements to be imposed on the external neutron source are formulated, and the equilibrium isotopic composition of heavy nuclides and the key parameters of the fuel cycle are calculated.

  15. Sustainability of thorium-uranium in pebble-bed fluoride salt-cooled High Temperature Reactor - 15171

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, G.; Zou, Y.; Xu, Hongjie

    2015-01-01

    Sustainability of thorium fuel in a pebble-bed fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactor (PB-FHR) is investigated to find the feasible region of high discharge burnup and negative FLiBe (2LiF-BeF 2 ) salt temperature reactivity coefficient (TRC). Dispersion fuel or pellet fuel with SiC cladding and SiC matrix is used to replace the tri-structural-isotropic (TRISO) coated particle system for increasing heavy metal loading and decreasing excessive moderation. In order to analyze the neutronic characteristics, an equilibrium calculation method of thorium fuel self-sustainability is developed. We have compared 2 refueling schemes (mixing flow pattern and directional flow pattern) and 2 kinds of reflector materials (SiC and graphite). This method has found that the feasible regions of breeding and negative FLiBe TRC is between 20 vol% and 62 vol% heavy metal loading in the fuel. A discharge burnup could be achieved up to about 200 MWd/kgHM. The case with directional flow pattern and SiC reflector showed superior burnup characteristics but the worst radial power peak factor, while the case with mixing flow pattern and SiC reflector, which was the best tradeoff between discharge burnup and radial power peak factor, could provide burnup of 140 MWd/kgHM and about 1.4 radial power peak factor with 50 vol% dispersion fuel. In addition, FLiBe salt displays good neutron properties as a coolant of quasi-fast reactors due to the strong 9 Be(n,2n) reaction and low neutron absorption of 6 Li (even at 1000 ppm) in fast spectrum. Preliminary thermal hydraulic calculation shows good safety margins. The greatest challenge of this reactor may be the very long irradiation time of the pebble fuel. (authors)

  16. The molten salt reactors (MSR) pyro chemistry and fuel cycle for innovative nuclear systems; Congres sur les reacteurs a sels fondus (RSF) pyrochimie et cycles des combustibles nucleaires du futur

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brossard, Ph. [GEDEON, Groupement de Recherche CEA CNRS EDF FRAMATOME (France); Garzenne, C.; Mouney, H. [and others

    2002-07-01

    In the frame of the studies on next generation nuclear systems, and especially for the molten salt reactors and for the integrated fuel cycle (as IFR), the fuel cycle constraints must be taken into account in the preliminary studies of the system to improve the cycle and reactor optimisation. Among the purposes for next generation nuclear systems, sustainability and waste (radio-toxicity and mass) management are important goals. These goals imply reprocessing and recycling strategies. The objectives of this workshop are to present and to share the different strategies and scenarios, the needs based on these scenarios, the experimental facilities available today or in the future and their capabilities, the needs for demonstration. It aims at: identifying the needs for fuel cycle based on solid fuel or liquid fuel, and especially, the on-line reprocessing or clean up for the molten salt reactors; assessing the state-of-the-art on the pyro-chemistry applied to solid fuel and to present the research activities; assessing the state-of-the-art on liquid fuels (or others), and to present the research activities; expressing the R and D programs for pyro-chemistry, molten salt, and also to propose innovative processes; and proposing some joint activities in the frame of GEDEON and PRACTIS programs. This document brings together the transparencies of 18 contributions dealing with: scenario studies with AMSTER concept (Scenarios, MSR, breeders (Th) and burners); fuel cycle for innovative systems; current reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in molten salts (review of pyro-chemistry processes (non nuclear and nuclear)); high temperature NMR spectroscopies in molten salts; reductive extraction of An from molten fluorides (salt - liquid metal extraction); electrochemistry characterisation; characterisation with physical methods - extraction coefficient and kinetics; electrolytic extraction; dissolution-precipitation of plutonium in the eutectic LiCl-KCl (dissolution and

  17. DESAIN KONSEP TANGKI PENAMPUNG BAHAN BAKAR PASSIVE COMPACT MOLTEN SALT REACTOR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Hadiwinata

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Passive Compact Molten Salt Reactor (PCMSR merupakan pengembangan dari reaktor MSR. Desain reaktor PCMSR membutuhkan tempat khusus penampung sementara bahan bakar pada saat terjadi insiden, misalnya kecelakaan yang menyebabkan peningkatan suhu bahan bakar. Tangki penampung bahan bakar tersusun dari 3 bagian yang saling terhubung yaitu bagian penampung cairan bahan bakar, cerobong (chimney, dan penukar kalor. Dalam penelitian ini, tangki dimodelkan secara lump dan dilakukan variasi daya awal reaktor dan ketinggian cerobong. Syarat batas model ditetapkan suhu bahan bakar maksimum 1400 °C, yang didasarkan pada titik didih larutan garam LiF-BeF2-ThF4-UF4. Analisis dilakukan dengan cara menghitung rugi tekanan total dan transfer kalor untuk variasi daya awal antara 1800-3000 MWth dan ketinggian cerobong antara 1-10 m. Hasil penelitian menunjukan semakin besar daya reaktor, maka tinggi tangki penampung bahan bakar dan tinggi alat penukar kalor yang dibutuhkan akan semakin besar, tejadi kenaikan suhu fluida pendingin dan suhu udara pendingin, dan menyebabkan kenaikan laju aliran masa fluida pendingin, sedangkan laju aliran masa udara menurun. Peningkatan ketinggian cerobong menyebabkan ketinggian tangki penampung bahan bakar dan ketinggian alat penukar kalor semakin menurun, penurunan suhu fluida pendingin, tetapi suhu udara meningkat, dan menyebabkan peningkatan laju aliran masa fluida pendingin, tetapi laju aliran masa udara akan semakin menurun. Kata kunci: PCMSR, cerobong, alat penukar kalor, variasi daya.   The Passsive Compact Molten Salat Reactor (PCMSR reactor is developed from MSR reactor. The PCMSR reactor design requires special place to temporarily storage for reactor fuel when incident occurs, such as when there is an accident which caused the temperature of the fuel increases. The tank consist of three interconnected parts, the reservoir liquid fuel, chimney, and the heat exchanger. In this research, the tank system is modeled based on

  18. New primary energy source by thorium molten-salt reactor technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Furukawa, Kazuo; Kato, Yoshio; Furuhashi, Akira; Numata, Hiroo; Mitachi, Koushi; Yoshioka, Ritsuo; Sato, Yuzuru; Arakawa, Kazuto

    2005-01-01

    Among the next 30 years, we have to implement a practical measure in the global energy/environmental problems, solving the followings: (1) replacing the fossil fuels without CO 2 emission, (2) no severe accidents, (3) no concern on military, (4) minimizing wastes, (5) economical, (6) few R and D investment and (7) rapid/huge global application supplying about half of the total primary energy till 50 years later. For this purpose the following system was proposed: THORIMS-NES [Thorium Molten-Salt Nuclear Energy Synergetic System], which is composed of (A) simple fission Molten-Salt power stations (FUJI), and (B) fissile-producing Accelerator Molten-Salt Breeder (AMSB). It has been internationally prepared a practical Developmental Program for its huge-size industrialization of Th breeding fuel cycle to produce a new rational primary energy. Here it is explained the social meaning, the conceptual system design and technological bases, especially, including the molten fluoride salt technology, which was developed as the triple-functional medium for nuclear-engineering, heat-transfer and chemical engineering. The complex function of this system is fully achieved by the simplified facility using a single phase molten-salt only. (author)

  19. Study of trans-uranian incineration in molten salt reactor; Etude de l'incineration des transuraniens en reacteur a sel fondu

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Valade, M

    2000-10-27

    With the emergence of new options for nuclear power, molten salt reactors are envisaged for waste management. The aim of this thesis is to show how molten salt reactors can help to solve the transuranics issue. Their high versatility regarding to isotopic vector allows to accommodate large fractions of minor actinides as compared to solid fuel system. In this thesis, a neutronics study of molten salt reactors, MSR, has been conducted. For this purpose, two reference systems were considered, TIER1 and AMSTER. In the case of TIER1, an optimisation was made to reach an equilibrium. The analysis of both systems showed the main characteristics of MSR: their link to chemistry and on line reprocessing. In this work, several methods to drive the system to a state of equilibrium have been implemented and compared. During this process the isotopic composition and neutron spectrum, thus the nuclear reaction cross sections, vary tremendously. It is essential to take these evolutions into account in order to accurately estimate the equilibrium state. This has been accomplished inside the multi-recycling procedure we set with ERANOS. A dedicated calculation schema has been realized to simulate superthermal systems with this computation code. These results were checked through a benchmark against other computer codes. Then, with multi-recycling method, several molten salt systems have been compared in order to define the optimal reactor for transuranics incineration. Nevertheless, a final choice can not only be done using only neutronics characteristics since chemistry and thermal-hydraulics constraints are really important for MSR. Moreover, a complete safety study would be required. (author)

  20. University Reactor Instrumentation Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vernetson, W.G.

    1992-11-01

    Recognizing that the University Reactor Instrumentation Program was developed in response to widespread needs in the academic community for modernization and improvement of research and training reactors at institutions such as the University of Florida, the items proposed to be supported by this grant over its two year period have been selected as those most likely to reduce foreed outages, to meet regulatory concerns that had been expressed in recent years by Nuclear Regulatory Commission inspectors or to correct other facility problems and limitations. Department of Energy Grant Number DE-FG07-90ER129969 was provided to the University of Florida Training Reactor(UFTR) facility through the US Department of Energy's University Reactor Instrumentation Program. The original proposal submitted in February, 1990 requested support for UFTR facility instrumentation and equipment upgrades for seven items in the amount of $107,530 with $13,800 of this amount to be the subject of cost sharing by the University of Florida and $93,730 requested as support from the Department of Energy. A breakdown of the items requested and total cost for the proposed UFTR facility instrumentation and equipment improvements is presented

  1. IRSN research programs concerning reactor safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bardelay, J.

    2005-01-01

    This paper is made up of 3 parts. The first part briefly presents the missions of IRSN (French research institute on nuclear safety), the second part reviews the research works currently led by IRSN in the following fields : -) the assessment of safety computer codes, -) thermohydraulics, -) reactor ageing, -) reactivity accidents, -) loss of coolant, -) reactor pool dewatering, -) core meltdown, -) vapor explosion, and -) fission product release. In the third part, IRSN is shown to give a major importance to experimental programs led on research or test reactors for collecting valid data because of the complexity of the physical processes that are involved. IRSN plans to develop a research program concerning the safety of high or very high temperature reactors. (A.C.)

  2. The advanced test reactor strategic evaluation program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buescher, B.J.

    1989-01-01

    Since the Chernobly accident, the safety of test reactors and irradiation facilities has been critically evaluated from the public's point of view. A systematic evaluation of all safety, environmental, and operational issues must be made in an integrated manner to prioritize actions to maximize benefits while minimizing costs. Such a proactive program has been initiated at the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR). This program, called the Strategic Evaluation Program (STEP), is being conducted for the ATR to provide integrated safety and operational reviews of the reactor against the standards applied to licensed commercial power reactors. This has taken into consideration the lessons learned by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in its Systematic Evaluation Program (SEP) and the follow-on effort known as the Integrated Safety Assessment Program (ISAP). The SEP was initiated by the NRC to review the designs of older operating nuclear power plants to confirm and document their safety. The ATR STEP objectives are discussed

  3. Feasibility study for fast reactor and related fuel cycle. Preliminary studies in 1998

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hayafune, Hiroki; Enuma, Yasuhiro; Kubota, Kenichi; Yoshida, Masashi; Uno, Osamu; Ishikawa, Hiroyasu; Kobayashi, Jun; Umetsu, Youichiro; Ichimiya, Masakazu

    1999-10-01

    Prior to the feasibility study for fast reactors (FRs) starting from the 1999 fiscal year, planned in the medium and long-term program of JNC, preliminarily studies were performed on 'FR systems except sodium cooled MOX fueled reactors'. Small scale or module type reactors, heavy metal (Pb or Pb-Bi) cooled reactors, gas cooled reactors, light water cooled reactors, and molten salt reactors were studied on the basis of literature. They were evaluated from the viewpoint of the technical possibility (the structure integrity, earthquake resistance, safety, productivity, operability, maintenance repair, difficulty of the development), the long-term targets (market competitiveness as an energy system, utilization of uranium resources, reduction of radioactive waste, security of the non-proliferation), and developmental risk. As the result, the following concepts should be studied for future commercialized FRs. Small scale and module type reactor: Middle-sized reactor with an excellent economical efficiency. Small power reactor with a multipurpose design concept. Gas cooled reactor: CO2 gas cooled reactor, He gas cooled reactor. Heavy metal cooled reactor: Russian type lead cooled reactor. Light water cooled reactor: Light water cooled high converter reactor and super critical pressure light water cooled reactor. Molten salt reactor: Trichloride molten salt reactor which matches the U-Pu cycle. (author)

  4. The risk-rewards structure of using spent nuclear fuel in molten salt reactor - 5513

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He, X.; Du, Z.; Macian-Juan, R.; Seidl, M.

    2015-01-01

    The molten salt reactor concept naturally lends itself to a re-use of fuel either by online reprocessing or by using spent nuclear fuel as part of the driver fuel. Moreover some well-known safety advantages over traditional LWR designs are promised: the primary loop can be operated at atmospheric pressure, refueling can be done online, only a minimum amount of excess reactivity needs to be stored inside the core and the continuous circulation and inter-mixing of the fuel results in a more homogenous redistribution of fission products. In this paper the feasibility of running a molten salt reactor on spent LWR fuel is discussed in a number of scenarios in order to make the various trade-offs transparent: using SNF in a classic graphite moderated MSR and doing the same for a lead-cooled dual-fluid MSR. From a commercial company's point of view the MSR concept faces already substantial risks even without the use of SNF: licensing concerns due to an enrichment of fissile nuclides typically above 5% of heavy metal mass, limited practical experience with the reliability of proposed MSR materials and almost no experience with online reprocessing. For one thing one could therefore aim for the most conservative design which would rely on the design of ORNL's graphite moderated MSR operated in the sixties. While appearing realistic from a technical perspective, the potential for SNF re-use in the sense of actinide destruction appears limited. On the other hand one can maximize the risk and the potential payoff by concentrating on the most speculative design, i.e. a dual fluid reactor with an ultra-hard neutron spectrum in order to most efficiently burn higher actinides. In this paper the neutronic design calculations for the above described MSR concepts are presented in order to maximize SNF's contribution for the reactors' energy generation and their potential for actinide destruction. Among the optimization parameters are the lattice constants, the type

  5. Preliminary study of molten-salt breeder reactor using the WIMS-D/4 code

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oliveira, J.T. de.

    1994-01-01

    The features and operation of the Molten-Salt Breeder Reactors - MSBR -are presented. Information about the conversion, breeding and Thorium burn-up chain with the differential equations for the isotopes is given. A few group constants for the different cells of the Single Fluid MSBR 1000 MWe are also presented. The WIMS methods, resonant treatment, leakage corrections, burn up chains, input and output data are commented. (author). 55 refs

  6. Nuclear Power Reactor simulator - based training program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdelwahab, S.A.S.

    2009-01-01

    nuclear power stations will continue playing a major role as an energy source for electric generation and heat production in the world. in this paper, a nuclear power reactor simulator- based training program will be presented . this program is designed to aid in training of the reactor operators about the principles of operation of the plant. also it could help the researchers and the designers to analyze and to estimate the performance of the nuclear reactors and facilitate further studies for selection of the proper controller and its optimization process as it is difficult and time consuming to do all experiments in the real nuclear environment.this program is written in MATLAB code as MATLAB software provides sophisticated tools comparable to those in other software such as visual basic for the creation of graphical user interface (GUI). moreover MATLAB is available for all major operating systems. the used SIMULINK reactor model for the nuclear reactor can be used to model different types by adopting appropriate parameters. the model of each component of the reactor is based on physical laws rather than the use of look up tables or curve fitting.this simulation based training program will improve acquisition and retention knowledge also trainee will learn faster and will have better attitude

  7. Programmed elimination of neutronic poisons in nuclear reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perriere, G. de la

    1967-11-01

    This work deals with the use of salts of elements having a large neutron capture cross-section, so-called 'soluble poisons' which are dissolved in the moderating water to control the reactivity of heavy-water reactors, and more particularly to compensate the xenon effect in the reactor EL 4. The report describes the controlled elimination of these poisons by fixation on ion-exchange resins. The poisons considered are lithium-6, cadmium and gadolinium in the sulphate form, and boron as boric acid. The thermodynamic and kinetic constants of the ion-exchange reactions were first determined and a study was then made of the fixation of these compounds in beds of small-calibre resins placed in columns. Lithium-6 is the poison which is most easily applicable to compensate the xenon effect in the reactor EL 4. It can be eliminated rapidly and completely from heavy water, and its use does not lead to supplementary problems of protection against the gamma radiation of the reactor circuits. (author) [fr

  8. UCLA program in reactor studies: The ARIES tokamak reactor study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-01-01

    The ARIES research program is a multi-institutional effort to develop several visions of tokamak reactors with enhanced economic, safety, and environmental features. The aims are to determine the potential economics, safety, and environmental features of a range of possible tokamak reactors, and to identify physics and technology areas with the highest leverage for achieving the best tokamak reactor. Four ARIES visions are currently planned for the ARIES program. The ARIES-1 design is a DT-burning reactor based on ''modest'' extrapolations from the present tokamak physics database and relies on either existing technology or technology for which trends are already in place, often in programs outside fusion. ARIES-2 and ARIES-4 are DT-burning reactors which will employ potential advances in physics. The ARIES-2 and ARIES-4 designs employ the same plasma core but have two distinct fusion power core designs; ARIES-2 utilize the lithium as the coolant and breeder and vanadium alloys as the structural material while ARIES-4 utilizes helium is the coolant, solid tritium breeders, and SiC composite as the structural material. Lastly, the ARIES-3 is a conceptual D- 3 He reactor. During the period Dec. 1, 1990 to Nov. 31, 1991, most of the ARIES activity has been directed toward completing the technical work for the ARIES-3 design and documenting the results and findings. We have also completed the documentation for the ARIES-1 design and presented the results in various meetings and conferences. During the last quarter, we have initiated the scoping phase for ARIES-2 and ARIES-4 designs

  9. Study of trans-uranian incineration in molten salt reactor; Etude de l'incineration des transuraniens en reacteur a sel fondu

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Valade, M

    2000-10-27

    With the emergence of new options for nuclear power, molten salt reactors are envisaged for waste management. The aim of this thesis is to show how molten salt reactors can help to solve the transuranics issue. Their high versatility regarding to isotopic vector allows to accommodate large fractions of minor actinides as compared to solid fuel system. In this thesis, a neutronics study of molten salt reactors, MSR, has been conducted. For this purpose, two reference systems were considered, TIER1 and AMSTER. In the case of TIER1, an optimisation was made to reach an equilibrium. The analysis of both systems showed the main characteristics of MSR: their link to chemistry and on line reprocessing. In this work, several methods to drive the system to a state of equilibrium have been implemented and compared. During this process the isotopic composition and neutron spectrum, thus the nuclear reaction cross sections, vary tremendously. It is essential to take these evolutions into account in order to accurately estimate the equilibrium state. This has been accomplished inside the multi-recycling procedure we set with ERANOS. A dedicated calculation schema has been realized to simulate superthermal systems with this computation code. These results were checked through a benchmark against other computer codes. Then, with multi-recycling method, several molten salt systems have been compared in order to define the optimal reactor for transuranics incineration. Nevertheless, a final choice can not only be done using only neutronics characteristics since chemistry and thermal-hydraulics constraints are really important for MSR. Moreover, a complete safety study would be required. (author)

  10. Updated Generation IV Reactors Integrated Materials Technology Program Plan, Revision 2

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Corwin, William R [ORNL; Burchell, Timothy D [ORNL; Halsey, William [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL); Hayner, George [Idaho National Laboratory (INL); Katoh, Yutai [ORNL; Klett, James William [ORNL; McGreevy, Timothy E [ORNL; Nanstad, Randy K [ORNL; Ren, Weiju [ORNL; Snead, Lance Lewis [ORNL; Stoller, Roger E [ORNL; Wilson, Dane F [ORNL

    2005-12-01

    The Department of Energy's (DOE's) Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems Program will address the research and development (R&D) necessary to support next-generation nuclear energy systems. Such R&D will be guided by the technology roadmap developed for the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) over two years with the participation of over 100 experts from the GIF countries. The roadmap evaluated over 100 future systems proposed by researchers around the world. The scope of the R&D described in the roadmap covers the six most promising Generation IV systems. The effort ended in December 2002 with the issue of the final Generation IV Technology Roadmap [1.1]. The six most promising systems identified for next generation nuclear energy are described within the roadmap. Two employ a thermal neutron spectrum with coolants and temperatures that enable hydrogen or electricity production with high efficiency (the Supercritical Water Reactor - SCWR and the Very High Temperature Reactor - VHTR). Three employ a fast neutron spectrum to enable more effective management of actinides through recycling of most components in the discharged fuel (the Gas-cooled Fast Reactor - GFR, the Lead-cooled Fast Reactor - LFR, and the Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor - SFR). The Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) employs a circulating liquid fuel mixture that offers considerable flexibility for recycling actinides, and may provide an alternative to accelerator-driven systems. A few major technologies have been recognized by DOE as necessary to enable the deployment of the next generation of advanced nuclear reactors, including the development and qualification of the structural materials needed to ensure their safe and reliable operation. Accordingly, DOE has identified materials as one of the focus areas for Gen IV technology development.

  11. Preliminary study on weapon grade uranium utilization in molten salt reactor miniFUJI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aji, Indarta Kuncoro; Waris, A.

    2014-01-01

    Preliminary study on weapon grade uranium utilization in 25MWth and 50MWth of miniFUJI MSR (molten salt reactor) has been carried out. In this study, a very high enriched uranium that we called weapon grade uranium has been employed in UF 4 composition. The 235 U enrichment is 90 - 95 %. The results show that the 25MWth miniFUJI MSR can get its criticality condition for 1.56 %, 1.76%, and 1.96% of UF 4 with 235 U enrichment of at least 93%, 90%, and 90%, respectively. In contrast, the 50 MWth miniFUJI reactor can be critical for 1.96% of UF 4 with 235 U enrichment of at smallest amount 95%. The neutron spectra are almost similar for each power output

  12. The United States Advanced Reactor Technologies Research and Development Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O’Connor, Thomas J.

    2014-01-01

    The following aspects are addressed: • Nuclear energy mission; • Reactor research development and deployment (RD&D) programs: - Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program; - Small Modular Reactor Licensing Technical Support; - Advanced Reactor Technologies (ART)

  13. High Temperature Fluoride Salt Test Loop

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aaron, Adam M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Cunningham, Richard Burns [Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); Fugate, David L. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Holcomb, David Eugene [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Kisner, Roger A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Peretz, Fred J. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Robb, Kevin R. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Wilson, Dane F. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Yoder, Jr, Graydon L. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

    2015-12-01

    Effective high-temperature thermal energy exchange and delivery at temperatures over 600°C has the potential of significant impact by reducing both the capital and operating cost of energy conversion and transport systems. It is one of the key technologies necessary for efficient hydrogen production and could potentially enhance efficiencies of high-temperature solar systems. Today, there are no standard commercially available high-performance heat transfer fluids above 600°C. High pressures associated with water and gaseous coolants (such as helium) at elevated temperatures impose limiting design conditions for the materials in most energy systems. Liquid salts offer high-temperature capabilities at low vapor pressures, good heat transport properties, and reasonable costs and are therefore leading candidate fluids for next-generation energy production. Liquid-fluoride-salt-cooled, graphite-moderated reactors, referred to as Fluoride Salt Reactors (FHRs), are specifically designed to exploit the excellent heat transfer properties of liquid fluoride salts while maximizing their thermal efficiency and minimizing cost. The FHR s outstanding heat transfer properties, combined with its fully passive safety, make this reactor the most technologically desirable nuclear power reactor class for next-generation energy production. Multiple FHR designs are presently being considered. These range from the Pebble Bed Advanced High Temperature Reactor (PB-AHTR) [1] design originally developed by UC-Berkeley to the Small Advanced High-Temperature Reactor (SmAHTR) and the large scale FHR both being developed at ORNL [2]. The value of high-temperature, molten-salt-cooled reactors is also recognized internationally, and Czechoslovakia, France, India, and China all have salt-cooled reactor development under way. The liquid salt experiment presently being developed uses the PB-AHTR as its focus. One core design of the PB-AHTR features multiple 20 cm diameter, 3.2 m long fuel channels

  14. Diffusion Welding of Alloys for Molten Salt Service - Status Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Denis Clark; Ronald Mizia; Piyush Sabharwall

    2012-09-01

    The present work is concerned with heat exchanger development for molten salt service, including the proposed molten salt reactor (MSR), a homogeneous reactor in which the fuel is dissolved in a circulating fluid of molten salt. It is an outgrowth of recent work done under the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) program; what the two reactor systems have in common is an inherently safe nuclear plant with a high outlet temperature that is useful for process heat as well as more conventional generation The NGNP program was tasked with investigating the application of a new generation of nuclear power plants to a variety of energy needs. One baseline reactor design for this program is a high temperature, gas-cooled reactor (HTGR), which provides many options for energy use. These might include the conventional Rankine cycle (steam turbine) generation of electricity, but also other methods: for example, Brayton cycle (gas turbine) electrical generation, and the direct use of the high temperatures characteristic of HTGR output for process heat in the chemical industry. Such process heat is currently generated by burning fossil fuels, and is a major contributor to the carbon footprint of the chemical and petrochemical industries. The HTGR, based on graphite fuel elements, can produce very high output temperatures; ideally, temperatures of 900 °C or even greater, which has significant energy advantages. Such temperatures are, of course, at the frontiers of materials limitations, at the upper end of the performance envelope of the metallic materials for which robust construction codes exist, and within the realm of ceramic materials, the fabrication and joining of which, on the scale of large energy systems, are at an earlier stage of development. A considerable amount of work was done in the diffusion welding of materials of interest for HTGR service with alloys such as 617 and 800H. The MSR output temperature is also materials limited, and is projected at about 700

  15. A new method to evaluate the sealing reliability of the flanged connections for Molten Salt Reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Qiming; Tian, Jian; Zhou, Chong; Wang, Naxiu

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • We novelly valuate the sealing reliability of the flanged connections for MSRs. • We focus on the passive decrease of the leak impetus in flanged connections. • The modified flanged connections are acquired a sealing ability of self-adjustment. • Effects of redesigned flange configurations on molten salt leakage are discussed. - Abstract: The Thorium based Molten Salt Reactor (TMSR) project is a future Generation IV nuclear reactor system proposed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences with the strategic goal of meeting the growing energy needs in the Chinese economic development and social progress. It is based on liquid salts served as both fuel and primary coolant and consequently great challenges are brought into the sealing of the flanged connections. In this study, an improved prototype flange assembly is performed on the strength of the Freeze-Flange initially developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The calculation results of the finite element model established to analyze the temperature profile of the Freeze-Flange agree well with the experimental data, which indicates that the numerical simulation method is credible. For further consideration, the ideal-gas thermodynamic model, together with the mathematical approximation, is novelly borrowed to theoretically evaluate the sealing performance of the modified Freeze-Flange and the traditional double gaskets bolted flange joint. This study focuses on the passive decrease of the leak driving force due to multiple gaskets introduced in flanged connections for MSR. The effects of the redesigned flange configuration on molten salt leakage resistance are discussed in detail

  16. A new method to evaluate the sealing reliability of the flanged connections for Molten Salt Reactors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Qiming, E-mail: liqiming@sinap.ac.cn [Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); Key Laboratory of Nuclear Radiation and Nuclear Energy Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); Tian, Jian; Zhou, Chong [Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); Key Laboratory of Nuclear Radiation and Nuclear Energy Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); Wang, Naxiu, E-mail: wangnaxiu@sinap.ac.cn [Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); Key Laboratory of Nuclear Radiation and Nuclear Energy Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China)

    2015-06-15

    Highlights: • We novelly valuate the sealing reliability of the flanged connections for MSRs. • We focus on the passive decrease of the leak impetus in flanged connections. • The modified flanged connections are acquired a sealing ability of self-adjustment. • Effects of redesigned flange configurations on molten salt leakage are discussed. - Abstract: The Thorium based Molten Salt Reactor (TMSR) project is a future Generation IV nuclear reactor system proposed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences with the strategic goal of meeting the growing energy needs in the Chinese economic development and social progress. It is based on liquid salts served as both fuel and primary coolant and consequently great challenges are brought into the sealing of the flanged connections. In this study, an improved prototype flange assembly is performed on the strength of the Freeze-Flange initially developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The calculation results of the finite element model established to analyze the temperature profile of the Freeze-Flange agree well with the experimental data, which indicates that the numerical simulation method is credible. For further consideration, the ideal-gas thermodynamic model, together with the mathematical approximation, is novelly borrowed to theoretically evaluate the sealing performance of the modified Freeze-Flange and the traditional double gaskets bolted flange joint. This study focuses on the passive decrease of the leak driving force due to multiple gaskets introduced in flanged connections for MSR. The effects of the redesigned flange configuration on molten salt leakage resistance are discussed in detail.

  17. Pyrochemical reprocessing of molten salt fast reactor fuel: focus on the reductive extraction step

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodrigues Davide

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The nuclear fuel reprocessing is a prerequisite for nuclear energy to be a clean and sustainable energy. In the case of the molten salt reactor containing a liquid fuel, pyrometallurgical way is an obvious way. The method for treatment of the liquid fuel is divided into two parts. In-situ injection of helium gas into the fuel leads to extract the gaseous fission products and a part of the noble metals. The second part of the reprocessing is performed by ‘batch’. It aims to recover the fissile material and to separate the minor actinides from fission products. The reprocessing involves several chemical steps based on redox and acido-basic properties of the various elements contained in the fuel salt. One challenge is to perform a selective extraction of actinides and lanthanides in spent liquid fuel. Extraction of actinides and lanthanides are successively performed by a reductive extraction in liquid bismuth pool containing metallic lithium as a reductive reagent. The objective of this paper is to give a description of the several steps of the reprocessing retained for the molten salt fast reactor (MSFR concept and to present the initial results obtained for the reductive extraction experiments realized in static conditions by contacting LiF-ThF4-UF4-NdF3 with a lab-made Bi-Li pool and for which extraction efficiencies of 0.7% for neodymium and 14.0% for uranium were measured. It was concluded that in static conditions, the extraction is governed by a kinetic limitation and not by the thermodynamic equilibrium.

  18. Novel waste printed circuit board recycling process with molten salt.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riedewald, Frank; Sousa-Gallagher, Maria

    2015-01-01

    The objective of the method was to prove the concept of a novel waste PCBs recycling process which uses inert, stable molten salts as the direct heat transfer fluid and, simultaneously, uses this molten salt to separate the metal products in either liquid (solder, zinc, tin, lead, etc.) or solid (copper, gold, steel, palladium, etc.) form at the operating temperatures of 450-470 °C. The PCB recovery reactor is essentially a U-shaped reactor with the molten salt providing a continuous fluid, allowing molten salt access from different depths for metal recovery. A laboratory scale batch reactor was constructed using 316L as suitable construction material. For safety reasons, the inert, stable LiCl-KCl molten salts were used as direct heat transfer fluid. Recovered materials were washed with hot water to remove residual salt before metal recovery assessment. The impact of this work was to show metal separation using molten salts in one single unit, by using this novel reactor methodology. •The reactor is a U-shaped reactor filled with a continuous liquid with a sloped bottom representing a novel reactor concept.•This method uses large PCB pieces instead of shredded PCBs as the reactor volume is 2.2 L.•The treated PCBs can be removed via leg B while the process is on-going.

  19. Novel waste printed circuit board recycling process with molten salt

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riedewald, Frank; Sousa-Gallagher, Maria

    2015-01-01

    The objective of the method was to prove the concept of a novel waste PCBs recycling process which uses inert, stable molten salts as the direct heat transfer fluid and, simultaneously, uses this molten salt to separate the metal products in either liquid (solder, zinc, tin, lead, etc.) or solid (copper, gold, steel, palladium, etc.) form at the operating temperatures of 450–470 °C. The PCB recovery reactor is essentially a U-shaped reactor with the molten salt providing a continuous fluid, allowing molten salt access from different depths for metal recovery. A laboratory scale batch reactor was constructed using 316L as suitable construction material. For safety reasons, the inert, stable LiCl–KCl molten salts were used as direct heat transfer fluid. Recovered materials were washed with hot water to remove residual salt before metal recovery assessment. The impact of this work was to show metal separation using molten salts in one single unit, by using this novel reactor methodology. • The reactor is a U-shaped reactor filled with a continuous liquid with a sloped bottom representing a novel reactor concept. • This method uses large PCB pieces instead of shredded PCBs as the reactor volume is 2.2 L. • The treated PCBs can be removed via leg B while the process is on-going. PMID:26150977

  20. Program summary for the Civilian Reactor Development Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1982-07-01

    This Civilian Reactor Development Program document has the prime purpose of summarizing the technical programs supported by the FY 1983 budget request. This section provides a statement of the overall program objectives and a general program overview. Section II presents the technical programs in a format intended to show logical technical interrelationships, and does not necessarily follow the structure of the formal budget presentation. Section III presents the technical organization and management structure of the program

  1. Reactor use in nuclear engineering programs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murray, R.L.

    1975-01-01

    Nuclear reactors for dual use in training and research were established at about 50 universities in the period since 1950, with assistance by the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission and the National Science Foundation. Most of the reactors are in active use for a variety of educational functions--laboratory teaching of undergraduates and graduate students, graduate research, orientation of visitors, and nuclear power plant reactor operator training, along with service to the technical community. As expected, the higher power reactors enjoy a larger average weekly use. Among special programs are reactor sharing and high-school teachers' workshops

  2. Generation IV Reactors Integrated Materials Technology Program Plan: Focus on Very High Temperature Reactor Materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Corwin, William R [ORNL; Burchell, Timothy D [ORNL; Katoh, Yutai [ORNL; McGreevy, Timothy E [ORNL; Nanstad, Randy K [ORNL; Ren, Weiju [ORNL; Snead, Lance Lewis [ORNL; Wilson, Dane F [ORNL

    2008-08-01

    Since 2002, the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems (Gen IV) Program has addressed the research and development (R&D) necessary to support next-generation nuclear energy systems. The six most promising systems identified for next-generation nuclear energy are described within this roadmap. Two employ a thermal neutron spectrum with coolants and temperatures that enable hydrogen or electricity production with high efficiency (the Supercritical Water Reactor-SCWR and the Very High Temperature Reactor-VHTR). Three employ a fast neutron spectrum to enable more effective management of actinides through recycling of most components in the discharged fuel (the Gas-cooled Fast Reactor-GFR, the Lead-cooled Fast Reactor-LFR, and the Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor-SFR). The Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) employs a circulating liquid fuel mixture that offers considerable flexibility for recycling actinides and may provide an alternative to accelerator-driven systems. At the inception of DOE's Gen IV program, it was decided to significantly pursue five of the six concepts identified in the Gen IV roadmap to determine which of them was most appropriate to meet the needs of future U.S. nuclear power generation. In particular, evaluation of the highly efficient thermal SCWR and VHTR reactors was initiated primarily for energy production, and evaluation of the three fast reactor concepts, SFR, LFR, and GFR, was begun to assess viability for both energy production and their potential contribution to closing the fuel cycle. Within the Gen IV Program itself, only the VHTR class of reactors was selected for continued development. Hence, this document will address the multiple activities under the Gen IV program that contribute to the development of the VHTR. A few major technologies have been recognized by DOE as necessary to enable the deployment of the next generation of advanced nuclear reactors, including the development and qualification of

  3. Program of RA reactor start-up to nominal power

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1959-01-01

    The zero start-up program is followed by the program of RA reactor start-up to nominal power. This program is described in detail and includes the following measurements: radiation characteristics at the exit of the channels; gamma and fast neutron dose distribution in the reactor; influence of absorbers on the reactivity; temperature effect; absolute flux and calibration of ionization chambers; xenon effect; thermal and hydraulics; dosimetry around the reactor; neutron flux in the reactor core and in the reactor hall; heavy water level; thermal characteristics after shutdown. A list of measuring devices and instrumentation is included with the detailed action plan and list of responsible staff members

  4. Salt Selection for the LS-VHTR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Williams, D.F.; Clarno, K.T.

    2006-01-01

    Molten fluorides were initially developed for use in the nuclear industry as the high temperature fluid-fuel for a Molten Salt Reactor (MSR). The Office of Nuclear Energy is exploring the use of molten fluorides as a primary coolant (rather than helium) in an Advanced High Temperature Reactor (AHTR) design, also know as the Liquid-Salt cooled Very High Temperature Reactor (LS-VHTR). This paper provides a review of relevant properties for use in evaluation and ranking of candidate coolants for the LS-VHTR. Nuclear, physical, and chemical properties were reviewed and metrics for evaluation are recommended. Chemical properties of the salt were examined for the purpose of identifying factors that effect materials compatibility (i.e., corrosion). Some preliminary consideration of economic factors for the candidate salts is also presented. (authors)

  5. An integrated model of tritium transport and corrosion in Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactors (FHRs) – Part I: Theory and benchmarking

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stempien, John D., E-mail: john.stempien@inl.gov; Ballinger, Ronald G., E-mail: hvymet@mit.edu; Forsberg, Charles W., E-mail: cforsber@mit.edu

    2016-12-15

    Highlights: • A model was developed for use with FHRs and benchmarked with experimental data. • Model results match results of tritium diffusion experiments. • Corrosion simulations show reasonable agreement with molten salt loop experiments. • This is the only existing model of tritium transport and corrosion in FHRs. • Model enables proposing and evaluating tritium control options in FHRs. - Abstract: The Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (FHR) is a pebble bed nuclear reactor concept cooled by a liquid fluoride salt known as “flibe” ({sup 7}LiF-BeF{sub 2}). A model of TRITium Diffusion EvolutioN and Transport (TRIDENT) was developed for use with FHRs and benchmarked with experimental data. TRIDENT is the first model to integrate the effects of tritium production in the salt via neutron transmutation, with the effects of the chemical redox potential, tritium mass transfer, tritium diffusion through pipe walls, tritium uptake by graphite, selective chromium attack by tritium fluoride, and corrosion product mass transfer. While data from a forced-convection polythermal loop of molten salt containing tritium did not exist for comparison, TRIDENT calculations were compared to data from static salt diffusion tests in flibe and flinak (0.465LiF-0.115NaF-0.42KF) salts. In each case, TRIDENT matched the transient and steady-state behavior of these tritium diffusion experiments. The corrosion model in TRIDENT was compared against the natural convection flow-loop experiments at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) from the 1960s and early 1970s which used Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) fuel-salt containing UF{sub 4}. Despite the lack of data required by TRIDENT for modeling the loops, some reasonable results were obtained. The TRIDENT corrosion rates follow the experimentally observed dependence on the square root of the product of the chromium solid-state diffusion coefficient with time. Additionally the TRIDENT model predicts mass

  6. Developmental Light-Water Reactor Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Forsberg, C.W.

    1989-12-01

    This report summarizes the progress of the Developmental Light-Water Reactor (DLWR) Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in FY 1989. It also includes (1) a brief description of the program, (2) definition of goals, (3) earlier achievements, and (4) proposed future activities

  7. Molten salts and nuclear energy production

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le Brun, Christian

    2007-01-01

    Molten salts (fluorides or chlorides) were considered near the beginning of research into nuclear energy production. This was initially due to their advantageous physical and chemical properties: good heat transfer capacity, radiation insensitivity, high boiling point, wide range solubility for actinides. In addition it was realised that molten salts could be used in numerous situations: high temperature heat transfer, core coolants with solid fuels, liquid fuel in a molten salt reactor, solvents for spent nuclear solid fuel in the case of pyro-reprocessing and coolant and tritium production in the case of fusion. Molten salt reactors, one of the six innovative concepts chosen by the Generation IV international forum, are particularly interesting for use as either waste incinerators or thorium cycle systems. As the neutron balance in the thorium cycle is very tight, the possibility to perform online extraction of some fission product poisons from the salt is very attractive. In this article the most important questions that must be addressed to demonstrate the feasibility of molten salt reactor will be reviewed

  8. Nuclear cycle of thorium and molt salts reactors. PE 5.8

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doubre, H.

    2004-01-01

    In the framework of the nuclear industry development, many scenario are studied from the standard reactors using enriched uranium to the IV generation reactors. The study of new systems for the future of the nuclear needs to develop new simulation tools. The research programs of the IPN of Orsay are presented. (A.L.B.)

  9. Preliminary study on weapon grade uranium utilization in molten salt reactor miniFUJI

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aji, Indarta Kuncoro [Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung (Indonesia); Waris, A., E-mail: awaris@fi.itb.ac.id [Nuclear Physics and Biophysics Research Division, Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesa No. 10 Bandung 40132 (Indonesia)

    2014-09-30

    Preliminary study on weapon grade uranium utilization in 25MWth and 50MWth of miniFUJI MSR (molten salt reactor) has been carried out. In this study, a very high enriched uranium that we called weapon grade uranium has been employed in UF{sub 4} composition. The {sup 235}U enrichment is 90 - 95 %. The results show that the 25MWth miniFUJI MSR can get its criticality condition for 1.56 %, 1.76%, and 1.96% of UF{sub 4} with {sup 235}U enrichment of at least 93%, 90%, and 90%, respectively. In contrast, the 50 MWth miniFUJI reactor can be critical for 1.96% of UF{sub 4} with {sup 235}U enrichment of at smallest amount 95%. The neutron spectra are almost similar for each power output.

  10. Study of tritium removal from fusion reactor blankets of molten salt and lithium--aluminum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Talbot, J.B.

    1976-03-01

    The sorption of tritium by molten lithium--bismuth (Li--Bi, approx. 15 at. % lithium) and solid equiatomic lithium--aluminum (Li--Al) was investigated experimentally to evaluate the potential applications of both materials in a controlled thermonuclear reactor. The Li--Bi alloy was proposed to countercurrently extract tritium from a molten salt (Li 2 BeF 4 ) blanket. However, because of the low solubility ( 0 C, the extraction process is not attractive

  11. New Production Reactors Program Plan

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1990-12-01

    Part I of this New Production Reactors (NPR) Program Plan: describes the policy basis of the NPR Program; describes the mission and objectives of the NPR Program; identifies the requirements that must be met in order to achieve the mission and objectives; and describes and assesses the technology and siting options that were considered, the Program's preferred strategy, and its rationale. The implementation strategy for the New Production Reactors Program has three functions: Linking the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of facilities to policies requirements, and the process for selecting options. The development of an implementation strategy ensures that activities and procedures are consistent with the rationale and analysis underlying the Program. Organization of the Program. The strategy establishes plans, organizational structure, procedures, a budget, and a schedule for carrying out the Program. By doing so, the strategy ensures the clear assignment of responsibility and accountability. Management and monitoring of the Program. Finally, the strategy provides a basis for monitoring the Program so that technological, cost, and scheduling issues can be addressed when they arise as the Program proceeds. Like the rest of the Program Plan, the Implementation Strategy is a living document and will be periodically revised to reflect both progress made in the Program and adjustments in plans and policies as they are made. 21 figs., 5 tabs.

  12. New Production Reactors Program Plan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1990-12-01

    Part I of this New Production Reactors (NPR) Program Plan: describes the policy basis of the NPR Program; describes the mission and objectives of the NPR Program; identifies the requirements that must be met in order to achieve the mission and objectives; and describes and assesses the technology and siting options that were considered, the Program's preferred strategy, and its rationale. The implementation strategy for the New Production Reactors Program has three functions: Linking the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of facilities to policies requirements, and the process for selecting options. The development of an implementation strategy ensures that activities and procedures are consistent with the rationale and analysis underlying the Program. Organization of the Program. The strategy establishes plans, organizational structure, procedures, a budget, and a schedule for carrying out the Program. By doing so, the strategy ensures the clear assignment of responsibility and accountability. Management and monitoring of the Program. Finally, the strategy provides a basis for monitoring the Program so that technological, cost, and scheduling issues can be addressed when they arise as the Program proceeds. Like the rest of the Program Plan, the Implementation Strategy is a living document and will be periodically revised to reflect both progress made in the Program and adjustments in plans and policies as they are made. 21 figs., 5 tabs

  13. The development of fast simulation program for marine reactor parameters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Zhiyun; Hao Jianli; Chen Wenzhen

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► The simplified physical and mathematical models are proposed for a marine reactor system. ► A program is developed with Simulink module and Matlab file. ► The program developed has the merit of easy input preparation, output processing and fast running. ► The program can be used for the fast simulation of marine reactor parameters on the operating field. - Abstract: The fast simulation program for marine reactor parameters is developed based on the Simulink simulating software according to the characteristics of marine reactor with requirement of maneuverability and acute and fast response. The simplified core physical and thermal model, pressurizer model, steam generator model, control rod model, reactivity model and the corresponding Simulink modules are established. The whole program is developed by coupling all the Simulink modules. Two typical transient processes of marine reactor with fast load increase at low power level and load rejection at high power level are adopted to verify the program. The results are compared with those of Relap5/Mod3.2 with good consistency, and the program runs very fast. It is shown that the program is correct and suitable for the fast and accurate simulation of marine reactor parameters on the operating field, which is significant to the marine reactor safe operation.

  14. Characterization of the effects of continuous salt processing on the performance of molten salt fusion breeder blankets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patterson-Hine, F.A.

    1984-05-01

    Several continuous salt processing options are available for use in molten salt fusion breeder blanket designs. The effects of processing on blanket performance have been assessed for three levels of processing and various equilibrium uranium concentrations in the salt. A one-dimensional model of the blanket was used in the neutronics analysis which incorporated transport calculations with time-dependent isotope generation and depletion calculations. The level of salt processing was found to have little effect on the behavior of the blanket during reactor operation; however, significant effects were observed during the decay period after reactor shutdown

  15. SP-100 Program: space reactor system and subsystem investigations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harty, R.B.

    1983-01-01

    For a space reactor power system, a comprehensive safety program will be required to assure that no undue risk is present. This report summarizes the nuclear safety review/approval process that will be required for a space reactor system. The documentation requirements are presented along with a summary of the required contents of key documents. Finally, the aerospace safety program conducted for the SNAP-10A reactor system is summarized. The results of this program are presented to show the type of program that can be expected and to provide information that could be usable in future programs

  16. Numerical research on natural convection in molten salt reactor with non-uniformly distributed volumetric heat generation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qian Libo; Qiu Suizheng; Zhang Dalin; Su Guanghui; Tian Wenxi

    2010-01-01

    Molten salt reactor is one of the six Generation IV systems capable of breeding and transmutation of actinides and long-lived fission products, which uses the liquid molten salt as the fuel solvent, coolant and heat generation simultaneously. The present work presents a numerical investigation on natural convection with non-uniform heat generation through which the heat generated by the fluid fuel is removed out of the core region when the reactor is under post-accident condition or zero-power condition. The two-group neutron diffusion equation is applied to calculated neutron flux distribution, which leads to non-uniform heat generation. The SIMPLER algorithm is used to calculate natural convective heat transfer rate with isothermal or adiabatic rigid walls. These two models are coupled through the temperature field and heat sources. The peculiarities of natural convection with non-uniform heat generation are investigated in a range of Ra numbers (10 3 ∼ 10 7 ) for the laminar regime of fluid motion. In addition, the numerical results are also compared with those containing uniform heat generation.

  17. Development Program of the Advanced HANARO Reactor in Korea

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, I.-S.; Ahn, J.-H.; Han, K.-I.; Parh, C.; Jun, B.-J.; Kim, Y.-J.

    2006-01-01

    The development program of an advanced HANARO (AHR) reactor started in Korea to keep abreast of the increasing future demand, from both home and abroad, for research activities. This paper provides a review of the status of research reactors in Korea, the operating experience of the HANARO, the design principles and preliminary features of an advanced HANARO reactor, and the specific strategy of an advanced HANARO reactor development program. The design principles were established in order to design a new multi-purpose research reactor that is safe, economically competitive and technically feasible. These include the adaptation of the HANARO design concept, its operating experience, a high ratio of flux to power, a high degree of safety, improved economic efficiency, improved operability and maintainability, increased space and expandability, and ALARA design optimization. The strategy of an advanced HANARO reactor development program considers items such as providing a digital advanced HANARO reactor in cyber space, a method for the improving the design quality and economy of research reactors by using Computer Integrated Engineering, and more effective advertising using diverse virtual reality. This development program will be useful for promoting the understanding of and interest in the operating HANARO as well as an advanced HANARO reactor under development in Korea. It will provide very useful information to a country that may need a research reactor in the near future for the promotion of public health, bio-technology, drug design, pharmacology, material processing, and the development of new materials. (author)

  18. Fusion reactor design and technology program in China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, J.H.

    1994-01-01

    A fusion-fission hybrid reactor program was launched in 1987. The purpose of development of the hybrid reactor is twofold: to solve the problem of nuclear fuel supply for an expected large-scale development of fission reactor plants, and to maintain the momentum of fusion research. The program is described and the activities and progress of the program are presented. Two conceptual designs of an engineering test reactor with tokamak configuration were developed at the Southwestern Institute of Physics and the Institute of Plasma Physics. The results are a tokamak engineering test breeder (TETB) series design and a fusion-fission hybrid reactor design (SSEHR), characterized by a liquid-Li self-cooled blanket and an He-cooled solid tritium breeder blanket respectively. In parallel with the design studies, relevant technological experiments on a small or medium scale have been supported by this program. These include LHCD, ICRH and pellet injection in the area of plasma engineering; neutronics integral experiments with U, Pu, Fe and Be; various irradiation tests of austenitic and ferritic steels, magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) pressure drop experiments using a liquid metal loop; research into permeation barriers for tritium and hydrogen isotopes; solid tritium breeder tests using an in-situ loop in a fission reactor. All these experiments have proceeded successfully. The second step of this program is now starting. It seems reasonable that most of the research carried out in the first step will continue. ((orig.))

  19. Results and recommendations from the reactor chemistry and corrosion tasks of the reactor materials program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baumann, E.W.; Ondrejcin, R.S.

    1990-11-01

    Within the general context of extended service life, the Reactor Materials Program was initiated in 1984. This comprehensive program addressed material performance in SRS reactor tanks and the primary coolant or Process Water System (PWS) piping. Three of the eleven tasks concerned moderator quality and corrosion mitigation. Definition and control of the stainless steel aqueous environment is a key factor in corrosion mitigation. The Reactor Materials Program systematically investigated the SRS environment and its effect on crack initiation and propagation in stainless steel, with the objective of improving this environment. The purpose of this report is to summarize the contributions of Tasks 6, 7 and 10 of the Reactor Materials Program to the understanding and control of moderator quality and its relationship to mitigation of stress corrosion cracking

  20. Neutronics study on hybrid reactor cooled by helium, water and molten salt

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Zaixin; Feng Kaiming; Zhang Guoshu; Zheng Guoyao; Zhao Fengchao

    2009-01-01

    There is no serious magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) problem when helium,water or molten salt of Flibe flows in high magnetic field. Thus helium, water and Flibe were proposed as candidate of coolant for fusion-fission hybrid reactor based on magnetic confinement. The effect on neutronics of hybrid reactor due to coolant was investigated. The analyses of neutron spectra and fuel breeding of blanket with different coolants were performed. Variations of tritium breeding ratio (TBR), blanket energy multiplication (M) and keff with operating time were also studied. MCNP code was used for neutron transport simulation. It is shown that spectra change greatly with different coolants. The blanket with helium exhibits very hard spectrum and good tritium breeding ability. And fission reactions are mainly from fast neutron. The blanket with water has soft spectrum and high energy multiplication factor. However, it needs to improve TBR. The blanket with Flibe has hard spectrum and less energy release. (authors)

  1. Analysis of minor actinides transmutation for a Molten Salt Fast Reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu, Chenggang; Li, Xiaoxiao; Cai, Xiangzhou; Zou, Chunyan; Ma, Yuwen; Han, Jianlong; Chen, Jingen

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • The transmutation of MA in a 500 MWth MSFR is analyzed. • A larger MA loading can enhance the MA transmutation and deepen the burnup. • The MA transmutation efficiency can reach 95%. • The FTC can satisfy the safe operating requirement during the entire operating. - Abstract: As one of the six candidate reactors chosen by the Generation IV International Forum (GIF), Molten Salt Fast Reactor (MSFR) has many outstanding advantages and features for advanced nuclear fuel utilization. Effective transmutation of minor actinides (MA) could be attained in this kind of fast reactor, which is of importance in the future closed nuclear fuel cycle scenario. In this work, we attempt to study the MA transmutation capability in a MSFR with power of 500 MWth by analyzing the neutronics characteristics for different MA loadings. The calculated results show that MA loading plays an important role in the reactivity evolution of the MSFR. A larger MA loading is favorable to improving the MA transmutation performance and simultaneously to reducing the fissile consumption. When MA = 18.17 mol%, the transmutation fraction can achieve to about 95% on iso-breeding. We also find that although the fuel temperature coefficient (FTC) decreases with the increasing MA loading, it is still negative enough to keep the safety of the MSFR during the whole operation time. The MA contribution to the effective delayed neutron fraction (EDNF) and the intensity of spontaneous fission neutron (ISFN) are also analyzed. Also MA loading can affect the EDNF during the operation and the ISFN of the MSFR is dominated by 244 Cm. Finally, we analyze the effect of the core power on MA transmutation capability. The result shows that for all the operating powers the depletion ratio of MA to HN increases with time and reaches a maximum value. And additional MA should be fed into the fuel salt before the MA depletion ratio reaches the peak value to improve its transmutation capability. The net

  2. Advanced reactor development: The LMR integral fast reactor program at Argonne

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Till, C.E.

    1990-01-01

    Reactor technology for the 21st Century must develop with characteristics that can now be seen to be important for the future, quite different from the things when the fundamental materials and design choices for present reactors were made in the 1950s. Argonne National Laboratory, since 1984, has been developing the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR). This paper will describe the way in which this new reactor concept came about; the technical, public acceptance, and environmental issues that are addressed by the IFR; the technical progress that has been made; and our expectations for this program in the near term. 3 figs

  3. Plutonium recycle in PWR reactors (Brazilian Nuclear Program)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rubini, L.A.

    1978-02-01

    An evaluation is made of the material requirements of the nuclear fuel cycle with plutonium recycle. It starts from the calculation of a reference reactor and allows the evaluation of demand under two alternatives of nuclear fuel cycle for Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR): without plutonium recycle; and with plutonium recycle. Calculations of the reference reactor have been carried out with the CELL-CORE codes. For plutonium recycle, the concept of uranium and plutonium homogeneous mixture has been adopted, using self-produced plutonium at equilibrium, in order to get minimum neutronic perturbations in the reactor core. The refueling model studied in the reference reactor was the 'out-in' scheme with a constant number of changed fuel elements (approximately 1/3 of the core). Variations in the material requirements were studied considering changes in the installed nuclear capacity of PWR reactors, the capacity factor of these reactors, and the introduction of fast breeders. Recycling plutonium produced inside the system can reach economies of about 5%U 3 O 8 and 6% separative work units if recycle is assumed only after the 5th operation cycle of the thermal reactors. The cumulative amount of fissile plutonium obtained by the Brazilian Nuclear Program of PWR reactors by 1991 should be sufficient for a fast breeder with the same capacity as Angra 2. For the proposed fast breeder programs, the fissile plutonium produced by thermal reactors is sufficient to supply fast breeder initial necessities. Howewer, U 3 O 8 and SWU economy with recycle is not significant when the proposed fast breeder program is considered. (Author) [pt

  4. Comparison of advanced reactors program of different international vendors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Agnihotri, N.K.

    2001-01-01

    The full text follows. Proposal for presenting a paper on Advanced Reactor Program Given below is the abstract for Track 6 session on Advanced Reactor at the ninth International Conference on Nuclear Engineering being held in Nice, France from April 8. through 12. 2001. This paper will provide an update on Advanced Reactor Program of different vendors in the United States, Japan, and Europe. Specifically the paper will look at the history of different Advanced Reactor Programs, international experience, aspect of economy due to standardization, and the highlights of technical specifications. The paper will also review aspects of Economy due to standardization, public acceptance, required construction time, and the experience of different vendors. The objective of the presentation is to underscore the highlights of the Reactor Program of different vendors in order to keep the attendees of the conference up-to-date. The presentation will be an impartial overview from an outsider's (not part of the Nuclear Steam Supply System's staff). (author)

  5. DOE University Reactor Sharing Program. Renewal for 1994--1995

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chappas, W.J.; Adams, V.G.

    1994-01-01

    The Department of Energy University Reactor Sharing Program at University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) has, once again, stimulated a broad use of the reactor facilities by undergraduate and graduate students, visitors, and professionals. Participants are exposed to topics such as nuclear engineering, radiation safety, and nuclear reactor operations. This information is presented through various means including tours, slide presentations, experiments, and discussions. Student research using the MUTR is also encouraged. In addition, the Reactor Sharing Program here at the University of Maryland does not limit itself to the confines of the TRIGA reactor facility. Incorporated in the program are the Maryland University Neutron Activation Analysis Laboratory, the Maryland University Radiation Effects Laboratory, and the UMCP 2x4 Thermal Hydraulic Loop. These facilities enhance and give an added dimension to the tours and experiments

  6. Reactor safety research program. A description of current and planned reactor safety research sponsored by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Division of Reactor Safety Research

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1975-06-01

    The reactor safety research program, sponsored by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Division of Reactor Safety Research, is described in terms of its program objectives, current status, and future plans. Elements of safety research work applicable to water reactors, fast reactors, and gas cooled reactors are presented together with brief descriptions of current and planned test facilities. (U.S.)

  7. Improving nuclear safety at international research reactors: The Integrated Research Reactor Safety Enhancement Program (IRRSEP)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huizenga, David; Newton, Douglas; Connery, Joyce

    2002-01-01

    Nuclear energy continues to play a major role in the world's energy economy. Research and test reactors are an important component of a nation's nuclear power infrastructure as they provide training, experiments and operating experience vital to developing and sustaining the industry. Indeed, nations with aspirations for nuclear power development usually begin their programs with a research reactor program. Research reactors also are vital to international science and technology development. It is important to keep them safe from both accident and sabotage, not only because of our obligation to prevent human and environmental consequence but also to prevent corresponding damage to science and industry. For example, an incident at a research reactor could cause a political and public backlash that would do irreparable harm to national nuclear programs. Following the accidents at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl, considerable efforts and resources were committed to improving the safety posture of the world's nuclear power plants. Unsafe operation of research reactors will have an amplifying effect throughout a country or region's entire nuclear programs due to political, economic and nuclear infrastructure consequences. (author)

  8. Flexible Conversion Ratio Fast Reactor Systems Evaluation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Neil Todreas; Pavel Hejzlar

    2008-06-30

    Conceptual designs of lead-cooled and liquid salt-cooled fast flexible conversion ratio reactors were developed. Both concepts have cores reated at 2400 MWt placed in a large-pool-type vessel with dual-free level, which also contains four intermediate heat exchanges coupling a primary coolant to a compact and efficient supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle power conversion system. Decay heat is removed passively using an enhanced Reactor Vessel Auxiliary Cooling System and a Passive Secondary Auxiliary Cooling System. The most important findings were that (1) it is feasible to design the lead-cooled and salt-cooled reactor with the flexible conversion ratio (CR) in the range of CR=0 and CR=1 n a manner that achieves inherent reactor shutdown in unprotected accidents, (2) the salt-cooled reactor requires Lithium thermal Expansion Modules to overcme the inherent salt coolant's large positive coolant temperature reactivity coefficient, (3) the preferable salt for fast spectrum high power density cores is NaCl-Kcl-MgCl2 as opposed to fluoride salts due to its better themal-hydraulic and neutronic characteristics, and (4) both reactor, but attain power density 3 times smaller than that of the sodium-cooled reactor.

  9. Flexible Conversion Ratio Fast Reactor Systems Evaluation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Neil Todreas; Pavel Hejzlar

    2008-01-01

    Conceptual designs of lead-cooled and liquid salt-cooled fast flexible conversion ratio reactors were developed. Both concepts have cores treated at 2400 MWt placed in a large-pool-type vessel with dual-free level, which also contains four intermediate heat exchanges coupling a primary coolant to a compact and efficient supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle power conversion system. Decay heat is removed passively using an enhanced Reactor Vessel Auxiliary Cooling System and a Passive Secondary Auxiliary Cooling System. The most important findings were that (1) it is feasible to design the lead-cooled and salt-cooled reactor with the flexible conversion ratio (CR) in the range of CR=0 and CR=1 n a manner that achieves inherent reactor shutdown in unprotected accidents, (2) the salt-cooled reactor requires Lithium thermal Expansion Modules to overcome the inherent salt coolant's large positive coolant temperature reactivity coefficient, (3) the preferable salt for fast spectrum high power density cores is NaCl-Kcl-MgCl2 as opposed to fluoride salts due to its better thermal-hydraulic and neutronic characteristics, and (4) both reactor, but attain power density 3 times smaller than that of the sodium-cooled reactor

  10. US/DOE Man-Machine Integration program for liquid metal reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    D'Zmura, A.P.; Seeman, S.E.

    1985-03-01

    The United States Department of Energy (DOE) Man-Machine Integration program was started in 1980 as an addition to the existing Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor safety base technology program. The overall goal of the DOE program is to enhance the operational safety of liquid metal reactors by optimum integration of humans and machines in the overall reactor plant system and by application of the principles of human-factors engineering to the design of equipment, subsystems, facilities, operational aids, procedures and environments. In the four years since its inception the program has concentrated on understanding the control process for Liquid Metal Reactors (LMRs) and on applying advanced computer concepts to this process. This paper describes the products that have been developed in this program, present computer-related programs, and plans for the future

  11. Advances by the Integral Fast Reactor Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lineberry, M.J.; Pedersen, D.R.; Walters, L.C.; Cahalan, J.E.

    1991-01-01

    The advances by the Integral Fast Reactor Program at Argonne National Laboratory are the subject of this paper. The Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) is an advanced liquid-metal-cooled reactor concept being developed at Argonne National Laboratory. The advances stressed in the paper include fuel irradiation performance, improved passive safety, and the development of a prototype fuel cycle facility. 14 refs

  12. Review on the current status of molten chloride reactor and its future prospect

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Seo, Seok Bin; Shin, Yukyung; Bang, In Cheol [UNIST, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-10-15

    This paper has summarized and reviewed the current status of MCR as an online pyroprocessing reactor, and introduced the related works in UNIST. As the developments of the next generation nuclear energy systems require the fuel sustainability, passive operation safety, nuclear proliferation, and reduction of highly radioactive waste, only several types of nuclear reactor systems survive to the last. Among these, molten salt reactor (MSR) is one of the most promising concepts of next generation nuclear reactor system that deliver on these requirements. MSR have great advantages in the fuel cycle and reduction of nuclear waste, since MSR can serve the online reprocessing system for the reprocessing of spent fuel. Especially, MSR utilizing chloride-based fuel, called molten chloride reactor (MCR) has been recently highlighted in USA under the DOE’s Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) program. Recently, the interests in the molten chloride salt have arisen. The use of chloride-based salt gives great advantages to the reactor operating in a fast spectrum. Then MCR can serve waste management functions or fuel cycle sustainability functions, which can solve the current issues in nuclear field. Thus, research plan was established in UNIST which includes the investigation of thermal-hydraulic characteristics of chloride salt and optimization of heat transport system of MCR, using both numerical method and experimental method.

  13. Review on the current status of molten chloride reactor and its future prospect

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seo, Seok Bin; Shin, Yukyung; Bang, In Cheol

    2016-01-01

    This paper has summarized and reviewed the current status of MCR as an online pyroprocessing reactor, and introduced the related works in UNIST. As the developments of the next generation nuclear energy systems require the fuel sustainability, passive operation safety, nuclear proliferation, and reduction of highly radioactive waste, only several types of nuclear reactor systems survive to the last. Among these, molten salt reactor (MSR) is one of the most promising concepts of next generation nuclear reactor system that deliver on these requirements. MSR have great advantages in the fuel cycle and reduction of nuclear waste, since MSR can serve the online reprocessing system for the reprocessing of spent fuel. Especially, MSR utilizing chloride-based fuel, called molten chloride reactor (MCR) has been recently highlighted in USA under the DOE’s Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) program. Recently, the interests in the molten chloride salt have arisen. The use of chloride-based salt gives great advantages to the reactor operating in a fast spectrum. Then MCR can serve waste management functions or fuel cycle sustainability functions, which can solve the current issues in nuclear field. Thus, research plan was established in UNIST which includes the investigation of thermal-hydraulic characteristics of chloride salt and optimization of heat transport system of MCR, using both numerical method and experimental method

  14. Materials surveillance program for C-E NSSS reactor vessels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koziol, J.J.

    1977-01-01

    Irradiation surveillance programs for light water NSSS reactor vessels provide the means by which the utility can assess the extent of neutron-induced changes in the reactor vessel materials. These programs are conducted to verify, by direct measurement, the conservatism in the predicted radiation-induced changes and hence the operational parameters (i.e., heat-up, cooldown, and pressurization rates). In addition, such programs provide assurance that the scheduled adjustments in the operational parameters are made with ample margin for safe operation of the plant. During the past 3 years, several documents have been promulgated establishing the criteria for determining both the initial properties of the reactor vessel materials as well as measurement of changes in these initial properties as a result of irradiation. These documents, ASTM E-185-73, ''Recommended Practice for Surveillance Tests for Nuclear Reactor Vessels,'' and Appendix H to 10 CFR 50, ''Reactor Vessel Material Surveillance Program Requirements,'' are complementary to each other. They are the result of a change in the basic philosophy regarding the design and analysis of reactor vessels. In effect, the empirical ''transition temperature approach,'' which was used for design, was replaced by the ''analytical fracture mechanics approach.'' The implementation of this technique was described in Welding Research Council Bulletin 1975 and Appendix G to ASME Code Section III. Further definition of requirements appears in Appendix G to 10 CFR 50 published in July 1973. It is the intent of this paper to describe (1) a typical materials surveillance program for the reactor vessel of a Combustion Engineering NSSS, and (2) how the results of such programs, as well as experimental programs provide feed-back for improvement of materials to enhance their radiation resistance and thereby further improve the safety and reliability of future plants. (author)

  15. Thermal-Hydraulics Phenomena Important in Modeling and Simulation of Liquid-Fuel Molten Salt Reactors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bajorek, Stephen; Diamond, David J.

    2018-11-11

    This paper discusses liquid-fuel molten salt reactors, how they will operate under normal, transient, and accident conditions, and the results of an expert elicitation to determine the corresponding thermalhydraulic phenomena important to understanding their behavior. Identifying these phenomena will enable the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to develop or identify modeling functionalities and tools required to carry out confirmatory analyses that examine the validity and accuracy of an applicant’s calculations and help determine the margin of safety in plant design. NRC frequently does an expert elicitation using a Phenomena Identification and Ranking Table (PIRT) to identify and evaluate the state of knowledge of important modeling phenomena. However, few details about the design of these reactors and the sequence of events during accidents are known, so the process used was considered a preliminary PIRT. A panel met to define phenomena that would need to be modeled and considered the impact/importance of each phenomenon with respect to specific figures-of-merit (FoMs) (e.g., salt temperature, velocity, and composition). Each FoM reflected a potential impact on radionuclide release or loss of a barrier to release. The panel considered what the path forward might be with respect to being able to model the phenomenon in a simulation code. Results are explained for both thermal and fast spectrum designs.

  16. Identification and evaluation of alternatives for the disposition of fluoride fuel and flush salts from the molten salt reactor experiment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1996-01-01

    This document presents an initial identification and evaluation of the alternatives for disposition of the fluoride fuel and flush salts stored in the drain tanks at the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). It will serve as a resource for the U.S. Department of Energy contractor preparing the feasibility study for this activity under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). This document will also facilitate further discussion on the range of credible alternatives, and the relative merits of alternatives, throughout the time that a final alternative is selected under the CERCLA process

  17. Study of tritium removal from fusion reactor blankets of molten salt and lithium--aluminum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Talbot, J.B.

    1976-03-01

    The sorption of tritium by molten lithium--bismuth (Li--Bi, approximately 15 at. percent lithium) and solid equiatomic lithium--aluminum (Li--Al) was investigated experimentally to evaluate the potential applications of both materials in a controlled thermonuclear reactor. The Li--Bi alloy was proposed to countercurrently extract tritium from a molten salt (Li 2 BeF 4 ) blanket. However, because of the low solubility (less than 10 ppb) at temperatures ranging from 500 to 700 0 C, the extraction process is not attractive

  18. Quality assurance program plan for the Reactor Research Experiment Programs (RREP)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pipher, D.G.

    1982-05-01

    This document describes the Quality Assurance Program plans which will be applied to tasks on Reactor Research Experiments performed on Sandia National Laboratories' reactors. The program provides for individual project or experiment quality plan development and allows for reasonable plan flexibility and maximum plan visibility. Various controls and requirements in this program plan are considered mandatory on all features which are identified as important to public health and safety (Level I). It is the intent of this document that the Quality Assurance program comprise those elements which will provide adequate assurance that all components, equipment, and systems of the experiments will perform as designed, and hence prevent delays and costs due to rejections or failures

  19. US Department of Energy 1992--1993 Reactor Sharing Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vernetson, W.G.

    1994-04-01

    The University of Florida Training Reactor serves as a host institution to support various educational institutions which are located primarily within the state of Florida. All users and uses were carefully screened to assure the usage was for educational institutions eligible for participation in the Reactor Sharing Program. Three tables are included that provide basic information about the 1992--1993 program and utilization of the reactor facilities by user institutions

  20. Feasibility study of LiF-BeF2 and chloride salts as blanket coolants for fusion power reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Imamura, Y.

    1977-09-01

    The feasibility of using molten salts, in particular, nonberyllium-bearing chloride salts, as blanket coolants for Tokamak fusion reactors has been examined for the nucleonic and thermal/hydraulic aspects. It is concluded that the chloride salts, i.e., LiCl--KCl, LiCl--PbCl 2 and LiCl--SnCl 2 , can be used as the blanket coolant for a static lithium metal blanket provided that large blanket thickness can be tolerated, along with the use of U-238 for neutron multiplication in the cases of LiCl--KCl or LiCl--SnCl 2 cooled blankets. However, to make the appraisal complete, the tritium recovery and corrosion problems must be examined extensively, based on data not yet at hand. As for LiF--BeF 2 , it is observed that although the salt mixture can be used for a single fluid blanket with satisfactory nuclear performance, careful attention should be paid to the cooling capability

  1. Civilian Power Program. Part 1, Summary, Current status of reactor concepts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Author, Not Given

    1959-09-01

    This study group covered the following: delineation of the specific objectives of the overall US AEC civilian power reactor program, technical objectives of each reactor concept, preparation of a chronological development program for each reactor concept, evaluation of the economic potential of each reactor type, a program to encourage the the development, and yardsticks for measuring the development. Results were used for policy review by AEC, program direction, authorization and appropriation requests, etc. This evaluation encompassed civilian power reactors rated at 25 MW(e) or larger and related experimental facilities and R&D. This Part I summarizes the significant results of the comprehensive effort to determine the current technical and economic status for each reactor concept; it is based on the 8 individual technical status reports (Part III).

  2. Nuclear energy synergetics and molten-salt technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Furukawa, Kazuo

    1988-01-01

    There are various problems with nuclear energy techniques in terms of resources, safety, environmental effects, nuclear proliferation, reactor size reduction and overall economics. To overcome these problems, future studies should be focused on utilization of thorium resources, separation of multiplication process and power generation process, and application of liquid nuclear fuel. These studies will lead to the development of molten thorium salt nuclear synergetics. The most likely candidate for working medium is Lif-BeF 2 material (flibe). 233 U production facilities are required for the completion of the Th cycle. For this, three ideas have been proposed: accelerator M.S. breeder, impact fusion MSB and inertial conf. fusion hybrid MSB. The first step toward the development of molten Th salt nuclear energy synergetics will be the construction of a pilot plant of an extreme small size. As candidate reactor, the author has selected mini FUJI-II (7.0 MWe), an extremely small molten salt power reactor. Mini FUJI-II facilities are expected to be developed in 7 - 8 years. For the next step (demonstration step), the designing of a small power reactor (FUJI 160 MWe) has already been carried out. A small molten salt reactor will have good safety characteristics in terms of chemistry, material, structure, nuclear safety and design basis accidents. Such reactors will also have favorable economic aspects. (Nogami, K.)

  3. Molten salt/metal extractions for recovery of transuranic elements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chow, L.S.; Basco, J.K.; Ackerman, J.P.; Johnson, T.R.

    1992-01-01

    The integral fast reactor (EFR) is an advanced reactor concept that incorporates metallic driver and blanket fuels, an inherently safe, liquid-sodium-cooled, pool-type, reactor design, and on-site pyrochemical reprocessing (including electrorefining) of spent fuels and wastes. This paper describes a pyrochemical method that is being developed at Argonne National Laboratory to recover transuranic elements from the EFR electrorefiner process salt. The method uses multistage extractions between molten chloride salts and cadmium metal at high temperatures. The chemical basis of the salt extraction method, the test equipment, and a test plan are discussed

  4. A fast-running fuel management program for a CANDU reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, Hangbok

    2000-01-01

    A fast-running fuel management program for a CANDU reactor has been developed. The basic principle of this program is to select refueling channels such that the reference reactor conditions are maintained by applying several constraints and criteria when selecting refueling channels. The constraints used in this program are the channel and bundle power and the fuel burnup. The final selection of the refueling channel is determined based on the priority of candidate channels, which enhances the reactor power distribution close to the time-average model. The refueling simulation was performed for a natural uranium CANDU reactor and the results were satisfactory

  5. OSU Reactor Sharing Program FY 1995 annual report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Higginbotham, J.F.

    1996-10-01

    This is the annual report of the activities supported under the Oregon State University Reactor Sharing Program, award number DE-FG06-NE38137. The beginning date for the award was September, 30, 1995 and the end date was September 29, 1996. Work conducted under this award is internally administered at the Radiation Center through a project tasking system. This allows for excellent quality control for the work which is performed from the point of initial contact, through the reactor application, project report generation and financial accounting. For the current fiscal year, FY95, the total cost of the reactor sharing program, including Radiation Center contributions, was $66,323.20 of which $40,000.00 was supplied by the DOE Reactor Sharing Program. The details of individual project costs is given in Table 1. The work performed for the individual projects are described in the brief work descriptions given in Table 2

  6. University Reactor Matching Grants Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    John Valentine; Farzad Rahnema; Said Abdel-Khalik

    2003-01-01

    During the 2002 Fiscal year, funds from the DOE matching grant program, along with matching funds from the industrial sponsors, have been used to support research in the area of thermal-hydraulics. Both experimental and numerical research projects have been performed. Experimental research focused on two areas: (1) Identification of the root cause mechanism for axial offset anomaly in pressurized water reactors under prototypical reactor conditions, and (2) Fluid dynamic aspects of thin liquid film protection schemes for inertial fusion reactor chambers. Numerical research focused on two areas: (1) Multi-fluid modeling of both two-phase and two-component flows for steam conditioning and mist cooling applications, and (2) Modeling of bounded Rayleigh-Taylor instability with interfacial mass transfer and fluid injection through a porous wall simulating the ''wetted wall'' protection scheme in inertial fusion reactor chambers. Details of activities in these areas are given

  7. Concept of the demonstration molten salt unit for the transuranium elements transmutations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alekseev, P.; Dudnikov, A.; Prusakov, V.; Subbotin, S.; Zakirov, R.; Lelek, V.; Peka, I.

    1999-01-01

    Fluorine reprocessing is discussed of spent fuel and of fluoride molten salt reactor in critical and subcritical modes for plutonium and minor actinides burning. International collaboration for creation of such system is proposed. Additional neutron source in the core will have positive influence on the transmutation processes in the reactor. Demonstration critical molten salt reactor of small power capacity will permit to decide the most part of problems inherent to large critical reactors and subcritical drivers. It could be expected that fluoride molten salt transmuter can work without accelerator as a critical reactor. (author)

  8. Program of RA reactor start-up to nominal power; Program dizanja reaktora 'RA' na nominalnu snagu

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1959-07-01

    The zero start-up program is followed by the program of RA reactor start-up to nominal power. This program is desed in detail and includes the following measurements: radiation characteristics at the exit of the channels; gamma and fast neutron dose distribution in the reactor; influence of absorbers on the reactivity; temperature effect; absolute flux and calibration of ionization chambers; xenon effect; thermal and hydraulics; dosimetry around the reactor; neutron flux in the reactor core and in the reactor hall; heavy water level; thermal characteristics after shutdown. A list of measuring devices and instrumentation is included with the detailed action plan and list of responsible staff members.

  9. DOE University Reactor Sharing Program. Final technical report for 1996--1997

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chappas, W.J.; Adams, V.G.

    1998-01-01

    The Department of Energy University Reactor Sharing Program at University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) has, once again, stimulated a broad use of the reactor and radiation facilities by undergraduate and graduate students, visitors, and professionals. Participants are exposed to topics such as nuclear engineering, radiation safety, and nuclear reactor operations. This information is presented through various means including tours, slide presentations, experiments, and discussions. Student research using the MUTR is also encouraged. In addition, the Reactor Sharing Program here at the University of Maryland does not limit itself to the confines of the TRIGA reactor facility. Incorporated in the program are the Maryland University Radiation Effects Laboratory, and the UMCP 2 x 4 Thermal Hydraulic Loop. These facilities enhance and give an added dimension to the tours and experiments. The Maryland University Training Reactor (MUTR) and the associated laboratories are made available to any interested institution six days a week on a scheduled basis. Most institutions are scheduled at the time of their first request--a reflection of their commitment to the Reactor Sharing Program. The success of the past years by no means guarantees future success. Therefore, the reactor staff is more aggressively pursuing its outreach program, especially with junior colleges and universities without reactor or radiation facilities; more aggressively developing demonstration and training programs for students interested in careers in nuclear power and radiation technology; and more aggressively up-grading the reactor facilities--not only to provide a better training facility but to prepare for relicensing in the year 2000

  10. Using low-enriched uranium in research reactors: The RERTR program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Travelli, A.

    1994-01-01

    The goal of the RERTR program is to minimize and eventually eliminate use of highway enriched uranium (HEU) in research and test reactors. The program has been very successful, and has developed low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel materials and designs which can be used effectively in approximately 90 percent of the research and test reactors which used HEU when the program began. This progress would not have been possible without active international cooperation among fuel developers, commercial vendors, and reactor operators. The new tasks which the RERTR program is undertaking at this time include development of new and better fuels that will allow use of LEU fuels in all research and test reactors; cooperation with Russian laboratories, which will make it possible to minimize and eventually eliminate use of HEU in research reactors throughout the world, irrespective of its origin; and development of an LEU-based process for the production of 99 Mo. Continuation and intensification of international cooperation are essential to the achievement of the ultimate goals of the RERTR program

  11. Thorium Molten Salt Nuclear Energy Synergetic System (THORIMS-NES)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshioka, Ritsuo; Mitachi, Koshi

    2013-01-01

    The authors have been promoting nuclear energy technology based on thorium molten salt as Thorium Molten Salt Nuclear Energy Synergetic System (THORIMS-NES). This system is a combination of fission power reactor of Molten Salt Reactor (MSR), and Accelerator Molten Salt Breeder (AMSB) for production of fissile 233 U with connecting chemical processing facility. In this paper, concept of THORIMS-NES, advantages of thorium and molten salt recent MSR design results such as FUJI-U3 using 233 U fuel, FUJI-Pu, large sized super-FUJI, pilot plant miniFUJI, AMSB, and chemical processing facility are described. (author)

  12. Molten salt: Corrosion problems and electrometallurgy in nuclear applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santarini, G.

    1981-01-01

    A bibliographic survey is given of corrosion problems and electrometallurgical problems of molten salt in nuclear reactor applications. Due to the high potential to be achieved, their high ionic conductivity and the rapidity of reactions in a molten salt atmosphere, molten salts are interesting solvents for various electrometallurgical processes. Another important field of application is in the separation or electrolytical refining of various metals (Be, U, Pu, Th, Hf, Zr). However, these very characteristics of molten salts may also cause serious corrosion problems. Results obtained for the molten-salt reactor and the different causes of corrosion are reviewed an possible countermeasures analyzed. (orig.)

  13. The UMR reactor outreach program for expanded educational utilization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Freeman, D.; Bolon, A.

    1992-01-01

    In recent years, the University of Missouri-Rolla Reactor (UMRR) facility has been under intense financial scrutiny by the university administration; primarily due to ever-tightening budgets and declines in nuclear engineering (NE) enrollment. In response to criticisms of low utilization, the reactor staff has developed and implemented a dynamic outreach program designed to significantly increase the educational role of the facility on campus. The outreach program is based on the principle that the potential to provide service to the UMR community is far in excess of the present level of service. The program is designed to identify and inform potential users of how their courses or programs can be augmented through use of the reactor facility. The net effect of the outreach program is greater campus communication and awareness of the unique capabilities as applied to each discipline. A natural product of the outreach program should be increased research

  14. An experimental test plan for the characterization of molten salt thermochemical properties in heat transport systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Calderoni, Pattrick

    2010-01-01

    Molten salts are considered within the Very High Temperature Reactor program as heat transfer media because of their intrinsically favorable thermo-physical properties at temperatures starting from 300 C and extending up to 1200 C. In this context two main applications of molten salt are considered, both involving fluoride-based materials: as primary coolants for a heterogeneous fuel reactor core and as secondary heat transport medium to a helium power cycle for electricity generation or other processing plants, such as hydrogen production. The reference design concept here considered is the Advanced High Temperature Reactor (AHTR), which is a large passively safe reactor that uses solid graphite-matrix coated-particle fuel (similar to that used in gas-cooled reactors) and a molten salt primary and secondary coolant with peak temperatures between 700 and 1000 C, depending upon the application. However, the considerations included in this report apply to any high temperature system employing fluoride salts as heat transfer fluid, including intermediate heat exchangers for gas-cooled reactor concepts and homogeneous molten salt concepts, and extending also to fast reactors, accelerator-driven systems and fusion energy systems. The purpose of this report is to identify the technical issues related to the thermo-physical and thermo-chemical properties of the molten salts that would require experimental characterization in order to proceed with a credible design of heat transfer systems and their subsequent safety evaluation and licensing. In particular, the report outlines an experimental R and D test plan that would have to be incorporated as part of the design and operation of an engineering scaled facility aimed at validating molten salt heat transfer components, such as Intermediate Heat Exchangers. This report builds on a previous review of thermo-physical properties and thermo-chemical characteristics of candidate molten salt coolants that was generated as part

  15. An experimental test plan for the characterization of molten salt thermochemical properties in heat transport systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pattrick Calderoni

    2010-09-01

    Molten salts are considered within the Very High Temperature Reactor program as heat transfer media because of their intrinsically favorable thermo-physical properties at temperatures starting from 300 C and extending up to 1200 C. In this context two main applications of molten salt are considered, both involving fluoride-based materials: as primary coolants for a heterogeneous fuel reactor core and as secondary heat transport medium to a helium power cycle for electricity generation or other processing plants, such as hydrogen production. The reference design concept here considered is the Advanced High Temperature Reactor (AHTR), which is a large passively safe reactor that uses solid graphite-matrix coated-particle fuel (similar to that used in gas-cooled reactors) and a molten salt primary and secondary coolant with peak temperatures between 700 and 1000 C, depending upon the application. However, the considerations included in this report apply to any high temperature system employing fluoride salts as heat transfer fluid, including intermediate heat exchangers for gas-cooled reactor concepts and homogenous molten salt concepts, and extending also to fast reactors, accelerator-driven systems and fusion energy systems. The purpose of this report is to identify the technical issues related to the thermo-physical and thermo-chemical properties of the molten salts that would require experimental characterization in order to proceed with a credible design of heat transfer systems and their subsequent safety evaluation and licensing. In particular, the report outlines an experimental R&D test plan that would have to be incorporated as part of the design and operation of an engineering scaled facility aimed at validating molten salt heat transfer components, such as Intermediate Heat Exchangers. This report builds on a previous review of thermo-physical properties and thermo-chemical characteristics of candidate molten salt coolants that was generated as part of the

  16. Quality assurance plan for the molten salt reactor experiment Remediation Project at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1998-02-01

    This Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) identifies and describes the systems utilized by Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) Remediation Project personnel to implement the requirements and associated applicable guidance contained in the Quality Program Description, Y/QD-15 Rev. 2 (Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., 1995) and Environmental Management and Enrichment Facilities Work Smart Standards. This QAP defines the quality assurance (QA) requirements applicable to all activities and operations in and directly pertinent to the MSRE Remediation Project. This QAP will be periodically reviewed, revised, and approved as necessary. This QAP identifies and describes the QA activities and procedures implemented by the various Oak Ridge National Laboratory support organizations and personnel to provide confidence that these activities meet the requirements of this project. Specific support organization (Division) quality requirements, including the degree of implementation of each, are contained in the appendixes of this plan

  17. Modified ADS molten salt processes for back-end fuel cycle of PWR spent fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, In-Kyu; Yeon, Jei-Won; Kim, Won-Ho

    2002-01-01

    The back-end fuel cycle concept for PWR spent fuel is explained. This concept is adequate for Korea, which has operated both PWR and CANDU reactors. Molten salt processes for accelerator driven system (ADS) were modified both for the transmutation of long-lived radioisotopes and for the utilisation of the remained fissile uranium in PWR spent fuels. Prior to applying molten salt processes to PWR fuel, hydrofluorination and fluorination processes are applied to obtain uranium hexafluoride from the spent fuel pellet. It is converted to uranium dioxide and fabricated into CANDU fuel. From the remained fluoride compounds, transuranium elements can be separated by the molten salt technology such as electrowinning and reductive extraction processes for transmutation purpose without weakening the proliferation resistance of molten salt technology. The proposed fuel cycle concept using fluorination processes is thought to be adequate for our nuclear program and can replace DUPIC (Direct Use of spent PWR fuel in CANDU reactor) fuel cycle. Each process for the proposed fuel cycle concept was evaluated in detail

  18. Participation in the U.S. Department of Energy Reactor Sharing Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mulder, R. U.; Benneche, P. E.; Hosticka, B.

    1998-01-01

    The objective of the DOE supported Reactor Sharing Program is to increase the availability of university nuclear reactor facilities to non-reactor-owning educational institutions. The educational and research programs of these users institutions is enhanced by the use of the nuclear facilities

  19. Comparative economic analysis of the Integral Molten Salt Reactor and an advanced PWR using the G4-ECONS methodology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samalova, Ludmila; Chvala, Ondrej; Maldonado, G. Ivan

    2017-01-01

    The assessment of economic viability of a new reactor concept is crucial particularly during the early stages of its concept development. The G4-ECONS methodology provides a standardized top-down estimate of electricity cost and parametric sensitivities, not specifically targeted toward an accurate prediction of the final cost when deployed, but rather seeking an approximation of cost variations relative to other systems. This study presents an analysis of the Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR) concept in comparison with a consistent analysis of an advanced PWR reactor (represented by AP1000). Estimation of levelized unit electricity costs, as well as sensitivity analyses to the discount rate and uranium or SWU prices, are presented using this methodology.

  20. Modeling an economic evaluation of a salt fluoridation program in Peru.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mariño, Rodrigo J; Fajardo, Jorge; Arana, Ana; Garcia, Carlos; Pachas, Flor

    2011-01-01

    This article models the cost-effectiveness, from a societal viewpoint, of a dental caries prevention program using salt fluoridation for children 12 years of age, compared with non-intervention (or status quo) in Arequipa, Peru. Standard cost-effectiveness analysis methods were used. The costs associated with implementing and operating the salt-fluoridation program were identified and measured using 2009 prices. Health outcomes were measured as dental caries averted over a 6-year period. Clinical effectiveness data was taken from published data. Costs were measured as direct treatment costs, programs costs and costs of productivity losses as a result of dental treatments. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated. A hypothetical population of 25,000 12-year-olds living in Arequipa, Peru was used in this analysis. Two-way sensitivity analyses were conducted over a range of values for key parameters. Our primary analysis estimated that if a dental caries prevention program using salt-fluoridation was available for 25,000 6-year-old children for 6 years, the net saving from a societal perspective would total S/. 11.95 [1 US$ = S/. (2009) 3.01] per diseased tooth averted when compared with the status quo group. That is, after 6 years, an investment of S/.0.32 per annum per child would result in a net saving of S/.11.95 per decayed/missing/filled teeth prevented. While the analysis has inherent limitations as a result of its reliance on a range of assumptions, the findings indicate that for the situations prevailing in Peru, there are significant health and economic benefits to be gained from the use of salt fluoridation.

  1. Comparison of fast neutron spectra in graphite and FLINA salt inserted in well-defined core assembled in LR-0 reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Košťál, Michal; Veškrna, Martin; Cvachovec, František; Jánský, Bohumil; Novák, Evžen; Rypar, Vojtěch; Milčák, Ján; Losa, Evžen; Mravec, Filip; Matěj, Zdeněk; Rejchrt, Jiří; Forget, Benoit; Harper, Sterling

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Neutron spectra measured in graphite and LiF + NaF. • Comparison of calculated and measured neutron spectra. • Effect of 19F on variation between various library calculated spectra. - Abstract: The present paper aims to compare the calculated and measured spectra after insertion of candidate materials for the Molten salt reactor/Fluoride cooled high temperature reactor system concept into the LR-0 reactor. The calculation is realized with MCNP6 code using ENDF/B-VII.0, JEFF-3.1, JENDL-3.3, JENDL-4, ROSFOND-2010 and CENDL-3.1 nuclear data libraries. Additionally, comparisons between the slowing down power of each media were performed. The slowing down properties are important parameters affecting the thickness of moderator media in a reactor

  2. A program for dynamic noise investigations of reactor systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Antonov, N.A.; Yaneva, N.B.

    1980-01-01

    A stochastic process analysis in nuclear reactors is used for the state diagnosis and dynamic characteristic investigation of the reactor system. A program DENSITY adapted and tested on an IBM 360 ES type computer is developed. The program is adjusted for fast processing of long series exploiting a relatively small memory. The testing procedure is discussed and the method of the periodic sequences corresponding to characteristic reactivity perturbations of the reactor systems is considered. The program is written for calculating the auto-power spectral density and the cross-power spectral density, as well as the coherence function of stationary statistical time series using the advantages of the fast Fourier transformation. In particular, it is shown that the multi-frequency binary sequences are very useful with respect to the signal-to-noise ratio and the frequency distribution in view of the frequency reactor test

  3. Non-linear programming method in optimization of fast reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pavelesku, M.; Dumitresku, Kh.; Adam, S.

    1975-01-01

    Application of the non-linear programming methods on optimization of nuclear materials distribution in fast reactor is discussed. The programming task composition is made on the basis of the reactor calculation dependent on the fuel distribution strategy. As an illustration of this method application the solution of simple example is given. Solution of the non-linear program is done on the basis of the numerical method SUMT. (I.T.)

  4. Experience in reactor research and development programs as educational system for thermohydraulic engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zaki, G.M.; Fikry, M.M.

    1977-01-01

    A reactor development program within a research reactor facility can be used for personnel training on the operation of power reactors and research in the different fields of nuclear science and engineering. A training program is proposed where reactor maintenance and operation, in addition to conducting development programs and executing projects, are utilized for forming specialized groups. The paper gives a short survey of a heat transfer program where out of pile and in-core studies are conducted along with two-phase flow investigations. This program covers the main requirements for WWR (water cooled and moderated reactor) power uprating and furnishes basic knowledge on power reactor thermal parameters. The major facilities for conducting similar programs devoted to education are mentioned

  5. Characteristics of dechlorination for LiCl salt by the surface temperature-controlled reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cho, In Hak [Chungnam National University, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Park, Hwan Seo; Ahn, Soo Na; Eun, Hee Chul; Kim, In Tae; Cho, Yong Jun [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2011-05-15

    Molten salt waste is generated from a pyrochemical process to separate reusable U and TRU elements from a spent nuclear fuel. The spent lithium chloride waste is highly soluble in water and contains volatile radioactive elements such as Cs. However, these wastes are difficult to directly immobilize into durable matrix such as glass or ceramic wasteform for final disposal. ANL(Argonne National Laboratory) suggested the conversion of metal chloride into a sodalite for the immobilization of a chloride waste, glass-bonded sodalite, which was fabricated at about 915 .deg. C after mixing the salt-loaded zeolite and borosilicate glass powder. Although this wasteform shows high leach-resistance, the waste volume greatly increases. The previous study was to treat metal chloride wastes by using SAP(SiO{sub 2}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-P{sub 2}O{sub 5}) materials. By using this method, the final waste volume reduced and leach-resistance was good. In this study, characteristics of dechlorination reaction of LiCl with an inorganic composite, SAP, was investigated by using a specific surface temperature-controlled reactor

  6. Overview of the recovery and processing of 233U from the Oak Ridge molten salt reactor experiment (MSRE) remediation activities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Del Cul, G.D.; Icenhour, A.S.; Simmons, D.W.; Trowbridge, L.D.; Williams, D.F.; Toth, L.M.; Dai, S.

    2001-01-01

    The Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) was operated at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) from 1965 to 1969 to test the concept of a high-temperature, homogeneous, fluid-fueled reactor. The discovery that UF 6 and F 2 migrated from the storage tanks into distant pipes and a charcoal bed resulted in significant activities to remove and recover the 233 U and to decommission the reactor. The recovered fissile uranium will be converted into uranium oxide (U 3 O 8 ), which is a suitable form for long-term storage. This publication reports the research and several new developments that were needed to carry out these unique activities. (author)

  7. Uncertainty analysis and flow measurements in an experimental mock-up of a molten salt reactor concept

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yamaji, Bogdan; Aszodi, Attila [Budapest University of Technology and Economics (Hungary). Inst. of Nuclear Techniques

    2016-09-15

    In the paper measurement results from the experimental modelling of a molten salt reactor concept will be presented along with detailed uncertainty analysis of the experimental system. Non-intrusive flow measurements are carried out on the scaled and segmented mock-up of a homogeneous, single region molten salt fast reactor concept. Uncertainty assessment of the particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurement system applied with the scaled and segmented model is presented in detail. The analysis covers the error sources of the measurement system (laser, recording camera, etc.) and the specific conditions (de-warping of measurement planes) originating in the geometry of the investigated domain. Effect of sample size in the ensemble averaged PIV measurements is discussed as well. An additional two-loop-operation mode is also presented and the analysis of the measurement results confirm that without enhancement nominal and other operation conditions will lead to strong unfavourable separation in the core flow. It implies that use of internal flow distribution structures will be necessary for the optimisation of the core coolant flow. Preliminary CFD calculations are presented to help the design of a perforated plate located above the inlet region. The purpose of the perforated plate is to reduce recirculation near the cylindrical wall and enhance the uniformity of the core flow distribution.

  8. Nuclear Reactor Sharing Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-01-01

    The Ohio State University Research Reactor (OSURR) is licensed to operate at a maximum power level of 500 kW. A pool-type reactor using flat-plate, low enriched fuel elements, the OSURR provides several experimental facilities including two 6-inch i.d. beam ports, a graphite thermal column, several graphite-isotope-irradiation elements, a pneumatic transfer system (Rabbit), various dry tubes, and a Central Irradiation Facility (CIF). The core arrangement and accessibility facilitates research programs involving material activation or core parameter studies. The OSURR control room is large enough to accommodate laboratory groups which can use control instrumentation for monitoring of experiments. The control instrumentation is relatively simple, without a large amount of duplication. This facilitates opportunities for hands-on experience in reactor operation by nuclear engineering students making reactor parameter measurements. For neutron activation analysis and analyses of natural environmental radioactivity, the NRL maintains the gamma ray spectroscopy system (GRSS). It is comprised of two PC-based 8192-channel multichannel analyzers (MCAs) with all the required software for quantitative analysis. A 3 double-prime x 3 double-prime NaI(Tl), a 14 percent Ge(Li), and a High Purity Germanium detector are currently available for use with the spectroscopy system

  9. Molten salt burner fuel behaviour and treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ignatiev, V.V.; Zakirov, R.Y.; Grebenkine, K.F.

    2001-01-01

    The objective of this paper is to discuss the feasibility of molten salt reactor technology for treatment of Pu, minor actinides and fission products, when the reactor and fission product clean-up unit are planned as an integral system. This contribution summarises the available R and D which led to selection of the fuel compositions for the molten salt reactor of the TRU burner type (MSB). Special characteristics of behaviour of TRUs and fission products during power operation of MSB concepts are presented. The present paper briefly reviews the processing developments underlying the prior molten salt reactor programmes and relates them to the separation requirements of the MSB concept, including the permissible range of processing cycle times and removal times. Status and development needs in the thermodynamic properties of fluorides, fission product clean-up methods and container materials compatibility with the working fluids for the fission product clean-up unit are discussed. (authors)

  10. Transient behaviour study program of research reactors fuel elements at the Hydra Pulse Reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khvostionov, V.E.; Egorenkov, P.M.; Malankin, P.V.

    2004-01-01

    Program on behavior study of research reactor Fuel Elements (FE) under transient regimes initiated by excessive reactivity insertion is being presented. Program would be realized at HYDRA pulse reactor at Russian Research Center 'Kurchatov Institute' (RRC 'K1'). HYDRA uses aqueous solution of uranyl sulfate (UO 2 SO 4 ) as a fuel. Up to 30 MJ of energy can be released inside the core during the single pulse, effective power pulse width varying from 2 to 10 ms. Reactor facility allows to investigate behaviour of FE consisting of different types of fuel composition, being developed according to Russian RERTR. First part of program is aimed at transient behaviour studying of FE MR, IRT-3M, WWR-M5 types containing meats based on dioxide uranium in aluminum matrix. Mentioned FEs use 90% and 36% enriched uranium. (author)

  11. Some metallic materials and fluoride salts for high temperature applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hosnedl, P.; Hron, M.; Matal, O.

    2009-01-01

    There has been a special Ni base alloy MONICR for high temperature applications in fluoride salt environments developed in the framework of the complex R and D program for the Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) - SPHINX (SPent Hot fuel Incinerator by Neutron fluX) concept development in the Czech Republic. Selected results of MONICR alloy tests and results of semi products fabrication from this alloy are discussed in the paper. The results of the structural materials tests are applied on semi-products and for the design of the testing devices as the autoclave in loop arrangement for high temperature fluoride salts applications. Material properties other Ni base alloys are compared to those of MONICR. Corrosion test results of the alloy A686 in the LiF - NaF - ZrF 4 molten salt are provided and compared to the measured values of the polarizing resistance. (author)

  12. Investigation on the radiation damage behavior of various alloys in a fusion reactor using thorium molten salt

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ubeyli, Mustafa; Demir, Teyfik

    2008-01-01

    In fusion reactors, one of the most important problems is the need for the frequent change of the first wall material during the reactor's operation due to the radiation damage induced by high energetic particles, especially fusion neutrons coming from fusion plasma. In order to solve this problem, in HYLIFE-II fusion reactor design, a liquid wall between the fusion plasma and first wall is used. This study presents the radiation damage behaviors of candidate structural materials (9Cr-2WVTa, V-4Cr-4Ti and W-5Re alloys) considered to be used in fusion reactors to determine the optimum thickness of the liquid wall in HYLIFE-II fusion reactor. In the liquid wall, a thorium molten salt consisting of 75%LiF-23%ThF 4 -2% 233 UF 4 was used. Calculations were carried out with respect to the variable liquid wall thickness and for an operation period of 30 years. Numerical results related to atomic displacement and helium generation damage pointed out that the liquid wall thickness should be at least 42, 66 and 81 cm for the materials, W-5Re, 9Cr-2WVTa, V-4Cr-4Ti, respectively in order not to exceed relevant damage limits after a reactor operation of 30 years

  13. Inspection program for U.S. research reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Isaac, Patrick J.

    2010-01-01

    This paper presents an established program for inspection of nuclear research reactors to ensure that systems and techniques are in accordance with regulatory requirements and to provide protection for the health and safety of the public. The inspection program, implemented from the time a facility gets licensed, remains in effect through operations, shutdown, decommissioning, and until the license is terminated. The program establishes inspection methodology for operating, safeguards, and decommissioning activities. Using a performance- based approach, inspectors focus their attention on activities important to safety. Inspection procedures allow the inspectors to assess facility safety and compliance to applicable requirements. A well designed inspection program is an integral part of the mechanism to ensure that the level of performance in the strategic areas of reactor safety, radiation safety, and safeguards is acceptable and provides adequate protection of public health and safety. (author)

  14. The Development of a Web-Based Program to Reduce Dietary Salt Intake in Schoolchildren: Study Protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grimes, Carley Ann; Booth, Alison; Khokhar, Durreajam; West, Madeline; Margerison, Claire; Campbell, Karen; Nowson, Caryl

    2017-05-31

    Salt intake of schoolchildren in the Australian state of Victoria is high. To protect future cardiovascular health, interventions that seek to reduce the amount of salt in children's diets are required. We sought to develop and pilot test a Web-based program (Digital Education to Limit Salt Intake in the Home [DELISH]) that aims to reduce dietary salt intake among schoolchildren and to improve child and parent knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to salt intake. This paper presents the DELISH study protocol, along with pilot findings used to inform the development of the program. The DELISH program is a 5-week Web-based intervention that targets schoolchildren aged 7-10 years and their parents. This is a single-arm study with a pretest and posttest design. We will assess change in salt intake through analysis of 24-hour urinary sodium excretion. Children and parents will complete online surveys assessing knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to salt intake. We will assess feasibility of the program via process measures, which include metrics to describe intervention uptake (eg, number of children who complete Web-based sessions and of parents who view online newsletters) and evaluation surveys and interviews conducted with children, parents, and schoolteachers. The first 2 Web sessions developed for children were pilot tested in 19 children aged 8-12 years. Findings from pilot testing indicated that most children (session 1: 18/19, 95%; and session 2: 19/19, 100%) enjoyed completing each session and liked the inclusion of comic strips and interactive games. Commonly reported areas of improvement related to sessions being text and content heavy. Based on these findings, we simplified sessions and developed 3 additional sessions for use in the DELISH program. The DELISH program was implemented during June-December 2016. We expect to have results from this study at the end of 2017. To our knowledge, this is the first Australian study to examine the

  15. Integral Fast Reactor Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, Y.I.; Walters, L.C.; Laidler, J.J.; Pedersen, D.R.; Wade, D.C.; Lineberry, M.J.

    1993-06-01

    This report summarizes highlights of the technical progress made in the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) Program in FY 1992. Technical accomplishments are presented in the following areas of the IFR technology development activities: (1) metal fuel performance, (2) pyroprocess development, (3) safety experiments and analyses, (4) core design development, (5) fuel cycle demonstration, and (6) LMR technology R ampersand D

  16. FFTF reactor-characterization program: gamma-ray measurements and shield characterization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bunch, W.L.; Moore, F.S. Jr.

    1983-02-01

    A series of experiments is to be made during the acceptance test program of the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) to measure the gamma ray characteristics of the Fast Test Reactor (FTR) and to establish the performance characteristics of the reactor shield. These measurements are a part of the FFTF Reactor Characterization Program (RCP). Detailed plans have been developed for these experiments. During the initial phase of the Characteristics Program, which will be carried out in the In-Reactor Thimble (IRT), both active and passive measurement methods will be employed to obtain as much information concerning the gamma ray environment as is practical. More limited active gamma ray measurements also will be made in the Vibration Open Test Assembly (VOTA)

  17. EBR-2 [Experimental Breeder Reactor-2], IFR [Integral Fast Reactor] prototype testing programs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lehto, W.K.; Sackett, J.I.; Lindsay, R.W.; Planchon, H.P.; Lambert, J.D.B.

    1990-01-01

    The Experimental Breeder Reactor-2 (EBR-2) is a sodium cooled power reactor supplying about 20 MWe to the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) grid and, in addition, is the key component in the development of the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR). EBR-2's testing capability is extensive and has seen four major phases: (1) demonstration of LMFBR power plant feasibility, (2) irradiation testing for fuel and material development. (3) testing the off-normal performance of fuel and plant systems and (4) operation as the IFR prototype, developing and demonstrating the IFR technology associated with fuel and plant design. Specific programs being carried out in support of the IFR include advanced fuels and materials development and component testing. This paper discusses EBR-2 as the IFR prototype and the associated testing programs. 29 refs

  18. Trends in light water reactor dosimetry programs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rahn, F.J.; Serpan, C.Z.; Fabry, A.; McElroy, W.N.; Grundl, J.A.; Debrue, J.

    1977-01-01

    Dosimetry programs and techniques play an essential role in the continued assurance of the safety and reliability of components of light water reactors. Primary concern focuses on the neutron irradiation embrittlement of reactor pressure vessels and methods by which the integrity of a pressure vessel can be predicted and monitored throughout its service life. Research in these areas requires a closely coordinated program which integrates the elements of the calculational and material sciences, the development of advanced dosimetric techniques and the use of benchmarks and validation of these methods. The paper reviews the status of the various international efforts in the dosimetry area

  19. Preliminary analysis of basic reactor physics of the Dual Fluid Reactor - 15270

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, X.; Macian-Juan, R.; Seidl, M.

    2015-01-01

    The Dual Fluid Reactor (DFR) is a novel fast nuclear reactor concept invented by the IFK based on the Generation IV Molten Salt Reactor and the Liquid Metal Cooled Reactor. The DFR uses a chloride based molten fuel salt in order to harden the neutron spectrum. The molten fuel salt is cooled with a separated liquid lead loop, which in principle allows for higher power densities and better breeding performance. The DFR does not combine heat removal and breeding into a single circuit but separates the two functions into two independent circuits. Since there are attractive features mentioned in this design, the main task of this paper is to verify the model of the whole reactor based on this concept. For this purpose several calculations are presented, including steady state calculations, sensitivity calculations with regard to the nuclide cross sections, the temperature and geometry coefficient of k eff as well as the burnup calculation. The Monte Carlo calculation codes MCNP, SERPENT and SCALE are used for the analysis. As expected the study shows a significant negative reactivity feedback with temperature in the overall fission zone. For the coupled coolant and reflector design the temperature feedback is rather small for practical purposes such as reactor control during normal operation. In the view of these results the DFR in principle can be self-regulated totally by the temperature change of its own fuel salt and consequently can rely on fully passive safety systems for accident management

  20. Ageing management program for reactor components in HANARO

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cho, Yeong-Garp; Wu, Sang-Ik; Lee, Jung-Hee; Ryu, Jeong-Soo; Park, Yong-Chul; Wu, Jong-Sup; Jun, Byung Jin

    2003-01-01

    The HANARO, an open-tank-in-pool type research reactor of 30MWth power in Korea, has operated for 8 years since its initial criticality in February of 1995. The reactor power has been gradually increased to 24 MWth through the service period. Therefore the reactor age is very young from the viewpoint of the ageing effect on the reactor structure and components by neutron irradiation considering the expected reactor lifetime. But, we have a few programs to manage the ageing from the aspect of design lifetime of reactor components. This paper summarizes the overall progress and plan for the ageing management for the reactor components including lifetime extension and design improvement, remote measurements and in-service inspections. The shutoff units and control absorber units have aged more rapidly than other structures or components because the number of rod drop cycles was higher than expected at the design stage. The system commissioning tests, periodic performance tests, and weekly operation for the stable supply of medical radioisotopes overriding the normal cycle operation have contributed to the high frequency of rod drop. Therefore, we have instituted a program to extend the lifetime of the shutoff units and the control absorber units. This program includes an endurance test to verify the performance for the extended number of drops and the management of shutdown methods to minimize the drop cycles for both the shutoff units and the control absorber units. The program also includes the design improvement of the damper mechanism of the control absorber units to reduce the impact force caused by rod drop. The inner shell of the reflector vessel surrounding the core is the most critical part from the viewpoint of neutron irradiation. The periodic measurement of the dimensional change in the vertical straightness of the inner shell is considered as one of the in-service inspections. We developed a few tools and verified the performance to measure the

  1. Summary of ORNL high-temperature gas-cooled reactor program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kasten, P.R.

    1981-01-01

    Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) efforts on the High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR) Program have been on HTGR fuel development, fission product and coolant chemistry, prestressed concrete reactor vessel (PCRV) studies, materials studies, graphite development, reactor physics and shielding studies, application assessments and evaluations and selected component testing

  2. Benchmark Simulation of Natural Circulation Cooling System with Salt Working Fluid Using SAM

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ahmed, K. K.; Scarlat, R. O.; Hu, R.

    2017-09-03

    Liquid salt-cooled reactors, such as the Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (FHR), offer passive decay heat removal through natural circulation using Direct Reactor Auxiliary Cooling System (DRACS) loops. The behavior of such systems should be well-understood through performance analysis. The advanced system thermal-hydraulics tool System Analysis Module (SAM) from Argonne National Laboratory has been selected for this purpose. The work presented here is part of a larger study in which SAM modeling capabilities are being enhanced for the system analyses of FHR or Molten Salt Reactors (MSR). Liquid salt thermophysical properties have been implemented in SAM, as well as properties of Dowtherm A, which is used as a simulant fluid for scaled experiments, for future code validation studies. Additional physics modules to represent phenomena specific to salt-cooled reactors, such as freezing of coolant, are being implemented in SAM. This study presents a useful first benchmark for the applicability of SAM to liquid salt-cooled reactors: it provides steady-state and transient comparisons for a salt reactor system. A RELAP5-3D model of the Mark-1 Pebble-Bed FHR (Mk1 PB-FHR), and in particular its DRACS loop for emergency heat removal, provides steady state and transient results for flow rates and temperatures in the system that are used here for code-to-code comparison with SAM. The transient studied is a loss of forced circulation with SCRAM event. To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first application of SAM to FHR or any other molten salt reactors. While building these models in SAM, any gaps in the code’s capability to simulate such systems are identified and addressed immediately, or listed as future improvements to the code.

  3. Development of components for the gas-cooled fast breeder reactor program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dee, J.B.; Macken, T.

    1977-01-01

    The gas-cooled fast breeder reactor (GCFR) component development program is based on an extension of high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) component technology; therefore, the GCFR development program is addressed primarily to components which differ in design and requirements from HTGR components. The principal differences in primary system components are due to the increase in helium coolant pressure level, which benefits system size and efficiency in the GCFR, and differences in the reactor internals and fuel handling systems due to the use of the compact metal-clad core. The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the principal component design differences between the GCFR and HTGR and the consequent influences of these differences on GCFR component development programs. Development program plans are discussed and include those for the prestressed concrete reactor vessel (PCRV), the main helium circulator and its supporting systems, the steam generators, the reactor thermal shielding, and the fuel handling system. Facility requirements to support these development programs are also discussed. Studies to date show that GCFR component development continues to appear to be incremental in nature, and the required tests are adaptations of related HTGR test programs. (Auth.)

  4. The experimental program of neutronphysics for advanced water reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martin-Deider, L.; Cathalu, S.; Santamarina, A.; Gomit, M.

    1985-11-01

    The C.E.A. and E.D.F. has jointly undertaken a program of experimental studies on under-moderated water lattices, with mixed oxide fuel UO 2 -PuO 2 . Undermoderated lattices offer high conversion ratios. This type of lattice could limit in the future the natural uranium consumption of pressurized water reactors. This experimental program is aimed at qualifying neutron transport calculations in a large range of moderating ratio (between 0.5 and 1.5). It includes three experiments: ERASME, a critical experiment of large size in the EOLE reactor at Cadarache; ICARE, an irradiation experiment in the MELUSINE reactor at Grenoble; and an experiment to measure the reactivity effects by oscillations in the MINERVE reactor at Cadarache [fr

  5. An Overview of Liquid Fluoride Salt Heat Transport Systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Holcomb, David Eugene [ORNL; Cetiner, Sacit M [ORNL

    2010-09-01

    Heat transport is central to all thermal-based forms of electricity generation. The ever increasing demand for higher thermal efficiency necessitates power generation cycles transitioning to progressively higher temperatures. Similarly, the desire to provide direct thermal coupling between heat sources and higher temperature chemical processes provides the underlying incentive to move toward higher temperature heat transfer loops. As the system temperature rises, the available materials and technology choices become progressively more limited. Superficially, fluoride salts at {approx}700 C resemble water at room temperature being optically transparent and having similar heat capacity, roughly three times the viscosity, and about twice the density. Fluoride salts are a leading candidate heat-transport material at high temperatures. Fluoride salts have been extensively used in specialized industrial processes for decades, yet they have not entered widespread deployment for general heat transport purposes. This report does not provide an exhaustive screening of potential heat transfer media and other high temperature liquids such as alkali metal carbonate eutectics or chloride salts may have economic or technological advantages. A particular advantage of fluoride salts is that the technology for their use is relatively mature as they were extensively studied during the 1940s-1970s as part of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission's program to develop molten salt reactors (MSRs). However, the instrumentation, components, and practices for use of fluoride salts are not yet developed sufficiently for commercial implementation. This report provides an overview of the current understanding of the technologies involved in liquid salt heat transport (LSHT) along with providing references to the more detailed primary information resources. Much of the information presented here derives from the earlier MSR program. However, technology has evolved over the intervening years

  6. Analysis of molten salt thermal-hydraulics using computational fluid dynamics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamaji, B.; Csom, G.; Aszodi, A.

    2003-01-01

    To give a good solution for the problem of high level radioactive waste partitioning and transmutation is expected to be a pro missing option. Application of this technology also could extend the possibilities of nuclear energy. Large number of liquid-fuelled reactor concepts or accelerator driven subcritical systems was proposed as transmutors. Several of these consider fluoride based molten salts as the liquid fuel and coolant medium. The thermal-hydraulic behaviour of these systems is expected to be fundamentally different than the behaviour of widely used water-cooled reactors with solid fuel. Considering large flow domains three-dimensional thermal-hydraulic analysis is the method seeming to be applicable. Since the fuel is the coolant medium as well, one can expect a strong coupling between neutronics and thermal-hydraulics too. In the present paper the application of Computational Fluid Dynamics for three-dimensional thermal-hydraulics simulations of molten salt reactor concepts is introduced. In our past and recent works several calculations were carried out to investigate the capabilities of Computational Fluid Dynamics through the analysis of different molten salt reactor concepts. Homogenous single region molten salt reactor concept is studied and optimised. Another single region reactor concept is introduced also. This concept has internal heat exchanges in the flow domain and the molten salt is circulated by natural convection. The analysis of the MSRE experiment is also a part of our work since it may form a good background from the validation point of view. In the paper the results of the Computational Fluid Dynamics calculations with these concepts are presented. In the further work our objective is to investigate the thermal-hydraulics of the multi-region molten salt reactor (Authors)

  7. Nuclear Safety Research Reactor (NSRR) program in JAERI

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ishikawa, M; Hoshi, T; Ohnishi, N; Fujishiro, T; Inabe, T [Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (Japan)

    1974-07-01

    An experimental research program, named Nuclear Safety Research Reactor (NSRR) Program, has been progressing in Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) using a modified TRIGA-ACPR. This paper is prepared to describe the outline of the NSRR program. The purpose of the NSRR program is to examine the behaviors of fuel rods under various accidental conditions of power reactors so as to establish realistic safety criteria and to develop analytical models for prediction of fuel failures. We expect to contribute finally to the improvement of reactor design and fuel fabrication techniques based on these experimental results. The NSRR experiments will be performed in the large central experimental tube, which is one of the most excellent features of this reactor, using specially designed capsules or loops which can accommodate up to 49 BWR type test fuels. Many types of test fuels in various conditions will be examined by the NSRR program, such as BWR, PWR and FBR type fuels from the beginning of life to the end of life with and without simulated reactor internal structures. The experiments will be continued for more than 10 years divided into three phases. The first phase of the program will be devoted to the experiments pertaining to reactivity initiated accidents (RIA). In these experiments we will make use of the excellent pulsing capability of ACPR, which is expected to generate 100 MW-sec prompt energy release with 1.3 msec of minimum reactor period by 4.7 dollar reactivity insertion and to yield more than 280 cal/g-UO{sub 2} heat deposit even in an approximately 10% enriched BWR type test fuel. (280 cal/g-UO{sub 2} is believed enough heat deposit to cause fuel failure.) In general, heat flow behaviors from fuel meat to clad and from clad to coolant are very complex phenomena, but they are the key point in analyzing transient response of fuels. In the sudden heat transient conditions brought by pulsing, however, it will be possible to examine each phenomenon

  8. Nuclear Safety Research Reactor (NSRR) program in JAERI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishikawa, M.; Hoshi, T.; Ohnishi, N.; Fujishiro, T.; Inabe, T.

    1974-01-01

    An experimental research program, named Nuclear Safety Research Reactor (NSRR) Program, has been progressing in Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) using a modified TRIGA-ACPR. This paper is prepared to describe the outline of the NSRR program. The purpose of the NSRR program is to examine the behaviors of fuel rods under various accidental conditions of power reactors so as to establish realistic safety criteria and to develop analytical models for prediction of fuel failures. We expect to contribute finally to the improvement of reactor design and fuel fabrication techniques based on these experimental results. The NSRR experiments will be performed in the large central experimental tube, which is one of the most excellent features of this reactor, using specially designed capsules or loops which can accommodate up to 49 BWR type test fuels. Many types of test fuels in various conditions will be examined by the NSRR program, such as BWR, PWR and FBR type fuels from the beginning of life to the end of life with and without simulated reactor internal structures. The experiments will be continued for more than 10 years divided into three phases. The first phase of the program will be devoted to the experiments pertaining to reactivity initiated accidents (RIA). In these experiments we will make use of the excellent pulsing capability of ACPR, which is expected to generate 100 MW-sec prompt energy release with 1.3 msec of minimum reactor period by 4.7 dollar reactivity insertion and to yield more than 280 cal/g-UO 2 heat deposit even in an approximately 10% enriched BWR type test fuel. (280 cal/g-UO 2 is believed enough heat deposit to cause fuel failure.) In general, heat flow behaviors from fuel meat to clad and from clad to coolant are very complex phenomena, but they are the key point in analyzing transient response of fuels. In the sudden heat transient conditions brought by pulsing, however, it will be possible to examine each phenomenon separately

  9. Healthy Eating Exploratory Program for the Elderly: Low Salt Intake in Congregate Meal Service.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seo, S; Kim, O Y; Ahn, J

    2016-03-01

    This study reported on an exploratory program to help the low income elderly improve healthy eating behavior, specifically by reducing salt intake. We conducted an exploratory program for 4 weeks for this study. The exploratory program involved offering menus with reduced salt and providing education on healthy eating. After the exploratory program, a survey of the elderly and in-depth interviews allowed us to evaluate the program for foodservice providers (dietitian, social workers, and volunteer workers). This study included both foodservice workers and elderly who actually used the foodservice in a congregate meal service system. This is a unique approach. A congregate meal service center in Seoul, Korea. Seventy four elderly in a congregate meal service center. Demographics were collected, and the healthy eating program and healthy eating education for elderly respondents were evaluated. The elderly showed high satisfaction with the exploratory program for healthy eating. We found no significant differences in satisfaction with the program between the elderly who attended education sessions and those who did not, but more of the elderly from the education sessions showed positive behavioral change intentions. The exploratory program influenced to reduce the salt intake of the elderly in congregate meal service. This study suggests cooperation of foodservice providers and the support of administrators is critical to the success of such programs.

  10. US Advanced Light Water Reactor Program; overall objective

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klug, N.

    1989-01-01

    The overall objective of the US Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Light Water Reactor (ALWR) program is to perform coordinated programs of the nuclear industry and DOE to insure the availability of licensed, improved, and simplified light water reactor standard plant designs that may be ordered in the 1990's to help meet the US electrical power demand. The discussion includes plans to meet program objectives and the design certification program. DOE is currently supporting the development of conceptual designs, configurations, arrangements, construction methods/plans, and proof test key design features for the General Electric ASBWR and the Westinghouse AP600. Key features of each are summarized. Principal milestones related to licensing of large standard plants, simplified mid-size plant development, and plant lifetime improvement are noted

  11. Potentialities of the molten salt reactor concept for a sustainable nuclear power production based on thorium cycle in epithermal spectrum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nuttin, Alexis

    2002-01-01

    In the case of a significant nuclear contribution to world energy needs, the problem of present nuclear waste management pose the sustainability of the PWR fuel cycle back into question. Studies on storage and incineration of these wastes should therefore go hand in hand with studies on innovative systems dedicated to a durable nuclear energy production, as reliable, clean and safe as possible. We are here interested in the concept of molten salt reactor, whose fuel is liquid. This particularity allows an online pyrochemical reprocessing which gives the possibility to overcome some neutronic limits. In the late sixties, the MSBR (Molten Salt Breeder Reactor) project of a graphite-moderated fluoride molten salt reactor proved thus that breeding is attainable with thorium in a thermal spectrum, provided that the online reprocessing is appropriate. By means of simulation tools developed around the Monte Carlo code MCNP, we first re-evaluate the performance of a reference system, which is inspired by the MSBR project. The complete study of the pre-equilibrium transient of this 2,500 MWth reactor, started with 232 Th/ 233 U fuel, allows us to validate our reference choices. The obtained equilibrium shows an important reduction of inventories and induced radio-toxicities in comparison with the other possible fuel cycles. The online reprocessing is efficient enough to make the system breed, with a doubling time of about thirty years at equilibrium. From the reference system, we then test different options in terms of neutron economy, transmutation and control of reactivity. We find that the online reprocessing brings most of its flexibility to this system, which is particularly well adapted to power generation with thorium. The study of transition scenarios to this fuel cycle quantifies the limits of a possible deployment from the present French power stock, and finally shows that a rational management of the available plutonium would be necessary in any case. (author)

  12. Site Study Plan for salt, Deaf Smith County site, Texas: Environmental Field Program: Preliminary draft

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-06-01

    The Salt Site Study Plan (SSP) describes a program for characterizing the existing salt environment in the site vicinity. A step-by-step approach is described which proceeds from published data and planned theoretical studies, to planned laboratory studies, and finally to planned field studies, to provide the necessary data to meet program requirements contained in the Salt Repository Project - Requirements Document (SRP-RD). The plan also draws on the results of other SSP's for certain data; for example, soil salinity data are to be provided under the Soils SSP. The salt studies consist of evaluation of control and mitigation measures, salt monitoring studies, emission factors development, air models development and validation, and risk assessment. For each study, its design and design rationale; analysis, management, and use of data; schedule of activities; organization of personnel and sample management; and quality assurance requirements are described. 90 refs., 9 figs., 7 tabs

  13. Method for converting UF5 to UF4 in a molten fluoride salt

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bennett, M.R.; Bamberge, C.E.; Kelmers, A.D.

    1980-01-01

    The subject relates to fuel preparation for molten salt breeder reactors, and more particularly to the reconstitution of spent molten fuel salt after fission product removal. During the course of reactor operation, fission products including rare earths and bred-in protactinium build up in the fuel salt and adversely affect the nuclear properties of the fuel. In order to more efficiently operate the reactor, the level of neutron poison fission products must be kept at a minimum. This is accomplished by continuously removing spent fuel from the primary circuit, processing it to remove fission products, and returning the reprocessed molten salt to the primary circuit. It is desirable for safety and economy that the fuel processing plant be a component of the reactor itself and that the salt be kept in the molten state throughout the processing system. (auth)

  14. Progress report on reactor physics research program, January 1963 - February 1964

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1964-02-15

    This progress report is a part of the annual report of the department of reactor physics prepared for the Boris Kidric Institute of nuclear sciences. It is a review of research activities in the field of theoretical and experimental reactor physics in the year 1973. A part of this program was included in the NPY Cooperative program in reactor physics. The topics covered by this report are as follows: Calculations of the thermal neutron distribution and reaction rate in a reactor cell and comparison with experiments; buckling measurements; thermalization and slowing down of neutrons; pulsed neutron source techniques; and reactor kinetics.

  15. Progress report on reactor physics research program, January 1963 - February 1964

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1964-02-01

    This progress report is a part of the annual report of the department of reactor physics prepared for the Boris Kidric Institute of nuclear sciences. It is a review of research activities in the field of theoretical and experimental reactor physics in the year 1973. A part of this program was included in the NPY Cooperative program in reactor physics. The topics covered by this report are as follows: Calculations of the thermal neutron distribution and reaction rate in a reactor cell and comparison with experiments; buckling measurements; thermalization and slowing down of neutrons; pulsed neutron source techniques; and reactor kinetics

  16. Nuclear reactor safety program in US department of energy and future perspectives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, Y.T.

    1988-01-01

    The US Department of Energy (DOE) establishes policy, issues orders, and assures compliance with requirements. The contractors who design, construct, modify, operate, maintain and decommission DOE reactors, set forth the assessment of the safety of cognizant reactors and implement DOE orders. Teams of experts in the Department, through scheduled and unscheduled review programs, reassess the safety of reactors in every phases of their lives. As new technology develops, the safety programs are reevaluated and policies are modified to accommodate these new technologies. The diagnostic capabilities of the computer using multiple alarms to enhance detection of defects and control of a reactor have been greatly utilized in reactor operating systems. The Application of artificial intelligence technologies for diagnostic and even for the decision making process in the event of reactor accidents would be one of the future trends in reactor safety programs

  17. TEMP-M program for thermal-hydraulic calculation of fast reactor fuel assemblies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bogoslovskaya, C.P.; Sorokin, A.P.; Tikhomirov, B.B.; Titov, P.A.; Ushakov, P.A.

    1983-01-01

    TEMP-M program (Fortran, BESM-6 computer) for thermal-hydraulic calculation of fast reactor fuel assemblies is described. Results of calculation of temperature field in a 127 fuel element assembly of BN-600, reactor accomplished according to TEMP-N program are considered as an example. Algorithm, realized in the program, enables to calculate the distributions of coolant heating, fuel element temperature (over perimeter and length) and assembly shell temperature. The distribution of coolant heating in assembly channels is determined from a solution of the balance equation system which accounts for interchannel exchange, nonadiabatic conditions on the assembly shell. The TEMP-M program gives necessary information for calculation of strength, seviceability of fast reactor core elements, serves an effective instrument for calculations when projecting reactor cores and analyzing thermal-hydraulic characteristics of operating reactor fuel assemblies

  18. Challenges Related to the Use of Liquid Metal and Molten Salt Coolants in Advanced Reactors. Report of the collaborative project COOL of the International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2013-05-01

    The International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO) was launched in 2000, based on a resolution by the IAEA General Conference (GC(44)/RES/21). INPRO aims at helping to ensure that nuclear energy is available in the twenty-first century in a sustainable manner, and seeks to bring together all interested Member States, both technology holders and technology users, to jointly consider actions to achieve desired innovations. INPRO is taking care of the specific needs of developing countries. One of the aims of INPRO is to develop options for enhanced sustainability through promotion of technical and institutional innovations in nuclear energy technology through collaborative projects among IAEA Member States. Collaboration among INPRO members is fostered on selected innovative nuclear technologies to bridge technology gaps. Collaborative projects have been selected so that they complement other national and international R and D activities. The INPRO Collaborative Project COOL on Investigation of Technological Challenges Related to the Removal of Heat by Liquid Metal and Molten Salt Coolants from Reactor Cores Operating at High Temperatures investigated the technological challenges of cooling reactor cores that operate at high temperatures in advanced fast reactors, high temperature reactors and accelerator driven systems by using liquid metals and molten salts as coolants. The project was initiated in 2008 and was led by India; experts from Brazil, China, Germany, India, Italy and the Republic of Korea participated and provided chapters of this report. The INPRO Collaborative Project COOL addressed the following fields of research regarding liquid metal and molten salt coolants: (i) survey of thermophysical properties; (ii) experimental investigations and computational fluid dynamics studies on thermohydraulics, specifically pressure drop and heat transfer under different operating conditions; (iii) monitoring and control of coolant

  19. Transient core characteristics of small molten salt reactor coupling problem between heat transfer/flow and nuclear fission reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamamoto, Takahisa; Mitachi, Koshi

    2004-01-01

    This paper performed the transient core analysis of a small Molten Salt Reactor (MSR). The emphasis is that the numerical model employed in this paper takes into account the interaction among fuel salt flow, nuclear reaction and heat transfer. The model consists of two group diffusion equations for fast and thermal neutron fluexs, balance equations for six-group delayed neutron precursors and energy conservation equations for fuel salt and graphite moderator. The results of transient analysis are that (1) fission reaction (heat generation) rate significantly increases soon after step reactivity insertion, e.g., the peak of fission reaction rate achieves about 2.7 times larger than the rated power 350 MW when the reactivity of 0.15% Δk/k 0 is inserted to the rated state, and (2) the self-control performance of the small MSR effectively works under the step reactivity insertion of 0.56% Δk/k 0 , putting the fission reaction rate back on the rated state. (author)

  20. Parametric analyses of single-zone thorium-fueled molten salt reactor fuel cycle options

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Powers, J.J.; Worrall, A.; Gehin, J.C.; Harrison, T.J.; Sunny, E.E.

    2013-01-01

    Analyses of fuel cycle options based on thorium-fueled Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs) have been performed in support of fuel cycle screening and evaluation activities for the United States Department of Energy. The MSR options considered are based on thermal spectrum MSRs with 3 different separations levels: full recycling, limited recycling, and 'once-through' operation without active separations. A single-fluid, single-zone 2250 MWth (1000 MWe) MSR concept consisting of a fuel-bearing molten salt with graphite moderator and reflectors was used as the basis for this study. Radiation transport and isotopic depletion calculations were performed using SCALE 6.1 with ENDF/B-VII nuclear data. New methodology developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) enables MSR analysis using SCALE, modeling material feed and removal by taking user-specified parameters and performing multiple SCALE/TRITON simulations to determine the resulting equilibrium operating conditions. Parametric analyses examined the sensitivity of the performance of a thorium MSR to variations in the separations efficiency for protactinium and fission products. Results indicate that self-sustained operation is possible with full or limited recycling but once-through operation would require an external neutron source. (authors)

  1. Thermodynamics of soluble fission products cesium and iodine in the Molten Salt Reactor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Capelli, E.; Beneš, O.; Konings, R. J. M.

    2018-04-01

    The present study describes the full thermodynamic assessment of the Li,Cs,Th//F,I system. The existing database for the relevant fluoride salts considered as fuel for the Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) has been extended with two key fission products, cesium and iodine. A complete evaluation of all the common-ion binary and ternary sub-systems of the LiF-ThF4-CsF-LiI-ThI4-CsI system has been performed and the optimized parameters are presented in this work. New equilibrium data have been measured using Differential Scanning Calorimetry and were used to assess the reciprocal ternary systems and confirm the extrapolated phase diagrams. The developed database significantly contributes to the understanding of the behaviour of cesium and iodine in the MSR, which strongly depends on their concentration and chemical form. Cesium bonded with fluorine is well retained in the fuel mixture while in the form of CsI the solubility of these elements is very limited. Finally, the influence of CsI and CsF on the physico-chemical properties of the fuel mixture was calculated as function of composition.

  2. Assessment of the Use of Nitrogen Trifluoride for Purifying Coolant and Heat Transfer Salts in the Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scheele, Randall D.; Casella, Andrew M.

    2010-01-01

    This report provides an assessment of the use of nitrogen trifluoride for removing oxide and water-caused contaminants in the fluoride salts that will be used as coolants in a molten salt cooled reactor. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, in support of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's program to investigate an advanced molten salt cooled reactor concept for the U.S. Department of Energy, evaluated potential nitrogen trifluoride (NF 3 ) use as an agent for removing oxide and hydroxide contaminants from candidate coolants. These contaminants must be eliminated because they increase the corrosivity of the molten salt to the detriment of the materials of containment that are currently being considered. The baseline purification agent for fluoride coolant salts is hydrogen fluoride (HF) combined with hydrogen (H 2 ). Using HF/H 2 as the reference treatment, we compare HF and NF 3 industrial use, chemical and physical properties, industrial production levels, chemical, toxicity, and reactivity hazards, environmental impacts, effluent management strategies, and reaction thermodynamic values. Because NF 3 is only mildly toxic, non-corrosive, and non-reactive at room temperature, it will be easy to manage the chemical and reactivity hazards during transportation, storage, and normal operations. Industrial experience with NF 3 is also extensive because NF 3 is commonly used as an etchant and chamber cleaner in the electronics industry. In contrast HF is a highly toxic and corrosive gas at room temperature but because of its significance as the most important fluorine-containing chemical there is significant industrial experience managing HF hazards. NF 3 has been identified as having the potential to be a significant contributor to global warming and thus its release must be evaluated and/or managed depending on the amounts that would be released. Because of its importance to the electronics industry, commercial technologies using incineration or plasmas have been

  3. Nuclear reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barre, Bertrand

    2015-10-01

    After some remarks on the nuclear fuel, on the chain reaction control, on fuel loading and unloading, this article proposes descriptions of the design, principles and operations of different types of nuclear reactors as well as comments on their presence and use in different countries: pressurized water reactors (design of the primary and secondary circuits, volume and chemistry control, backup injection circuits), boiling water reactors, heavy water reactors, graphite and boiling water reactors, graphite-gas reactors, fast breeder reactors, and fourth generation reactors (definition, fast breeding). For these last ones, six concepts are presented: sodium-cooled fast reactor, lead-cooled fast reactor, gas-cooled fast reactor, high temperature gas-cooled reactor, supercritical water-cooled reactor, and molten salt reactor

  4. Participation in the US Department of Energy Reactor Sharing Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1997-03-01

    The objective of the DOE supported Reactor Sharing Program is to increase the availability of university nuclear reactor facilities to non-reactor-owning educational institutions. The educational and research programs of these user institutions is enhanced by the use of the nuclear facilities. Several methods have been used by the UVA Reactor Facility to achieve this objective. First, many college and secondary school groups toured the Reactor Facility and viewed the UVAR reactor and associated experimental facilities. Second, advanced undergraduate and graduate classes from area colleges and universities visited the facility to perform experiments in nuclear engineering and physics which would not be possible at the user institution. Third, irradiation and analysis services at the Facility have been made available for research by faculty and students from user institutions. Fourth, some institutions have received activated material from UVA for use at their institutions. These areas are discussed further in the report

  5. Advanced gas cooled nuclear reactor materials evaluation and development program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1977-01-01

    Results of work performed from January 1, 1977 through March 31, 1977 on the Advanced Gas Cooled Nuclear Reactor Materials Evaluation and Development Program are presented. The objectives of this program are to evaluate candidate alloys for Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) Process Heat and Direct Cycle Helium Turbine (DCHT) applications, in terms of the effect of simulated reactor primary coolant (impure Helium), high temperatures, and long time exposures, on the mechanical properties and structural and surface stability of selected candidate alloys. A second objective is to select and recommend materials for future test facilities and more extensive qualification programs. Work covered in this report includes progress to date on alloy selection for VHTR Nuclear Process Heat (NPH) applications and for DCHT applications. The present status on the simulated reactor helium loop design and on designs for the testing and analysis facilities and equipment is discussed

  6. Characters of neutron noise in full-size molten salt reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Jiangmeng; Cao, Xinrong

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • The larger system size makes full-size MSR deviate from point kinetic behavior. • The increasing velocity has non-monotonic effect on the effective delayed neutron fraction. • The amplitude of Green’s function at low frequencies is inversely proportional to the effective delayed neutron fraction. • The range of plateau region is smaller due to the more prominent point kinetic effect. - Abstract: In the present paper, the frequency-dependent and space-dependent behavior of the neutron noise in a full-size Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) is investigated. The theoretical models considering the fuel circulation are established based on one-group neutron diffusion theory. Green’s function of the neutron noise induced by a propagating perturbation is introduced with linear noise theory, due to the small perturbation. The equations are numerically calculated by developing a code, in which the eigenfunction expansion method is adopted. The static results show that the effective delayed neutron fraction changes non-monotonically with the increasing fuel velocity. In the dynamic case, the results are compared to those obtained in 1D MSR and a traditional reactor, in order to figure out the effects of both the fuel circulation and the system size. It is found that there is no difference in 1D and 3D MSR systems from the view of fuel circulation, i.e., the fuel circulation enhances the spatial neutronic coupling and leads to the stronger point kinetic effect. The more prominent space-dependent effect founded in 3D traditional reactors is also observed in the MSR, due to the looser neutronic coupling and the unique singularity of Green’s function in the location of the perturbation. Another interesting finding is that Green’s function for low frequencies changes non-monotonically with increasing velocity. The largest magnitude of Green’s function is observed at the velocity where the effective delayed neutron fraction reaches its minimum. Finally, the

  7. Immobilization of IFR salt wastes in mortar

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fisher, D.F.; Johnson, T.R.

    1988-01-01

    Portland cement-base mortars are being considered for immobilizing chloride salt wastes from the fuel cycle of an integral fast reactor (IFR). The IFR is a sodium-cooled fast reactor with metal fuel. It has a close-coupled fuel cycle in which fission products are separated from the actinides in an electrochemical cell operating at 500 degrees C. This cell has a cadmium anode and a liquid salt electrolyte. The salt will be a low-melting mixture of alkaline and alkaline earth chlorides. This paper discusses one method being considered for immobilizing this treated salt, to disperse it in a portland cement-base motar, which would then be sealed in corrosion-resistant containers. For this application, the grout must be sufficiently fluid that it can be pumped into canisters where it will solidify into a strong, leach-resistant material

  8. Emergency medical assistance programs for nuclear power reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Linnemann, R.E.; Mettler, F.A. Jr.

    1977-01-01

    This paper deals with a simple but practical medical support of geographically distributed nuclear reactors in isolated areas. A staff of experts at a centre devote their full attention to accident prevention and preparedness at reactor sites. They establish and maintain emergency medical programs at reactor sites and nearby support hospitals. The emphasis is on first aid and emergency treatment by medical attendants who are not and cannot be experts in radiation but do know how to treat patients. (author)

  9. Solution of heat removal from nuclear reactors by natural convection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zitek Pavel

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper summarizes the basis for the solution of heat removal by natural convection from both conventional nuclear reactors and reactors with fuel flowing coolant (such as reactors with molten fluoride salts MSR.The possibility of intensification of heat removal through gas lift is focused on. It might be used in an MSR (Molten Salt Reactor for cleaning the salt mixture of degassed fission products and therefore eliminating problems with iodine pitting. Heat removal by natural convection and its intensification increases significantly the safety of nuclear reactors. Simultaneously the heat removal also solves problems with lifetime of pumps in the primary circuit of high-temperature reactors.

  10. Training and research reactor facility longevity extension program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carriveau, G.W.

    1991-01-01

    Since 1943, over 550 training and research reactors have been in operation. According to statistics from the International Atomic Energy Agency, ∼325 training and research reactors are currently in service. This total includes a wide variety of designs covering a range of power and research capabilities located virtually around the world. A program has been established at General Atomics (GA) that is dedicated to the support of extended longevity of training and research reactor facilities. Aspects of this program include the following: (1) new instrumentation and control systems; (2) improved and upgraded nuclear monitoring and control channels; (3) facility testing, repair and upgrade services that include (a) pool or tank integrity, (b) cooling system, and (c) water purification system; (4) fuel element testing procedures and replacement; (5) control rod drive rebuilding and upgrades; (6) control and monitoring system calibration and repair service; (7) training services, including reactor operations, maintenance, instrumentation calibration, and repair; and (8) expanded or new uses such as neutron radiography and autoradiography, isotope production, nuclear medicine, activation analysis, and material properties modification

  11. University Reactor Sharing Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reese, W.D.

    2004-01-01

    Research projects supported by the program include items such as dating geological material and producing high current super conducting magnets. The funding continues to give small colleges and universities the valuable opportunity to use the NSC for teaching courses in nuclear processes; specifically neutron activation analysis and gamma spectroscopy. The Reactor Sharing Program has supported the construction of a Fast Neutron Flux Irradiator for users at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and the University of Houston. This device has been characterized and has been found to have near optimum neutron fluxes for A39/Ar 40 dating. Institution final reports and publications resulting from the use of these funds are on file at the Nuclear Science Center

  12. Novel waste printed circuit board recycling process with molten salt

    OpenAIRE

    Riedewald, Frank; Sousa-Gallagher, Maria

    2015-01-01

    The objective of the method was to prove the concept of a novel waste PCBs recycling process which uses inert, stable molten salts as the direct heat transfer fluid and, simultaneously, uses this molten salt to separate the metal products in either liquid (solder, zinc, tin, lead, etc.) or solid (copper, gold, steel, palladium, etc.) form at the operating temperatures of 450?470??C. The PCB recovery reactor is essentially a U-shaped reactor with the molten salt providing a continuous fluid, a...

  13. EBR-2 [Experimental Breeder Reactor-2] test programs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sackett, J.I.; Lehto, W.K.; Lindsay, R.W.; Planchon, H.P.; Lambert, J.D.B.; Hill, D.J.

    1990-01-01

    The Experimental Breeder Reactor-2 (EBR-2) is a sodium cooled power reactor supplying about 20 MWe to the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) grid and, in addition, is the key component in the development of the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR). EBR-2's testing capability is extensive and has seen four major phases: (1) demonstration of LMFBR power plant feasibility, (2) irradiation testing for fuel and material development, (3) testing the off-normal performance of fuel and plant systems and (4) operation as the IFR prototype, developing and demonstrating the IFR technology associated with fuel and plant design. Specific programs being carried out in support of the IFR include advanced fuels and materials development, advanced control system development, plant diagnostics development and component testing. This paper discusses EBR-2 as the IFR prototype and the associated testing programs. 29 refs

  14. Nitrification of an industrial wastewater in a moving-bed biofilm reactor: effect of salt concentration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vendramel, Simone; Dezotti, Marcia; Sant'Anna, Geraldo L

    2011-01-01

    Nitrification of wastewaters from chemical industries can pose some challenges due to the presence of inhibitory compounds. Some wastewaters, besides their organic complexity present variable levels of salt concentration. In order to investigate the effect of salt (NaCl) content on the nitrification of a conventional biologically treated industrial wastewater, a bench scale moving-bed biofilm reactor was operated on a sequencing batch mode. The wastewater presenting a chloride content of 0.05 g l(-1) was supplemented with NaCl up to 12 g Cl(-) l(-1). The reactor operation cycle was: filling (5 min), aeration (12 or 24h), settling (5 min) and drawing (5 min). Each experimental run was conducted for 3 to 6 months to address problems related to the inherent wastewater variability and process stabilization. A PLC system assured automatic operation and control of the pertinent process variables. Data obtained from selected batch experiments were adjusted by a kinetic model, which considered ammonia, nitrite and nitrate variations. The average performance results indicated that nitrification efficiency was not influenced by chloride content in the range of 0.05 to 6 g Cl(-) l(-1) and remained around 90%. When the chloride content was 12 g Cl(-) l(-1), a significant drop in the nitrification efficiency was observed, even operating with a reaction period of 24 h. Also, a negative effect of the wastewater organic matter content on nitrification efficiency was observed, which was probably caused by growth of heterotrophs in detriment of autotrophs and nitrification inhibition by residual chemicals.

  15. Design of a heterogeneous subcritical nuclear reactor with molten salts based on thorium; Diseno de un reactor nuclear subcritico heterogeneo con sales fundidas a base de torio

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Medina C, D.; Hernandez A, P.; Letechipia de L, C.; Vega C, H. R. [Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, Unidad Academica de Estudios Nucleares, Cipres No. 10, Fracc. La Penuela, 98068 Zacatecas (Mexico); Sajo B, L., E-mail: dmedina_c@hotmail.com [Universidad Simon Bolivar, Laboratorio de Fisica Nuclear, Apdo. Postal 89000, Caracas 1080-A (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of)

    2015-09-15

    This paper presents the design of a heterogeneous subcritical nuclear reactor with molten salts based on thorium, with graphite moderator and a {sup 252}Cf source, whose dose levels at the periphery allows its use in teaching and research activities. The design was realized by the Monte Carlo method, where the geometry, dimensions and the fuel was varied in order to obtain the best design. The result was a cubic reactor of 110 cm of side, with graphite moderator and reflector. In the central part having 9 ducts of 3 cm in diameter, eight of them are 110 cm long, which were placed on the Y axis; the separation between each duct is 10 cm. The central duct has 60 cm in length and this contains the {sup 252}Cf source, also there are two irradiation channels and the other six contain a molten salt ({sup 7}LiF - BeF{sub 2} - ThF{sub 4} - UF{sub 4}) as fuel. For the design the k{sub eff} was calculated, neutron spectra and ambient dose equivalent. In the first instance the above was calculated for a virgin fuel, was called case 1; then a percentage of {sup 233}U was used and the percentage of Th was decreased and was called case 2. This with the purpose of comparing two different fuels operating within the reactor. For the two irradiation ducts three positions are used: center, back and front, in each duct in order to have different flows. (Author)

  16. Development of fluoride reprocessing technology for molten salt transmutation reactor systems in the Czech Republic

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uhlir, J.; Hosnedl, P.; Matal, O.

    2000-01-01

    At present, the transmutation of spent nuclear fuel is considered a prospective alternative conception with respect to the current conception based on the non-reprocessed spent fuel disposal into a deep geological repository. The Czech research and development programme in the area of partitioning is directed primarily on the development of the fuel cycle technology for the accelerator - driven subcritical reactor with a liquid fuel based on fluoride melts. The final objective of the research programme is the development of pyrochemical technologies suitable for a continuous or semi-continuous separation process which would allow practically perfect utilization of the transmutation potentialities of the reactor system. The present research is directed particularly on the development of suitable fluoride separation methods the target of which is the removal of the uranium component from spent nuclear fuel and on the research of the electro-separation procedures and further on the development of appropriate construction materials and equipment for the technology of fluoride salt melts. (authors)

  17. Evaluation of Fluorine-Trapping Agents for Use During Storage of the MSRE Fuel Salt

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brynestad, J.; Williams, D.F.

    1999-05-01

    A fundamental characteristic of the room temperature Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) fuel is that the radiation from the retained fission products and actinides interacts with this fluoride salt to produce fluorine gas. The purpose of this investigation was to identify fluorine-trapping materials for the MSRE fuel salt that can meet both the requirement of interim storage in a sealed (gastight) container and the vented condition required for disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Sealed containers will be needed for interim storage because of the large radon source that remains even in fuel salt stripped of its uranium content. An experimental program was undertaken to identify the most promising candidates for efficient trapping of the radiolytic fluorine generated by the MSRE fuel salt. Because of the desire to avoid pressurizing the closed storage containers, an agent that traps fluorine without the generation of gaseous products was sought.

  18. Evaluation of Fluorine-Trapping Agents for Use During Storage of the MSRE Fuel Salt

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brynestad, J.; Williams, D.F.

    1999-01-01

    A fundamental characteristic of the room temperature Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) fuel is that the radiation from the retained fission products and actinides interacts with this fluoride salt to produce fluorine gas. The purpose of this investigation was to identify fluorine-trapping materials for the MSRE fuel salt that can meet both the requirement of interim storage in a sealed (gastight) container and the vented condition required for disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Sealed containers will be needed for interim storage because of the large radon source that remains even in fuel salt stripped of its uranium content. An experimental program was undertaken to identify the most promising candidates for efficient trapping of the radiolytic fluorine generated by the MSRE fuel salt. Because of the desire to avoid pressurizing the closed storage containers, an agent that traps fluorine without the generation of gaseous products was sought

  19. Sample results from the interim salt disposition program macrobatch 9 tank 21H qualification samples

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Peters, T. B. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

    2015-11-01

    Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) analyzed samples from Tank 21H in support of qualification of Macrobatch (Salt Batch) 9 for the Interim Salt Disposition Program (ISDP). This document reports characterization data on the samples of Tank 21H.

  20. Space reactor system and subsystem investigations: assessment of technology issues for the reactor and shield subsystem. SP-100 Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Atkins, D.F.; Lillie, A.F.

    1983-01-01

    As part of Rockwell's effort on the SP-100 Program, preliminary assessment has been completed of current nuclear technology as it relates to candidate reactor/shield subsystems for the SP-100 Program. The scope of the assessment was confined to the nuclear package (to the reactor and shield subsystems). The nine generic reactor subsystems presented in Rockwell's Subsystem Technology Assessment Report, ESG-DOE-13398, were addressed for the assessment

  1. Russian research reactor fuel return program starts shipping fuel to Russia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dedik, T.; Bolshinsky, I.; Krass, A.

    2003-01-01

    For almost four years the United States (U.S), the Russian Federation (R.F.), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have been discussing an initiative to return Soviet/Russian-origin research reactor fuel to the Russian Federation. In a series of bilateral and trilateral meetings in Vienna and Moscow, considerable progress has been made toward defining the Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return Program as well as obtaining the necessary technical data to facilitate the return. More than 20 research reactors in 17 countries that have Soviet- or Russian-supplied fuel have identified. Most of these reactors have stocks of both fresh and irradiated HEU fuel that must be carefully stored and managed for many years to come. On September 21, 2003 the Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return program shipped 14 kg of fresh Russian-origin HEU fuel from Romania to the nuclear fuel fabrication facility in Russia, which represented the beginning of the practical implementation of the program. (author)

  2. Study on Utilization of Super Grade Plutonium in Molten Salt Reactor FUJI-U3 using CITATION Code

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wulandari, Cici; Waris, Abdul; Pramuditya, Syeilendra; Asril, Pramutadi AM; Novitrian

    2017-07-01

    FUJI-U3 type of Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) has a unique design since it consists of three core regions in order to avoid the replacement of graphite as moderator. MSR uses floride as a nuclear fuel salt with the most popular chemical composition is LiF-BeF2-ThF4-233UF4. ThF4 and 233UF4 are the fertile and fissile materials, respectively. On the other hand, LiF and BeF2 working as both fuel and heat transfer medium. In this study, the super grade plutonium will be utilized as substitution of 233U since plutonium is easier to be obtained compared to 233U as main fuel. Neutronics calculation was performed by using PIJ and CITATION modules of SRAC 2002 code with JENDL 3.2 as nuclear data library.

  3. Symbiotic molten-salt systems coupled with accelerator molten-salt breeder (AMSB) or inertial-confined fusion hybrid molten-salt breeder (IHMSB) and their comparison

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Furukawa, K.

    1984-01-01

    Two types of breeder systems are proposed. One is the combined system of Accelerator Molten-Salt Breeder (AMSB) and Molten-Salt Converter Reactor (MSCR), and the other is the combined system of Inertial-confined Fusion Hybrid Molten-Salt Breeder (IHMSB) and modified MSCR. Both apply the molten-fluorides and have technically deep relations. AMSB would be much simpler and have already high technical feasibility. This will become economical the Th breeder system having a doubling time shorter than ten years and distributing any size of power stations MSCR. (orig.) [de

  4. Continuous extraction of molten chloride salts with liquid cadmium alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chow, L.S.; Basco, J.K.; Ackerman, J.P.; Johnson, T.R.

    1993-01-01

    A pyrochemical method is being developed at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) to provide contnuous multistage extractions between molten chloride salts and liquid cadmium alloys at 500 degrees C. The extraction method will be used to recover transuranic (TRU) elements from the process salt in the electroretiner used in the pyrochemical reprocessing of spent fuel from the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR). The IFR is one of the Department of Energy's advanced power reactor concepts. The recovered TRU elements are returned to the electrorefiner. The extracted salt undergoes further processing to remove rare earths and other fission products so that most of the purified salt can also be returned to the electrorefiner, thereby extending the useful life of the process salt many times

  5. Oscillating liquid flow ICF Reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Petzoldt, R.W.

    1990-01-01

    Oscillating liquid flow in a falling molten salt inertial confinement fusion reactor is predicted to rapidly clear driver beam paths of residual liquid droplets. Oscillating flow will also provide adequate neutron and x-ray protection for the reactor structure with a short (2-m) fall distance permitting an 8 Hz repetition rate. A reactor chamber configuration is presented with specific features to clear the entire heavy-ion beam path of splashed molten salt. The structural components, including the structure between beam ports, are shielded. 3 refs., 12 figs

  6. Thermochemical investigation of molten fluoride salts for Generation IV nuclear applications - an equilibrium exercise

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Meer, J.P.M.

    2006-01-01

    The concept of the Molten Salt Reactor, one of the so-called Generation IV future reactors, is that the fuel, a fissile material, which is dissolved in a molten fluoride salt, circulates through a closed circuit. The heat of fission is transferred to a second molten salt coolant loop, the heat of

  7. The safety basis of the integral fast reactor program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pedersen, D.R.; Seidel, B.R.

    1990-01-01

    The Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) and metallic fuel have emerged as the US Department of Energy reference reactor concept and fuel system for the development of an advanced liquid-metal reactor. This article addresses the basic elements of the IFR reactor concept and focuses on the safety advances achieved by the IFR Program in the areas of (1) fuel performance, (2) superior local faults tolerance, (3) transient fuel performance, (4) fuel-failure mechanisms, (5) performance in anticipated transients without scram, (6) core-melt mitigation, and (7) actinide recycle

  8. Method and program for complex calculation of heterogeneous reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kalashnikov, A.G.; Glebov, A.P.; Elovskaya, L.F.; Kuznetsova, L.I.

    1988-01-01

    An algorithm and the GITA program for complex one-dimensional calculation of a heterogeneous reactor which permits to conduct calculations for the reactor and its cell simultaneously using the same algorithm are described. Multigroup macrocross sections for reactor zones in the thermal energy range are determined according to the technique for calculating a cell with complicate structure and then the continuous multi group calculation of the reactor in the thermal energy range and in the range of neutron thermalization is made. The kinetic equation is solved using the Pi- and DSn- approximations [fr

  9. FISS: a computer program for reactor systems studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tamm, H.; Sherman, G.R.; Wright, J.H.; Nieman, R.E.

    1979-08-01

    ΣFISSΣ is a computer code for use in investigating alternative fuel cycle strategies for Canadian and world nuclear programs. The code performs a system simulation accounting for dynamic effects of growing nuclear systems. Facilities in the model include storage for irradiated fuel, mines, plants for enrichment, fuel fabrication, fuel reprocessing and heavy water, and reactors. FISS is particularly useful for comparing various reactor strategies and studying sensitivities of resource consumption, capital investment and energy costs with changes in fuel cycle parameters, reactor parameters and financial variables. (author)

  10. Test program for NIS calibration to reactor thermal output in HTTR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakagawa, Shigeaki; Shinozaki, Masayuki; Tachibana, Yukio; Kunitomi, Kazuhiko

    2000-03-01

    Rise-to-power test program for reactor thermal output measurement has been established to calibrate a neutron instrumentation system taking account of the characteristics of the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR). An error of reactor thermal output measurement was evaluated taking account of a configuration of instrumentation system. And the expected dispersion of measurement in the full power operation was evaluated from non-nuclear heat-up of primary coolant up to 213degC. From the evaluation, it was found that an error of reactor thermal output measurement would be less than ±2.0% at the rated power. This report presents the detailed program of rise-to-power test for reactor thermal output measurement and discusses its measurement error. (author)

  11. Recovery of metal chlorides from their complexes by molten salt displacement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McLaughlin, D.F.; Stoltz, R.A.

    1989-01-01

    This patent describes a process for recovering zirconium or hafnium chloride from a complex of zirconium or hafnium tetrachloride and phosphorus oxychloride. The process comprising: introducing liquid complex of zirconium or hafnium tetrachloride and phosphorus oxychloride into an upper portion of a feed column containing zirconium or hafnium tetrachloride vapor and phosphorus oxychloride vapor. The liquid complex absorbing zirconium or hafnium tetrachloride vapor and producing a bottoms liquid and also producing a phosphorus oxychloride vapor stripped of zirconium or hafnium tetrachloride; introducing the bottoms liquid into a molten salt containing displacement reactor, the reactor containing molten salt comprising at least 30 mole percent lithium chloride and at least 30 mole percent of at least one other alkali metal chloride, the reactor being heated to 30-450 0 C to displace phosphorus oxychloride from the complex and product zirconium or hafnium tetrachloride vapor and phosphorus oxychloride vapor and zirconium or hafnium tetrachloride-containing molten salt; introducing the zirconium or hafnium tetrachloride vapor and the phosphorus oxychloride vapor into the feed column below the point of introduction of the liquid stream; introducing the zirconium or hafnium tetrachloride containing-molten salt into a recovery vessel where zirconium or hafnium tetrachloride is removed from the molten salt to produce zirconium or hafnium tetrachloride product and zirconium or hafnium chloride-depleted molten salt; and recycling the zirconium or hafnium tetachloride-depleted molten salt to the displacement reactor

  12. GCRA review and appraisal of HTGR reactor-core-design program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1980-09-01

    The reactor-core-design program has as its principal objective and responsibility the design and resolution of major technical issues for the reactor core and core components on a schedule consistent with the plant licensing and construction program. The task covered in this review includes three major design areas: core physics, core thermal and hydraulic performance fuel element design, and in-core fuel performance evaluation

  13. High-temperature gas-cooled reactor safety-reliability program plan

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1981-03-01

    The purpose of this document is to present a safety plan as part of an overall program plan for the design and development of the High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR). This plan is intended to establish a logical framework for identifying the technology necessary to demonstrate that the requisite degree of public risk safety can be achieved economically. This plan provides a coherent system safety approach together with goals and success criterion as part of a unifying strategy for licensing a lead reactor plant in the near term. It is intended to provide guidance to program participants involved in producing a technology base for the HTGR that is fully responsive to safety consideration in the design, evaluation, licensing, public acceptance, and economic optimization of reactor systems.

  14. In-core fuel management programs for nuclear power reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1984-10-01

    In response to the interest shown by Member States, the IAEA organized a co-ordinated research programme to develop and make available in the open domain a set of programs to perform in-core fuel management calculations. This report summarizes the work performed in the context of the CRP. As a result of this programme, complete in-core fuel management packages for three types of reactors, namely PWR's, BWR's and PHWR are now available from the NEA Data Bank. For some reactor types, these program packages are available with three levels of sophistication ranging from simple methods for educational purposes to more comprehensive methods that can be used for reactor design and operation. In addition some operating data have been compiled to allow code validation. (author)

  15. Fusion Reactor Safety Research Program annual report, FY-79

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crocker, J.G.; Cohen, S.

    1980-08-01

    The objective of the program is the development, coordination, and execution of activities related to magnetic fusion devices and reactors that will: (a) identify and evaluate potential hazards, (b) assess and disclose potential environmental impacts, and (c) develop design standards and criteria that eliminate, mitigate, or reduce those hazards and impacts. The program will provide a sound basis for licensing fusion reactors. Included in this report are portions of four reports from two outside contractors, discussions of the several areas in which EG and G Idaho is conducting research activities, a discussion of proposed program plan development, mention of special tasks, a review of fusion technology program coordination by EG and G with other laboratories, and a brief view of proposed FY-80 activities

  16. Thermal analysis to support decommissioning of the molten salt reactor experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sulfredge, C.D.; Morris, D.G.; Park, J.E.; Williams, P.T.

    1996-06-01

    As part of the decommissioning process for the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, several thermal-sciences issues were addressed. Apparently a mixture of UF 6 and F 2 had diffused into the upper portion of one charcoal column in the MSRE auxiliary charcoal bed (ACB), leading to radiative decay heating and possible chemical reaction sources. A proposed interim corrective action was planned to remove the water from the ACB cell to reduce criticality and reactivity concerns and then fill the ACB cell with an inert material. This report describes design of a thermocouple probe to obtain temperature measurements for mapping the uranium deposit, as well as development of steady-state and transient numerical models for the heat transfer inside the charcoal column. Additional numerical modeling was done to support filling of the ACB cell. Results from this work were used to develop procedures for meeting the goals of the MSRE Remediation Project without exceeding appropriate thermal limits

  17. Thermal analysis to support decommissioning of the molten salt reactor experiment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sulfredge, C.D.; Morris, D.G.; Park, J.E.; Williams, P.T.

    1996-06-01

    As part of the decommissioning process for the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, several thermal-sciences issues were addressed. Apparently a mixture of UF{sub 6} and F{sub 2} had diffused into the upper portion of one charcoal column in the MSRE auxiliary charcoal bed (ACB), leading to radiative decay heating and possible chemical reaction sources. A proposed interim corrective action was planned to remove the water from the ACB cell to reduce criticality and reactivity concerns and then fill the ACB cell with an inert material. This report describes design of a thermocouple probe to obtain temperature measurements for mapping the uranium deposit, as well as development of steady-state and transient numerical models for the heat transfer inside the charcoal column. Additional numerical modeling was done to support filling of the ACB cell. Results from this work were used to develop procedures for meeting the goals of the MSRE Remediation Project without exceeding appropriate thermal limits.

  18. Results from the Interim Salt Disposition Program Macrobatch 11 Tank 21H Acceptance Samples

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Peters, T. B. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Bannochie, C. J. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

    2017-11-13

    Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) analyzed samples from Tank 21H in support of verification of Macrobatch (Salt Batch) 11 for the Interim Salt Disposition Program (ISDP) for processing. This document reports characterization data on the samples of Tank 21H and fulfills the requirements of Deliverable 3 of the Technical Task Request (TTR).

  19. Efficiency of an LBE spallation target in an accelerator-driven molten salt subcritical reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bak, Sang-In [Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon (Korea, Republic of); Hong, Seung-Woo [Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon (Korea, Republic of); Kadi, Yacine [CERN, Geneva (Switzerland)

    2016-10-15

    An Accelerator-Driven System (ADS) combined with a subcritical Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) is a type of hybrid reactor originally designed to breed uranium from thorium or to incinerate long-lived minor actinides in nuclear wastes. In an MSR, the salt material is used not only as a nuclear fuel but also as a primary coolant. In addition, this material is used as a target for inducing spallation neutrons in most AD-MSR concepts. A high energy proton beam impinges on a heavy metal target to induce spallation reactions and produces neutrons. Accordingly, a reliable proton accelerator is needed to feed the source neutrons. As ADSs have been criticized for requiring high power accelerators, minimization of beam power is an important aspect of ADS design. A primary concern associated with ADS development is stable high-power accelerators. We therefore studied the neutron source efficiencies of an AD-MSR involving chloride fuels by including a Pb-Bi eutectic (LBE) spallation target. The proton source efficiency and the accelerator beam power required have been studied for an AD-MSR. Adoption of an LBE spallation target induces an increase in proton source efficiencies in comparison to the case without a spallation target. Thus the presence of an efficient spallation target is useful in the reduction of the beam power of an accelerator. Almost 33 % of the beam power can be reduced in comparison to the case without the target for NaCl-Th/{sup 233}U fuel, and about 16 % for NaCl-U/TRU fuel. The beam power amplifications increase by 1.5 times for NaCl-Th/{sup 233}U and 1.2 times for NaCl-U/TRU in comparison with the no target AD-MSR.

  20. Nuclear reactor safety program in U.S. Department of Energy and future perspectives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, Y.T.

    1987-01-01

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) establishes policy, issues orders, and assures compliance with requirements. The contractors who design, construct, modify, operate, maintain and decommission DOE reactors, set forth the assessment of the safety of cognizant reactors and impliment DOE orders. Teams of experts in the Depatment, through scheduled and unscheduled review programs, reassess the safety of reactors in every phases of their lives. As new technology develops, the safety programs are reevaluated and policies are modified to accommodate these new technologies. The diagnostic capabilities of the computer using multiple alarms to enhance detection of defects and control of a reactor have been greatly utilized in reactor operating systems. The application of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for diagnostic and even for the decision making process in the event of reactor accidents would be one of the future trends in reactor safety programs. (author)

  1. Users guide to the computer program FURST (FUture Reactor STrategies)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hatton, H.

    1981-01-01

    A program has been written to calculate the future resource requirements for the nuclear portion of an electricity generating system. Starting from a given total energy demand projection the program calculates the required growth of the electrical generating system, the total nuclear system, and the portion provided by reactors using an advanced fuel cycle by successive application of the Fisher/Pry penetration formula. Several options are available. These include the ability to (1) change the growth rates of any part of the system; (2) change the characteristics of the reactors; (3) include the effects of decommissioning reactors at the end of their design lifetimes; (4) vary the date of introduction of advanced reactors; and (5) limit the amount of natural uranium available annually. The output gives the history of the growth of the nuclear system and the uranium mining and fuel reprocessing requirements. The output can be obtained either as tables of numbers or graphs with crossplots to compare reactor systems or total energy scenarios. (author)

  2. AFRRI TRIGA Reactor water quality monitoring program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moore, Mark; George, Robert; Spence, Harry; Nguyen, John

    1992-01-01

    AFRRI has started a water quality monitoring program to provide base line data for early detection of tank leaks. This program revealed problems with growth of algae and bacteria in the pool as a result of contamination with nitrogenous matter. Steps have been taken to reduce the nitrogen levels and to kill and remove algae and bacteria from the reactor pool. (author)

  3. Programming for a nuclear reactor instrument simulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cohn, C.

    1988-01-01

    This note discusses 8086/8087 machine-language programming for simulation of nuclear reactor instrument current inputs by means of a digital-analog converter (DAC) feeding a bank of series input resistors. It also shows FORTRAN programming for generating the parameter tales used in the simulation. These techniques would be generally useful for high-speed simulation of quantities varying over many orders of magnitude

  4. Use of multiple on-campus reactors in education and training programs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schlapper, G.A.

    1989-01-01

    In its undergraduate and graduate programs in nuclear engineering and health physics, Texas A ampersand M University utilizes two reactors for the training and education of students. The 5-W AGN-201 nuclear training reactor has been in use since the late 1950s, while the 1-MW TRIGA Nuclear Science Center Reactor (NSCR) was first utilized in late 1961. Both facilities have been upgraded since initial criticality, the AGN power level being increased from the original 200-mW limit to its 5-W current level and the NSCR undergoing conversion from a 100-kW materials test reactor fueled deign to a 1-MW TRIGA-fueled facility. The AGN reactor is operated by the Department of Nuclear Engineering of the College of Engineering and is almost solely utilized in training and education programs. The NSCR facility is administered by the Texas Engineering Experiment Station and support research efforts of faculty and students of departments within and outside the university in addition to contributing to the education and training programs of the nuclear engineering department

  5. Progress of the United States foreign research reactor spent nuclear fuel acceptance program. Reduced enrichment for research and test reactors conference 2002

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Clapper, Maureen

    2002-01-01

    Foreign Research Reactor Spent nuclear fuel Acceptance Program is actively working with research reactors to accept eligible material before the Acceptance Policy proper expires in 2006. Reactors/governments wishing to participate should contact US immediately if they have not done so already. Program operations are changing to adapt to new challenges. We continue to promote the importance of this Program to senior management in the Department of Energy

  6. EPRI program in water reactor safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Loewenstein, W.B.; Gelhaus, F.; Gopalakrishnan, A.

    1975-01-01

    The basis for EPRI's water reactor safety program is twofold. First is compilation and development of fundamental background data necessary for quantified light-water reactor (LWR) safety assurance appraisals. Second is development of realistic and experimentally bench-marked analytical procedures. The results are expected either to confirm the safety margins in current operating parameters, and to identify overly conservative controls, or, in some cases, to provide a basis for improvements to further minimize uncertainties in expected performance. Achievement of these objectives requires the synthesis of related current and projected experimental-analytical projects toward establishment of an experimentally-based analysis for the assurance of safety for LWRs

  7. Upgrading program of the experimental fast reactor Joyo

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshida, A.; Yogo, S.

    2001-01-01

    The experimental fast reactor Joyo finished its operation as an irradiation core in June, 2000. Throughout the operation of MK-I (breeder core) and MK-II (irradiation core), the net operation time has exceeded 60,000 hours. During these operations there were no fuel failures or serious plant problems. The MK-III modification program will improve irradiation capability to demonstrate advanced technologies for commercial Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR). When the MK-III core is started, it will support irradiation tests in feasibility studies for fast reactor and related fuel cycle research and development in Japan. (authors)

  8. Study of the moderating effect of salts on the sodium-water reaction on the cleaning of irradiated fuel assemblies from fast neutron reactors, using fluid sodium heat transfer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lacroix, Marie

    2014-01-01

    Within the framework of the development of generation IV reactors one of the research tracks is related to the development of fast neutron reactors using fluid sodium heat transfer. The CEA (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission) plans to build a prototype of reactor of this type called 'ASTRID'. To address development requirements for this prototype, research is in progress on the reactor's availability and in particular on the reduction of the washing duration for residual sodium fuel assemblies during their discharge. In fact, because sodium is very reactive with water (presently the only available process), the washing is done, for example, by very gradual addition. A solution currently being studied at the CEA and which is the subject of this thesis report consists of the addition of an aqueous salts solutions to the washing water in order to slow down the kinetic reaction. This doctoral dissertation describes the various salts, which have been evaluated and aims to explain their action mode. (author) [fr

  9. Modification of reference temperature program in reactor regulating system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, Sung Sik; Lee, Byung Jin; Kim, Se Chang; Cheong, Jong Sik [Korea Power Engineering Company, Inc., Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Ji In; Doo, Jin Yong [Korea Electric Power Cooperation, Yonggwang (Korea, Republic of)

    1999-12-31

    In Yonggwang nuclear units 3 and 4 currently under commercial operation, the cold temperature was very close to the technical specification limit of 298 deg C during initial startup testing, which was caused by the higher-than-expected reactor coolant system flow. Accordingly, the reference temperature (Tref) program needed to be revised to allow more flexibility for plant operations. In this study, the method of a specific test performed at Yonggwang nuclear unit 4 to revise the Tref program was described and the test results were discussed. In addition, the modified Tref program was evaluated on its potential impacts on system performance and safety. The methods of changing the Tref program and the associated pressurizer level setpoint program were also explained. Finally, for Ulchin nuclear unit 3 and 4 currently under initial startup testing, the effects of reactor coolant system flow rate on the coolant temperature were evaluated from the thermal hydraulic standpoint and an optimum Tref program was recommended. 6 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs. (Author)

  10. Modification of reference temperature program in reactor regulating system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, Sung Sik; Lee, Byung Jin; Kim, Se Chang; Cheong, Jong Sik [Korea Power Engineering Company, Inc., Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Ji In; Doo, Jin Yong [Korea Electric Power Cooperation, Yonggwang (Korea, Republic of)

    1998-12-31

    In Yonggwang nuclear units 3 and 4 currently under commercial operation, the cold temperature was very close to the technical specification limit of 298 deg C during initial startup testing, which was caused by the higher-than-expected reactor coolant system flow. Accordingly, the reference temperature (Tref) program needed to be revised to allow more flexibility for plant operations. In this study, the method of a specific test performed at Yonggwang nuclear unit 4 to revise the Tref program was described and the test results were discussed. In addition, the modified Tref program was evaluated on its potential impacts on system performance and safety. The methods of changing the Tref program and the associated pressurizer level setpoint program were also explained. Finally, for Ulchin nuclear unit 3 and 4 currently under initial startup testing, the effects of reactor coolant system flow rate on the coolant temperature were evaluated from the thermal hydraulic standpoint and an optimum Tref program was recommended. 6 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs. (Author)

  11. SAMPLE RESULTS FROM THE INTEGRATED SALT DISPOSITION PROGRAM MACROBATCH 4 TANK 21H QUALIFICATION SAMPLES

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Peters, T.; Fink, S.

    2011-06-22

    Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) analyzed samples from Tank 21H to qualify them for use in the Integrated Salt Disposition Program (ISDP) Batch 4 processing. All sample results agree with expectations based on prior analyses where available. No issues with the projected Salt Batch 4 strategy are identified. This revision includes additional data points that were not available in the original issue of the document, such as additional plutonium results, the results of the monosodium titanate (MST) sorption test and the extraction, scrub strip (ESS) test. This report covers the revision to the Tank 21H qualification sample results for Macrobatch (Salt Batch) 4 of the Integrated Salt Disposition Program (ISDP). A previous document covers initial characterization which includes results for a number of non-radiological analytes. These results were used to perform aluminum solubility modeling to determine the hydroxide needs for Salt Batch 4 to prevent the precipitation of solids. Sodium hydroxide was then added to Tank 21 and additional samples were pulled for the analyses discussed in this report. This work was specified by Task Technical Request and by Task Technical and Quality Assurance Plan (TTQAP).

  12. Status of University of Cincinnati reactor-site nuclear engineering graduate programs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anno, J.N.; Christenson, J.M.; Eckart, L.E.

    1993-01-01

    The University of Cincinnati (UC) nuclear engineering program faculty has now had 12 yr of experience in delivering reactor-site educational programs to nuclear power plant technical personnel. Currently, with the sponsorship of the Toledo-Edison Company (TED), we are conducting a multiyear on-site graduate program with more than 30 participants at the Davis-Besse nuclear power plant. The program enables TED employees with the proper academic background to earn a master of science (MS) degree in nuclear engineering (mechanical engineering option). This paper presents a brief history of tile evolution of UC reactor-site educational programs together with a description of the progress of the current program

  13. Salt repository sealing materials development program: 5-year work plan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Myers, L.B.

    1986-06-01

    This plan covers 5 years (fiscal years 1986 through 1990) of work in the repository sealing materials program to support design decisions and licensing activities for a salt repository. The plan covers a development activity, not a research activity. There are firm deliverables as the end points of each part of the work. The major deliverables are: development plans for code development and materials testing; seal system components models; seal system performance specifications; seal materials specifications; and seal materials properties ''handbook.'' The work described in this plan is divided into three general tasks as follows: mathematical modeling; materials studies (salt, cementitious materials, and earthen materials); and large-scale testing. Each of the sections presents an overview, status, planned activities, and summary of program milestones. This plan will be the starting point for preparing the development plans described above, but is subject to change if preparation of the work plan indicates that a different approach or sequence is preferable to achieve the ultimate goal, i.e., support of design and licensing

  14. Coupled neutronics/thermal-hydraulics and safety characteristics of liquid-fueled molten salt reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qiu, Suizheng; Zhang, Dalin; Liu, Minghao; Liu, Limin; Xu, Rongshuan; Gong, Cheng; Su, Guanghui

    2016-01-01

    Molten salt reactor (MSR) as one candidate of the Generation IV advanced nuclear power systems is attracted more attention in China due to its top ranked fuel cycle and thorium utilization. The MSRs are characterized by using liquid-fuel, which offers complicated coupling problem of neutronics and thermal hydraulics. In this paper, the fundamental model and numerical method are established to calculate and analyze the safety characteristics for liquid-fuel MSRs. The theories and methodologies are applied to the MOSART concept. The liquid-fuel flow effects on neutronics, reactivity coefficients and three operation parameters' influences at steady state are obtained, which provide the basic information for safety analysis. The unprotected loss of flow transient is calculated, the results of which shows the inherent safety characteristics of MOSART due to its strong negative reactivity feedbacks.

  15. Coupled neutronics/thermal-hydraulics and safety characteristics of liquid-fueled molten salt reactors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Qiu, Suizheng; Zhang, Dalin; Liu, Minghao; Liu, Limin; Xu, Rongshuan; Gong, Cheng; Su, Guanghui [Xi' an Jiaotong Univ. (China). State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering

    2016-05-15

    Molten salt reactor (MSR) as one candidate of the Generation IV advanced nuclear power systems is attracted more attention in China due to its top ranked fuel cycle and thorium utilization. The MSRs are characterized by using liquid-fuel, which offers complicated coupling problem of neutronics and thermal hydraulics. In this paper, the fundamental model and numerical method are established to calculate and analyze the safety characteristics for liquid-fuel MSRs. The theories and methodologies are applied to the MOSART concept. The liquid-fuel flow effects on neutronics, reactivity coefficients and three operation parameters' influences at steady state are obtained, which provide the basic information for safety analysis. The unprotected loss of flow transient is calculated, the results of which shows the inherent safety characteristics of MOSART due to its strong negative reactivity feedbacks.

  16. Prenatal programming of renal salt wasting resets postnatal salt appetite, which drives food intake in the rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alwasel, Saleh H; Barker, David J P; Ashton, Nick

    2012-03-01

    Sodium retention has been proposed as the cause of hypertension in the LP rat (offspring exposed to a maternal low-protein diet in utero) model of developmental programming because of increased renal NKCC2 (Na+/K+/2Cl- co-transporter 2) expression. However, we have shown that LP rats excrete more rather than less sodium than controls, leading us to hypothesize that LP rats ingest more salt in order to maintain sodium balance. Rats were fed on either a 9% (low) or 18% (control) protein diet during pregnancy; male and female offspring were studied at 4 weeks of age. LP rats of both sexes held in metabolism cages excreted more sodium and urine than controls. When given water to drink, LP rats drank more and ate more food than controls, hence sodium intake matched excretion. However, when given a choice between saline and water to drink, the total volume of fluid ingested by LP rats fell to control levels, but the volume of saline taken was significantly larger [3.8±0.1 compared with 8.8±1.3 ml/24 h per 100 g of body weight in control and LP rats respectively; Psodium content and ECF (extracellular fluid) volumes were greater in LP rats. These results show that prenatal programming of renal sodium wasting leads to a compensatory increase in salt appetite in LP rats. We speculate that the need to maintain salt homoeostasis following malnutrition in utero stimulates greater food intake, leading to accelerated growth and raised BP (blood pressure).

  17. Optimization programs for reactor core fuel loading exhibiting reduced neutron leakage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Darilek, P.

    1991-01-01

    The program MAXIM was developed for the optimization of the fuel loading of WWER-440 reactors. It enables the reactor core reactivity to be maximized by modifying the arrangement of the fuel assemblies. The procedure is divided into three steps. The first step includes the passage from the three-dimensional model of the reactor core to the two-dimensional model. In the second step, the solution to the problem is sought assuming that the multiplying properties, or the reactivity in the zones of the core, vary continuously. In the third step, parameters of actual fuel assemblies are inserted in the ''continuous'' solution obtained. Combined with the program PROPAL for a detailed refinement of the loading, the program MAXIM forms a basis for the development of programs for the optimization of fuel loading with burnable poisons. (Z.M.). 16 refs

  18. The Rise and Fall of Universal Salt Iodization in Vietnam: Lessons Learned for Designing Sustainable Food Fortification Programs With a Public Health Impact.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Codling, Karen; Quang, Nguyen Vinh; Phong, Le; Phuong, Do Hong; Quang, Nguyen Dinh; Bégin, France; Mathisen, Roger

    2015-12-01

    In 2005, more than 90% of Vietnamese households were using adequately iodized salt, and urinary iodine concentration among women of reproductive age was in the optimal range. However, household coverage declined thereafter to 45% in 2011, and urinary iodine concentration levels indicated inadequate iodine intake. To review the strengths and weaknesses of the Vietnamese universal salt iodization program from its inception to the current day and to discuss why achievements made by 2005 were not sustained. Qualitative review of program documents and semistructured interviews with national stakeholders. National legislation for mandatory salt iodization was revoked in 2005, and the political importance of the program was downgraded with consequential effects on budget, staff, and authority. The Vietnamese salt iodization program, as it was initially designed and implemented, was unsustainable, as salt iodization was not practiced as an industry norm but as a government-funded activity. An effective and sustainable salt iodization program needs to be reestablished for the long-term elimination of iodine deficiency, building upon lessons learned from the past and programs in neighboring countries. The new program will need to include mandatory legislation, including salt for food processing; industry responsibility for the cost of fortificant; government commitment for enforcement through routine food control systems and monitoring of iodine status through existing health/nutrition assessments; and intersectoral collaboration and management of the program. Many of the lessons would apply equally to universal salt iodization programs in other countries and indeed to food fortification programs in general. © The Author(s) 2015.

  19. On the Burning of Plutonium Originating from Light Water Reactor Use in a Fast Molten Salt Reactor—A Neutron Physical Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bruno Merk

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available An efficient burning of the plutonium produced during light water reactor (LWR operation has the potential to significantly improve the sustainability indices of LWR operations. The work offers a comparison of the efficiency of Pu burning in different reactor configurations—a molten salt fast reactor, a LWR with mixed oxide (MOX fuel, and a sodium cooled fast reactor. The calculations are performed using the HELIOS 2 code. All results are evaluated against the plutonium burning efficiency determined in the Consommation Accrue de Plutonium dans les Réacteurs à Neutrons RApides (CAPRA project. The results are discussed with special view on the increased sustainability of LWR use in the case of successful avoidance of an accumulation of Pu which otherwise would have to be forwarded to a final disposal. A strategic discussion is given about the unavoidable plutonium production, the possibility to burn the plutonium to avoid a burden for the future generations which would have to be controlled.

  20. The analysis of reactor vessel surveillance program data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Norris, E.B.

    1979-01-01

    Commercial nuclear power reactor vessel surveillance programs are provided by the reactor supplier and are designed to meet the requirements of ASTM Method E 185. (3). Each surveillance capsule contains sets of Charpy V-notch (Csub(v)) specimens representing selected materials from the vessel beltline region and some reference steel, tension test specimens machined from selected beltline materials, temperature monitors, and neutron flux dosimeters. Surveillance capsules may also contain fracture mechanics specimens machined from selected vessel beltline materials. The major steps in the conduct of a surveillance program include (1) the testing of the surveillance specimens to determine the exposure conditions at the capsule location and the resulting embrittlement of the vessel steel, (2) the extrapolation of the capsule results to the pressure vessel wall, and (3) the determination of the heatup and cooldown limits for normal, upset, and test operation. This paper will present data obtained from commercial light water reactor surveillance programs to illustrate the methods of analysis currently in use at Southwest Research Institute and to demonstrate some of the limitations imposed by the data available. Details concerning the procedures for testing the surveillance capsule specimens will not be included because they are considered to be outside of the scope of this paper

  1. On the use of a molten salt fast reactor to apply an idealized transmutation scenario for the nuclear phase out.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bruno Merk

    Full Text Available In the view of transmutation of transuranium (TRU elements, molten salt fast reactors (MSFRs offer certain advantages compared to solid fuelled reactor types like sodium cooled fast reactors (SFRs. In the first part these advantages are discussed in comparison with the SFR technology, and the research challenges are analyzed. In the second part cycle studies for the MSFR are given for different configurations--a core with U-238 fertile, a fertile free core, and a core with Th-232 as fertile material. For all cases, the transmutation potential is determined and efficient transmutation performance for the case with thorium as a fertile material as well as for the fertile free case is demonstrated and the individual advantages are discussed. The time evolution of different important isotopes is analyzed. In the third part a strategy for the optimization of the transmutation efficiency is developed. The final aim is dictated by the phase out decision of the German government, which requests to put the focus on the determination of the maximal transmutation efficiency and on an as much as possible reduced leftover of transuranium elements at the end of the reactor life. This minimal leftover is achieved by a two step procedure of a first transmuter operation phase followed by a second deep burning phase. There the U-233, which is bred in the blanket of the core consisting of thorium containing salt, is used as feed. It is demonstrated, that transmutation rates up to more than 90% can be achieved for all transuranium isotopes, while the production of undesired high elements like californium is very limited. Additionally, the adaptations needed for the simulation of a MSFR, and the used tool HELIOS 1.10 is described.

  2. On the use of a molten salt fast reactor to apply an idealized transmutation scenario for the nuclear phase out.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merk, Bruno; Rohde, Ulrich; Glivici-Cotruţă, Varvara; Litskevich, Dzianis; Scholl, Susanne

    2014-01-01

    In the view of transmutation of transuranium (TRU) elements, molten salt fast reactors (MSFRs) offer certain advantages compared to solid fuelled reactor types like sodium cooled fast reactors (SFRs). In the first part these advantages are discussed in comparison with the SFR technology, and the research challenges are analyzed. In the second part cycle studies for the MSFR are given for different configurations--a core with U-238 fertile, a fertile free core, and a core with Th-232 as fertile material. For all cases, the transmutation potential is determined and efficient transmutation performance for the case with thorium as a fertile material as well as for the fertile free case is demonstrated and the individual advantages are discussed. The time evolution of different important isotopes is analyzed. In the third part a strategy for the optimization of the transmutation efficiency is developed. The final aim is dictated by the phase out decision of the German government, which requests to put the focus on the determination of the maximal transmutation efficiency and on an as much as possible reduced leftover of transuranium elements at the end of the reactor life. This minimal leftover is achieved by a two step procedure of a first transmuter operation phase followed by a second deep burning phase. There the U-233, which is bred in the blanket of the core consisting of thorium containing salt, is used as feed. It is demonstrated, that transmutation rates up to more than 90% can be achieved for all transuranium isotopes, while the production of undesired high elements like californium is very limited. Additionally, the adaptations needed for the simulation of a MSFR, and the used tool HELIOS 1.10 is described.

  3. Molten salt oxidation of organic hazardous waste with high salt content.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Chengqian; Chi, Yong; Jin, Yuqi; Jiang, Xuguang; Buekens, Alfons; Zhang, Qi; Chen, Jian

    2018-02-01

    Organic hazardous waste often contains some salt, owing to the widespread use of alkali salts during industrial manufacturing processes. These salts cause complications during the treatment of this type of waste. Molten salt oxidation is a flameless, robust thermal process, with inherent capability of destroying the organic constituents of wastes, while retaining the inorganic ingredients in the molten salt. In the present study, molten salt oxidation is employed for treating a typical organic hazardous waste with a high content of alkali salts. The hazardous waste derives from the production of thiotriazinone. Molten salt oxidation experiments have been conducted using a lab-scale molten salt oxidation reactor, and the emissions of CO, NO, SO 2 , HCl and dioxins are studied. Impacts are investigated from the composition of the molten salts, the types of feeding tube, the temperature of molten carbonates and the air factor. Results show that the waste can be oxidised effectively in a molten salt bath. Temperature of molten carbonates plays the most important role. With the temperature rising from 600 °C to 750 °C, the oxidation efficiency increases from 91.1% to 98.3%. Compared with the temperature, air factor has but a minor effect, as well as the composition of the molten salts and the type of feeding tube. The molten carbonates retain chlorine with an efficiency higher than 99.9% and the emissions of dioxins are below 8 pg TEQ g -1 sample. The present study shows that molten salt oxidation is a promising alternative for the disposal of organic hazardous wastes containing a high salt content.

  4. Experimental studies on natural circulation in molten salt loops

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Srivastava, A.K.; Borgohain, A.; Maheshwari, N.K.; Vijayan, P.K.

    2015-01-01

    Molten salts are increasingly getting attention as a coolant and storage medium in solar thermal power plants and as a liquid fuel, blanket and coolant in Molten Salt Reactors (MSR’s). Two different test facilities named Molten Salt Natural Circulation Loop (MSNCL) and Molten Active Fluoride salt Loop (MAFL) have been setup for thermal hydraulics, instrument development and material related studies relevant to MSR and solar power plants. The working medium for MSNCL is a molten nitrate salt which is a mixture of NaNO 3 and KNO 3 in 60:40 ratio and proposed as one of the coolant option for molten salt based reactor and coolant as well as storage medium for solar thermal power application. On the other hand, the working medium for MAFL is a eutectic mixture of LiF and ThF 4 and proposed as a blanket salt for Indian Molten Salt Breeder Reactor (MSBR). Steady state natural circulation experiments at different power level have been performed in the MSNCL. Transient studies for startup of natural circulation, loss of heat sink, heater trip and step change in heater power have also been carried out in the same. A 1D code LeBENC, developed in-house to simulate the natural circulation characteristics in closed loops, has been validated with the experimental data obtained from MSNCL. Further, LeBENC has been used for Pretest analysis of MAFL. This paper deals with the description of both the loops and experimental studies carried out in MSNCL. Validation of LeBENC along with the pretest analysis of MAFL using the same are also reported in this paper. (author)

  5. A descriptive model of the molten salt reactor experiment after shutdown: Review of FY 1995 progress

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Williams, D.F.; Del Cul, G.D.; Toth, L.M.

    1996-01-01

    During FY 1995 considerable progress was made toward gaining a better understanding of the chemistry and transport processes that continue to govern the behavior of the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE). As measurements in the MSRE proceed, laboratory studies continue, and better analyses are available, our understanding of the state of the MSRE and the best path toward remediation improves. Because of the immediate concern about the deposit in the auxiliary charcoal bed (ACB), laboratory studies in the past year focused on carbon-fluorine chemistry. Secondary efforts were directed toward investigation of gas generation from MSRE salts by both radiolytic and nonradiolytic pathways. In addition to the laboratory studies, field measurements at the MSRE provided the basis for estimating the inventory of uranium and fluorine in the ACB. Analysis of both temperature and radiation measurements provided independent and consistent estimates of about 2.6 kg of uranium deposited in the top of the ACB. Further analysis efforts included a refinement in the estimates of the fuel- salt source term, the deposited decay energy, and the projected rate of radiolytic gas generation. This report also provides the background material necessary to explain new developments and to review areas of particular interest. The detailed history of the MSRE is extensively documented and is cited where appropriate. This work is also intended to update and complement the more recent MSRE assessment reports

  6. A descriptive model of the molten salt reactor experiment after shutdown: Review of FY 1995 progress

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Williams, D.F.; Del Cul, G.D.; Toth, L.M.

    1996-01-01

    During FY 1995 considerable progress was made toward gaining a better understanding of the chemistry and transport processes that continue to govern the behavior of the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE). As measurements in the MSRE proceed, laboratory studies continue, and better analyses are available, our understanding of the state of the MSRE and the best path toward remediation improves. Because of the immediate concern about the deposit in the auxiliary charcoal bed (ACB), laboratory studies in the past year focused on carbon-fluorine chemistry. Secondary efforts were directed toward investigation of gas generation from MSRE salts by both radiolytic and nonradiolytic pathways. In addition to the laboratory studies, field measurements at the MSRE provided the basis for estimating the inventory of uranium and fluorine in the ACB. Analysis of both temperature and radiation measurements provided independent and consistent estimates of about 2.6 kg of uranium deposited in the top of the ACB. Further analysis efforts included a refinement in the estimates of the fuel- salt source term, the deposited decay energy, and the projected rate of radiolytic gas generation. This report also provides the background material necessary to explain new developments and to review areas of particular interest. The detailed history of the MSRE is extensively documented and is cited where appropriate. This work is also intended to update and complement the more recent MSRE assessment reports.

  7. An extended version of the SERPENT-2 code to investigate fuel burn-up and core material evolution of the Molten Salt Fast Reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aufiero, M.; Cammi, A.; Fiorina, C. [Politecnico di Milano, Department of Energy, CeSNEF (Enrico Fermi Center for Nuclear Studies), via Ponzio, 34/3, I-20133 Milano (Italy); Leppänen, J. [VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044 VTT (Finland); Luzzi, L., E-mail: lelio.luzzi@polimi.it [Politecnico di Milano, Department of Energy, CeSNEF (Enrico Fermi Center for Nuclear Studies), via Ponzio, 34/3, I-20133 Milano (Italy); Ricotti, M.E. [Politecnico di Milano, Department of Energy, CeSNEF (Enrico Fermi Center for Nuclear Studies), via Ponzio, 34/3, I-20133 Milano (Italy)

    2013-10-15

    In this work, the Monte Carlo burn-up code SERPENT-2 has been extended and employed to study the material isotopic evolution of the Molten Salt Fast Reactor (MSFR). This promising GEN-IV nuclear reactor concept features peculiar characteristics such as the on-line fuel reprocessing, which prevents the use of commonly available burn-up codes. Besides, the presence of circulating nuclear fuel and radioactive streams from the core to the reprocessing plant requires a precise knowledge of the fuel isotopic composition during the plant operation. The developed extension of SERPENT-2 directly takes into account the effects of on-line fuel reprocessing on burn-up calculations and features a reactivity control algorithm. It is here assessed against a dedicated version of the deterministic ERANOS-based EQL3D procedure (PSI-Switzerland) and adopted to analyze the MSFR fuel salt isotopic evolution. Particular attention is devoted to study the effects of reprocessing time constants and efficiencies on the conversion ratio and the molar concentration of elements relevant for solubility issues (e.g., trivalent actinides and lanthanides). Quantities of interest for fuel handling and safety issues are investigated, including decay heat and activities of hazardous isotopes (neutron and high energy gamma emitters) in the core and in the reprocessing stream. The radiotoxicity generation is also analyzed for the MSFR nominal conditions. The production of helium and the depletion in tungsten content due to nuclear reactions are calculated for the nickel-based alloy selected as reactor structural material of the MSFR. These preliminary evaluations can be helpful in studying the radiation damage of both the primary salt container and the axial reflectors.

  8. The reactor physics computer programs in PC's era

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nainer, O.; Serghiuta, D.

    1995-01-01

    The main objective of reactor physics analysis is the evaluation of flux and power distribution over the reactor core. For CANDU reactors sophisticated computer programs, such as FMDP and RFSP, were developed 20 years ago for mainframe computers. These programs were adapted to work on workstations with UNIX or DOS, but they lack a feature that could improve their use and that is 'user friendly'. For using these programs the users need to deal with a great amount of information contained in sophisticated files. To modify a model is a great challenge. First of all, it is necessary to bear in mind all the geometrical dimensions and accordingly, to modify the core model to match the new requirements. All this must be done in a line input file. For a DOS platform, using an average performance PC system, could it be possible: to represent and modify all the geometrical and physical parameters in a meaningful way, on screen, using an intuitive graphic user interface; to reduce the real time elapsed in order to perform complex fuel-management analysis 'at home'; to avoid the rewrite of the mainframe version of the program? The author's answer is a fuel-management computer package operating on PC, 3 time faster than on a CDC-Cyber 830 mainframe one (486DX/33MHz/8MbRAM) or 20 time faster (Pentium-PC), respectively. (author). 5 refs., 1 tab., 5 figs

  9. Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program Integrated Program Plan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Griffith, George; Youngblood, Robert; Busby, Jeremy; Hallbert, Bruce; Barnard, Cathy; McCarthy, Kathryn

    2012-01-01

    Nuclear power has safely, reliably, and economically contributed almost 20% of electrical generation in the United States over the past two decades. It remains the single largest contributor (more than 70%) of non-greenhouse-gas-emitting electric power generation in the United States. Domestic demand for electrical energy is expected to experience a 31% growth from 2009 to 2035. At the same time, most of the currently operating nuclear power plants will begin reaching the end of their initial 20-year extension to their original 40-year operating license for a total of 60 years of operation. Figure E-1 shows projected nuclear energy contribution to the domestic generating capacity. If current operating nuclear power plants do not operate beyond 60 years, the total fraction of generated electrical energy from nuclear power will begin to decline - even with the expected addition of new nuclear generating capacity. The oldest commercial plants in the United States reached their 40th anniversary in 2009. The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy's Research and Development Roadmap (Nuclear Energy Roadmap) organizes its activities around four objectives that ensure nuclear energy remains a compelling and viable energy option for the United States. The four objectives are as follows: (1) develop technologies and other solutions that can improve the reliability, sustain the safety, and extend the life of the current reactors; (2) develop improvements in the affordability of new reactors to enable nuclear energy to help meet the Administration's energy security and climate change goals; (3) develop sustainable nuclear fuel cycles; and (4) understand and minimize the risks of nuclear proliferation and terrorism. The Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program is the primary programmatic activity that addresses Objective 1. This document summarizes the LWRS Program's plans.

  10. Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program Integrated Program Plan

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    George Griffith; Robert Youngblood; Jeremy Busby; Bruce Hallbert; Cathy Barnard; Kathryn McCarthy

    2012-01-01

    Nuclear power has safely, reliably, and economically contributed almost 20% of electrical generation in the United States over the past two decades. It remains the single largest contributor (more than 70%) of non-greenhouse-gas-emitting electric power generation in the United States. Domestic demand for electrical energy is expected to experience a 31% growth from 2009 to 2035. At the same time, most of the currently operating nuclear power plants will begin reaching the end of their initial 20-year extension to their original 40-year operating license for a total of 60 years of operation. Figure E-1 shows projected nuclear energy contribution to the domestic generating capacity. If current operating nuclear power plants do not operate beyond 60 years, the total fraction of generated electrical energy from nuclear power will begin to decline - even with the expected addition of new nuclear generating capacity. The oldest commercial plants in the United States reached their 40th anniversary in 2009. The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy's Research and Development Roadmap (Nuclear Energy Roadmap) organizes its activities around four objectives that ensure nuclear energy remains a compelling and viable energy option for the United States. The four objectives are as follows: (1) develop technologies and other solutions that can improve the reliability, sustain the safety, and extend the life of the current reactors; (2) develop improvements in the affordability of new reactors to enable nuclear energy to help meet the Administration's energy security and climate change goals; (3) develop sustainable nuclear fuel cycles; and (4) understand and minimize the risks of nuclear proliferation and terrorism. The Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program is the primary programmatic activity that addresses Objective 1. This document summarizes the LWRS Program's plans.

  11. Thermal diffusivity measurement of molten fluoride salt containing ThF4 (improvement of the simple ceramic cell)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kato, Y.; Araki, N.; Kobayashi, K.; Makino, A.

    1985-01-01

    Design conditions of a cylindrical ceramic cell are estimated which can be used to measure the absolute value of thermal diffusivity of molten salts by applying the stepwise heating method. Molten salt is expected to be used in nuclear systems such as the Molten-Salt Reactor, the Accelerator Molten-Salt Breeder, the Fusion Reactor Blanket Coolant, the Fuel Reprocessing System, and so on

  12. Heat transfer and flow characteristics of a cooling thimble in a molten salt reactor residual heat removal system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zonghao Yang

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available In the passive residual heat removal system of a molten salt reactor, one of the residual heat removal methods is to use the thimble-type heat transfer elements of the drain salt tank to remove the residual heat of fuel salts. An experimental loop is designed and built with a single heat transfer element to analyze the heat transfer and flow characteristics. In this research, the influence of the size of a three-layer thimble-type heat transfer element on the heat transfer rate is analyzed. Two methods are used to obtain the heat transfer rate, and a difference of results between methods is approximately 5%. The gas gap width between the thimble and the bayonet has a large effect on the heat transfer rate. As the gas gap width increases from 1.0 mm to 11.0 mm, the heat transfer rate decreases from 5.2 kW to 1.6 kW. In addition, a natural circulation startup process is described in this paper. Finally, flashing natural circulation instability has been observed in this thimble-type heat transfer element.

  13. Fuel salt reprocessing influence on the MSFR behavior and on its associated reprocessing unit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doligez, X.

    2010-10-01

    In order to face with the growing of the energy demand, the nuclear industry has to reach the fourth generation technology. Among those concept, molten salt reactor, and especially the fast neutron spectrum configuration, seems very promising: indeed breeding is achievable while the feedback coefficient are still negative. However, the reprocessing salt scheme is not totally set down yet. A lot of uncertainties remain on chemical properties of the salt. Thanks to numerical simulation we studied the behavior of the molten Salt Fast Reactor coupled to a nominal reprocessing unit. We are now able to determine heat transfer and radiation in each elementary step of the unit and, by this way determine those that need special study for radioprotection. We also studied which elements are fundamental to extract for the reactor operation. Finally, we present a sensibility analysis of the chemical uncertainties to few relevant properties of the reactor behavior. (author)

  14. Digital Education to Limit Salt in the Home (DELISH) Program Improves Knowledge, Self-Efficacy, and Behaviors Among Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grimes, Carley Ann; Booth, Alison; Khokhar, Durreajam; West, Madeline; Margerison, Claire; Campbell, Karen Jane; Nowson, Caryl Anne

    2018-06-01

    To determine the efficacy of a Web-based salt reduction program on children's salt-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (KABs), self-efficacy, and intake of dietary salt. Pretest and posttest. An online survey determined KABs and self-efficacy and a 24-hour urine collection revealed salt intake. Victoria, Australia. Child-parent dyads (n = 102) recruited from 5 government schools. A 5-week behavior-based education program delivered via weekly online interactive education sessions. Change in KABs, self-efficacy, and daily salt intake. Changes in outcomes were assessed using McNemar test, paired t test, and Cohen's δ (CD). A total of 83 children participated (mean age, 9.2 years [SD, 0.8 years]; 59% girls); 35% to 76% of children viewed weekly education session. Children with complete survey data (n = 75) had improved scores for salt-related knowledge (+3.6 ± 0.4 points; P < .001; CD: 1.16), behaviors (+1.3 ± 0.1 points; P < .001; CD: 1.08), and self-efficacy (+0.9 ± 0.2 points; P < .001; CD: 0.64), but not attitude. Children with valid urine collections (n = 51) showed no change in salt intake. Participation resulted in improvement of salt related knowledge, self-efficacy and behavior. Further research is required to confirm these results using a more robust study design which includes a control group. In addition, the long term impact on children's salt intakes of comparable education programs needs to be assessed. Copyright © 2018 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Neutron irradiation experiments for fusion reactor materials through JUPITER program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abe, K.; Namba, C.; Wiffen, F.W.; Jones, R.H.

    1998-01-01

    A Japan-USA program of irradiation experiments for fusion research, ''JUPITER'', has been established as a 6 year program from 1995 to 2000. The goal is to study ''the dynamic behavior of fusion reactor materials and their response to variable and complex irradiation environment''. This is phase-three of the collaborative program, which follows RTNS-II program (phase-1: 1982-1986) and FFTF/MOTA program (phase-2: 1987-1994). This program is to provide a scientific basis for application of materials performance data, generated by fission reactor experiments, to anticipated fusion environments. Following the systematic study on cumulative irradiation effects, done through FFTF/MOTA program. JUPITER is emphasizing the importance of dynamic irradiation effects on materials performance in fusion systems. The irradiation experiments in this program include low activation structural materials, functional ceramics and other innovative materials. The experimental data are analyzed by theoretical modeling and computer simulation to integrate the above effects. (orig.)

  16. Safety program considerations for space nuclear reactor systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cropp, L.O.

    1984-08-01

    This report discusses the necessity for in-depth safety program planning for space nuclear reactor systems. The objectives of the safety program and a proposed task structure is presented for meeting those objectives. A proposed working relationship between the design and independent safety groups is suggested. Examples of safety-related design philosophies are given

  17. Fluoride partitioning R and D programme for molten salt transmutation reactor systems in the Czech Republic

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uhlir, J.; Priman, V.; Vanicek, J.

    2001-01-01

    The transmutation of spent nuclear fuel is considered a prospective alternative conception to the current conception based on the non-reprocessed spent fuel disposal into underground repository. The Czech research and development programme in the field of partitioning and transmutation is founded on the Molten Salt Transmutation Reactor system concept with fluoride salts based liquid fuel, the fuel cycle of which is grounded on pyrochemical / pyrometallurgical fluoride partitioning of spent fuel. The main research activities in the field of fluoride partitioning are oriented mainly towards technological research of Fluoride Volatility Method and laboratory research on electro-separation methods from fluoride melts media. The Czech national conception in the area of P and T research issues from the national power industry programme and from the Czech Power Company intentions of the extensive utilization of nuclear power in our country. The experimental R and D work is concentrated mainly in the Nuclear Research Institute Rez plc that plays a role of main nuclear research workplace for the Czech Power Company. (author)

  18. Advanced reactors transition fiscal year 1995 multi-year program plan WBS 7.3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Loika, E.F.

    1994-01-01

    This document describes in detail the work to be accomplished in FY-1995 and the out years for the Advanced Reactors Transition (WBS 7.3). This document describes specific milestones and funding profiles. Based upon the Fiscal Year 1995 Multi-Year Program Plan, DOE will provide authorization to perform the work outlined in the FY 1995 MYPP. Following direction given by the US Department of Energy (DOE) on December 15, 1993, Advanced Reactors Transition (ART), previously known as Advanced Reactors, will provide the planning and perform the necessary activities for placing the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) in a radiologically and industrially safe shutdown condition. The DOE goal is to accomplish the shutdown in approximately five years. The Advanced Reactors Transition Multi-Year Program Plan, and the supporting documents; i.e., the FFTF Shutdown Program Plan and the FFTF Shutdown Project Resource Loaded Schedule (RLS), are defined for the life of the Program. During the transition period to achieve the Shutdown end-state, the facilities and systems will continue to be maintained in a safe and environmentally sound condition. Additionally, facilities that were associated with the Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) Programs, and are no longer required to support the Liquid Metal Reactor Program will be deactivated and transferred to an alternate sponsor or the Decontamination and Decommissioning (D and D) Program for final disposition, as appropriate

  19. Protection of nuclear graphite toward fluoride molten salt by glassy carbon deposit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bernardet, V.; Gomes, S.; Delpeux, S.; Dubois, M.; Guerin, K.; Avignant, D.; Renaudin, G.; Duclaux, L.

    2009-01-01

    Molten salt reactor represents one of the promising future Generation IV nuclear reactors families where the fuel, a liquid molten fluoride salt, is circulating through the graphite reactor core. The interactions between nuclear graphite and fluoride molten salt and also the graphite surface protection were investigated in this paper by powder X-ray diffraction, micro-Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy coupled with X-ray microanalysis. Nuclear graphite discs were covered by two kinds of protection deposit: a glassy carbon coating and a double coating of pyrolitic carbon/glassy carbon. Different behaviours have been highlighted according to the presence and the nature of the coated protection film. Intercalation of molten salt between the graphite layers did not occur. Nevertheless the molten salt adhered more or less to the surface of the graphite disc, filled more or less the graphite surface porosity and perturbed more or less the graphite stacking order at the disc surface. The behaviour of unprotected graphite was far to be satisfactory after two days of immersion of graphite in molten salt at 500 deg. C. The best protection of the graphite disc surface, with the maximum of inertness towards molten salt, has been obtained with the double coating of pyrolitic carbon/glassy carbon

  20. DESIGN OF A VIBRATION AND STRESS MEASUREMENT SYSTEM FOR AN ADVANCED POWER REACTOR 1400 REACTOR VESSEL INTERNALS COMPREHENSIVE VIBRATION ASSESSMENT PROGRAM

    OpenAIRE

    KO, DO-YOUNG; KIM, KYU-HYUNG

    2013-01-01

    In accordance with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC), Regulatory Guide 1.20, the reactor vessel internals comprehensive vibration assessment program (RVI CVAP) has been developed for an Advanced Power Reactor 1400 (APR1400). The purpose of the RVI CVAP is to verify the structural integrity of the reactor internals to flow-induced loads prior to commercial operation. The APR1400 RVI CVAP consists of four programs (analysis, measurement, inspection, and assessment). Thoughtful prepa...

  1. The U.S. DOE new production reactor/heavy water reactor facility pollution prevention/waste minimization program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaczmarsky, Myron M.; Tsang, Irving; Stepien, Walter P.

    1992-01-01

    A Pollution Prevention/Waste Minimization Program was established during the early design phase of the U.S. DOE's New Production Reactor/Heavy Water Reactor Facility (NPR/HWRF) to encompass design, construction, operation and decommissioning. The primary emphasis of the program was given to waste elimination, source reduction and/or recycling to minimize the quantity and toxicity of material before it enters the waste stream for treatment or disposal. The paper discusses the regulatory and programmatic background as it applies to the NPR/HWRF and the waste assessment program developed as a phased approach to pollution prevention/waste minimization for the NPR/HWRF. Implementation of the program will be based on various factors including life cycle cost analysis, which will include costs associated with personnel, record keeping, transportation, pollution control equipment, treatment, storage, disposal, liability, compliance and oversight. (author)

  2. Conversion of research and test reactors to low enriched uranium fuel: technical overview and program status

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roglans-Ribas, J.

    2008-01-01

    Many of the nuclear research and test reactors worldwide operate with high enriched uranium fuel. In response to worries over the potential use of HEU from research reactors in nuclear weapons, the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) initiated a program - the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) - in 1978 to develop the technology necessary to reduce the use of HEU fuel by converting research reactors to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel. The Reactor Conversion program is currently under the DOE's National Nuclear Security Administration's Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI). 55 of the 129 reactors included in the scope have been already converted to LEU fuel or have shutdown prior to conversion. The major technical activities of the Conversion Program include: (1) the development of advanced LEU fuels; (2) conversion analysis and conversion support; and (3) technology development for the production of Molybdenum-99 (Mo 99 ) with LEU targets. The paper provides an overview of the status of the program, the technical challenges and accomplishments, and the role of international collaborations in the accomplishment of the Conversion Program objectives. Nuclear research and test reactors worldwide have been in operation for over 60 years. Many of these facilities operate with high enriched uranium fuel. In response to increased worries over the potential use of HEU from research reactors in the manufacturing of nuclear weapons, the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) initiated a program - the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) - in 1978 to develop the technology necessary to reduce the use of HEU fuel in research reactors by converting them to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel. The reactor conversion program was initially focused on U.S.-supplied reactors, but in the early 1990s it expanded and began to collaborate with Russian institutes with the objective of converting Russian supplied reactors to the use of LEU fuel.

  3. SYNBURN: fast-reactor fuel-cycle program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pizzica, P.A.; Meneley, D.A.

    1976-01-01

    The SYNBURN computer program for fast reactors will calculate all the neutronics necessary to completely characterize the equilibrium cycle as well as the startup to equilibrium cycles. The program's run time is very short and this makes the program suitable for survey of parametric studies. It can search on the cycle time for a specified burnup, for the shim control necessary for criticality as well as feed enrichments and the enrichment ratio among core zones. SYNBURN synthesizes in a very simple fashion the one-dimensional fluxes in radial and axial geometry to achieve an approximate two-dimensional solution which agrees very well with the exact two-dimensional solution when measuring regional integrated quantities

  4. Computerised programming of the Dragon reactor fuel handling operations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Butcher, P.

    1976-11-01

    Two suites of FORTRAN IV computer programs have been written to produce check lists for the operation of the two remote control fuel handling machines of the Dragon Reactor. This document describes the advantages of these programs over the previous manual system of writing check lists, and provides a detailed guide to the programs themselves. (author)

  5. Application of the REMIX thermal mixing calculation program for the Loviisa reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kokkonen, I.; Tuomisto, H.

    1987-08-01

    The REMIX computer program has been validated to be used in the pressurized thermal shock study of the Loviisa reactor pressure vessel. The program has been verified against the data from the thermal and fluid mixing experiments. These experiments have been carried out in Imatran voima Oy to study thermal mixing of the high-pressure safety injection water in the Loviisa VVER-440 type pressurized water reactor. The verified REMIX-versions were applied to reactor calculations in the probabilistic pressurized thermal shock study of the Loviisa Plant

  6. Foreign research reactor uranium supply program: The Y-12 national security complex process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nelson, T.; Eddy, B.G.

    2010-01-01

    The Foreign Research Reactor (FRR) Uranium Supply Program at the Y-12 National Security Complex supports the nonproliferation objectives of the HEU Disposition Program, the Reduced Enrichment Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) Program, and the United States FRR Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) Acceptance Program. The Y-12 National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Y-12 Site Office maintains the prime contracts with foreign governments for the supply of Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU) for their research reactors. The LEU is produced by down blending Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) that has been declared surplus to the U.S. national defense needs. The down blending and sale of the LEU supports the Surplus HEU Disposition Program Record of Decision to make the HEU non-weapons usable and to recover the economic value of the uranium to the extent feasible. This program supports the important U.S. government and nuclear nonproliferation commitment to serve as a reliable and cost-effective uranium supplier for those foreign research reactors that are converting or have converted to LEU fuel under the guidance of the NNSA RERTR Program. In conjunction with the FRR SNF Acceptance Program which supports the global nonproliferation efforts to disposition U.S.-origin HEU, the Y-12 FRR Uranium Supply Program can provide the LEU for the replacement fuel fabrication. In addition to feedstock for fuel fabrication, Y-12 supplies LEU for target fabrication for medical isotope production. The Y-12 process uses supply forecasting tools, production improvements and efficient delivery preparations to successfully support the global research reactor community

  7. Immobilization of IFR salt wastes in mortar

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fischer, D.F.; Johnson, T.R.

    1988-01-01

    Portland cement-base mortars are being considered for immobilizing chloride salt wastes produced by the fuel cycles of Integral Fast Reactors (IFR). The IFR is a sodium-cooled fast reactor with metal alloy fuels. It has a close-coupled fuel cycle in which fission products are separated from the actinides in an electrochemical cell operating at 500/degree/C. This cell has a liquid cadmium anode in which the fuels are dissolved and a liquid salt electrolyte. The salt will be a mixture of either lithium, potassium, and sodium chlorides or lithium, calcium, barium, and sodium chlorides. One method being considered for immobilizing the treated nontransuranic salt waste is to disperse the salt in a portland cement-base mortar that will be sealed in corrosion-resistant containers. For this application, the grout must be sufficiently fluid that it can be pumped into canister-molds where it will solidify into a strong, leach-resistant material. The set times must be longer than a few hours to allow sufficient time for processing, and the mortar must reach a reasonable compressive strength (/approximately/7 MPa) within three days to permit handling. Because fission product heating will be high, about 0.6 W/kg for a mortar containing 10% waste salt, the effects of elevated temperatures during curing and storage on mortar properties must be considered

  8. Neutronics Phenomena Important in Modeling and Simulation of Liquid-Fuel Molten Salt Reactors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Diamond, David J.

    2018-11-11

    This paper discusses liquid-fuel molten salt reactors, how they will operate under normal, transient, and accident conditions, and the results of an expert elicitation to determine the corresponding neutronic phenomena important to understanding their behavior. Identifying these phenomena will enable the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to develop or identify modeling functionalities and tools required to carry out confirmatory analyses that examine the validity and accuracy of applicants’ calculations and help determine the margin of safety in plant design. NRC frequently does an expert elicitation using a Phenomena Identification and Ranking Table (PIRT) to identify and evaluate the state of knowledge of important modeling phenomena. However, few details about the design of these reactors and the sequence of events during accidents are known, so the process used was considered a preliminary PIRT. A panel met to define phenomena that would need to be modeled and considered the impact/importance of each phenomenon with respect to specific figures-of-merit (FoMs) (e.g., power distribution, fluence, kinetics parameters and reactivity). Each FoM reflected a potential impact on radionuclide release or loss of a barrier to release. The panel considered what the path forward might be with respect to being able to model the phenomenon in a simulation code. Results are explained for both thermal and fast spectrum designs.

  9. Removal of uranium from spent salt from the moltensalt oxidation process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Summers, L.; Hsu, P.C.; Holtz, E.V.; Hipple, D.; Wang, F.; Adamson, M.

    1997-03-01

    Molten salt oxidation (MSO) is a thermal process that has the capability of destroying organic constituents of mixed wastes, hazardous wastes, and energetic materials. In this process, combustible waste and air are introduced into the molten sodium carbonate salt. The organic constituents of the waste materials are oxidized to carbon dioxide and water, while most of the inorganic constituents, including toxic metals, minerals, and radioisotopes, are retained in the molten salt bath. As these impurities accumulate in the salt, the process efficiency drops and the salt must be replaced. An efficient process is needed to separate these toxic metals, minerals, and radioisotopes from the spent carbonate to avoid generating a large volume of secondary waste. Toxic metals such as cadmium, chromium, lead, and zinc etc. are removed by a method described elsewhere. This paper describes a separation strategy developed for radioisotope removal from the mixed spent salt, as well as experimental results, as part of the spent salt cleanup. As the MSO system operates, inorganic products resulting from the reaction of halides, sulfides, phosphates, metals and radionuclides with carbonate accumulate in the salt bath. These must be removed to prevent complete conversion of the sodium carbonate, which would result in eventual losses of destruction efficiency and acid scrubbing capability. There are two operational modes for salt removal: (1) during reactor operation a slip-stream of molten salt is continuously withdrawn with continuous replacement by carbonate, or (2) the spent salt melt is discharged completely and the reactor then refilled with carbonate in batch mode. Because many of the metals and/or radionuclides captured in the salt are hazardous and/or radioactive, spent salt removed from the reactor would create a large secondary waste stream without further treatment. A spent salt clean up/recovery system is necessary to segregate these materials and minimize the amount of

  10. Advanced CANDU reactor development: a customer-driven program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hopwood, J.M.

    2005-01-01

    The Advanced CANDU Reactor (ACR) product development program is well under way. The development approach for the ACR is to ensure that all activities supporting readiness for the first ACR project are carded out in parallel, as parts of an integrated whole. In this way design engineering, licensing, development and testing, supply chain planning, construct ability and module strategy, and planning for commissioning and operations, all work in synergy with one another. Careful schedule management :ensures that program focus stays on critical path priorities.'This paper provides an overview of the program, with an emphasis on integration to ensure maximum project readiness, This program management approach is important now that AECL is participating as the reactor vendor in Dominion Energy's DOE-sponsored Combined Construction/Operating License (COL) program. Dominion Energy selected the ACR-700 as their reference reactor technology for purposes of demonstrating the COL process. AECL's development of the ACR is unique in that pre-licensing activities are being carded out parallel in the USA and Canada, via independent, but well-communicated programs. In the short term, these programs are major drivers of ACR development. The ACR design approach has been to optimize to achieve major design objectives: capital cost reduction, robust design with ample margins, proveness by using evolutionary change from existing :reference plants, design for ease :of operability. The ACR development program maintains these design objectives for each of the program elements: Design: .Carefully selected design innovations based on the SEU fuel/light water coolant:/heavy water moderator approach. Emphasis on lessons-learned review from operating experience and customer feedback Licensing: .Safety case based on strengths of existing CANDU plus benefits of optimised design Development and Test: Choice of materials, conditions to enable incremental testing building on existing CANDU and LWR

  11. Fuel and Core Design Options to Overcome the Heavy Metal Loading Limit and Improve Performance and Safety of Liquid Salt Cooled Reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Petrovic, Bojan; Maldonado, Ivan

    2016-01-01

    The research performed in this project addressed the issue of low heavy metal loading and the resulting reduced cycle length with increased refueling frequency, inherent to all FHR designs with solid, non-movable fuel based on TRISO particles. Studies performed here focused on AHTR type of reactor design with plate ('plank') fuel. Proposal to FY12 NEUP entitled 'Fuel and Core Design Options to Overcome the Heavy Metal Loading Limit and Improve Performance and Safety of Liquid Salt Cooled Reactors' was selected for award, and the 3-year project started in August 2012. A 4-month NCE was granted and the project completed on December 31, 2015. The project was performed by Georgia Tech (Prof. Bojan Petrovic, PI) and University of Tennessee (Prof. Ivan Maldonado, Co-PI), with a total funding of $758,000 over 3 years. In addition to two Co-PIs, the project directly engaged 6 graduate students (at doctoral or MS level) and 2 postdoctoral researchers. Additionally, through senior design projects and graduate advanced design projects, another 23 undergraduate and 12 graduate students were exposed to and trained in the salt reactor technology. We see this as one of the important indicators of the project's success and effectiveness. In the process, 1 journal article was published (with 3 journal articles in preparation), together with 8 peer-reviewed full conference papers, 8 peer-reviewed extended abstracts, as well as 1 doctoral dissertation and 2 master theses. The work included both development of models and methodologies needed to adequately analyze this type of reactor, fuel, and its fuel cycle, as well as extensive analyses and optimization of the fuel and core design.

  12. Tritium processing and containment technology for fusion reactors. Annual report, July 1975--June 1976

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maroni, V.A.; Calaway, W.F.; Misra, B.; Van Deventer, E.H.; Weston, J.R.; Yonco, R.M.; Cafasso, F.A.; Burris, L.

    1976-01-01

    The hydrogen permeabilities of selected metals, alloys, and multiplex preparations that are of interest to fusion reactor technology are being characterized. A high-vacuum hydrogen-permeation apparatus has been constructed for this purpose. A program of studies has been initiated to develop design details for the tritium-handling systems of near-term fusion reactors. This program has resulted in a better definition of reactor-fuel-cycle and enrichment requirements and has helped to identify major research and development problems in the tritium-handling area. The design and construction of a 50-gallon lithium-processing test loop (LPTL) is well under way. Studies in support of this project are providing important guidance in the selection of hardware for the LPTL and in the design of a molten-salt processing test section

  13. Analysis and evaluation of the Dual Fluid Reactor concept

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Xiang

    2017-06-27

    The Dual Fluid Reactor is a molten salt fast reactor developed by IFK in Berlin based on the Gen-IV Molten-Salt Reactor concept and the Liquid-Metal Cooled Reactor. The design aims to combine these two concepts to improve these two concepts. The Dissertation focuses on the concept and performs diverse calculations and estimations on the subjects of neutron physics, depletion and thermal-hydraulic behaviors to validate the new features of the concept. Based on the results it is concluded that this concept is feasible to its desired purpose and with great potential.

  14. WATER BOILER REACTOR

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, L.D.P.

    1960-11-22

    As its name implies, this reactor utilizes an aqueous solution of a fissionable element salt, and is also conventional in that it contains a heat exchanger cooling coil immersed in the fuel. Its novelty lies in the utilization of a cylindrical reactor vessel to provide a critical region having a large and constant interface with a supernatant vapor region, and the use of a hollow sleeve coolant member suspended from the cover assembly in coaxial relation with the reactor vessel. Cool water is circulated inside this hollow coolant member, and a gap between its outer wall and the reactor vessel is used to carry off radiolytic gases for recombination in an external catalyst chamber. The central passage of the coolant member defines a reflux condenser passage into which the externally recombined gases are returned and condensed. The large and constant interface between fuel solution and vapor region prevents the formation of large bubbles and minimizes the amount of fuel salt carried off by water vapor, thus making possible higher flux densities, specific powers and power densities.

  15. Implementation of Molten Salt Properties into RELAP5-3D/ATHENA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cliff Davis

    2005-01-01

    Molten salts are being considered as coolants for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) in both the reactor and the heat transport loop between the reactor and the hydrogen production plant because of their superior thermophysical properties compared to helium. Because specific molten salts have not been selected for either application, four separate molten salts were implemented into the RELAP5-3D/ATHENA computer program as working fluids. The implemented salts were LiF-BeF2 in a molar mixture that is 66% LiF and 34% BeF2, respectively, NaBF4-NaF (92% and 8%), LiF-NaF-KF (11.5%, 46.5%, and 42%), and NaF-ZrF4 (50% and 50%). LiF-BeF2 is currently the first choice for the primary coolant for the Advanced High-Temperature Reactor, while NaF-ZrF4 is being considered as an alternate. NaBF4-NaF and LiFNaF-KF are being considered as possible coolants for the heat transport loop. The molten salts were implemented into ATHENA using a simplified equation of state based on data and correlations obtained from Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The simplified equation of state assumes that the liquid density is a function of temperature and pressure and that the liquid heat capacity is constant. The vapor is assumed to have the same composition as the liquid and is assumed to be a perfect gas. The implementation of the thermodynamic properties into ATHENA for LiF-BeF2 was verified by comparisons with results from a detailed equation of state that utilized a soft-sphere model. The comparisons between the simplified and soft-sphere models were in reasonable agreement for liquid. The agreement for vapor properties was not nearly as good as that obtained for liquid. Large uncertainties are possible in the vapor properties because of a lack of experimental data. The simplified model used here is not expected to be accurate for boiling or single-phase vapor conditions. Because neither condition is expected during NGNP applications, the simplified equation of state is considered

  16. Contributions to safety studies for new concepts of nuclear reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perdu, F.

    2003-12-01

    The complete study of molten salt reactors, designed for a massive and durable nuclear energy production, must include neutronics, hydraulics and thermal effects. This coupled study, using the MCNP and Trio U codes, is undertaken in the case of the MSRE (molten salt reactor experiment) prototype. The obtained results fit very well the experiment. Their extrapolation suggests ways of improving the safety coefficients of power molten salt reactors. A second part is devoted to accelerator driven subcritical reactors, developed to incinerate radioactive waste.We propose a method to measure the prompt reactivity from the decay following a neutron pulse. It relies only on the distribution of times between generations, which is a characteristic of the reactor. This method is implemented on the results of the MUSE 4 experiment, and the obtained reactivity is accurate within 5%. (author)

  17. Fiscal year 1998 multi-year work plan. Advanced reactors transition program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gantt, D.A.

    1997-01-01

    The mission of the Advanced Reactors Transition program is two-fold. First, the program is to maintain the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) and the Fuels and Materials Examination Facility (FMEF) in Standby to support a possible future role in the tritium production strategy. Secondly, the program is to continue deactivation activities which do not conflict with the Standby directive. On-going deactivation activities include the processing of non-usable, irradiated, FFTF components for storage or disposal; deactivation of Nuclear Energy legacy test facilities; and deactivation of the Plutonium Recycle Test Reactor (PRTR) facility, 309 Building

  18. Reactor materials program process water component failure probability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Daugherty, W. L.

    1988-01-01

    The maximum rate loss of coolant accident for the Savannah River Production Reactors is presently specified as the abrupt double-ended guillotine break (DEGB) of a large process water pipe. This accident is not considered credible in light of the low applied stresses and the inherent ductility of the piping materials. The Reactor Materials Program was initiated to provide the technical basis for an alternate, credible maximum rate LOCA. The major thrust of this program is to develop an alternate worst case accident scenario by deterministic means. In addition, the probability of a DEGB is also being determined; to show that in addition to being mechanistically incredible, it is also highly improbable. The probability of a DEGB of the process water piping is evaluated in two parts: failure by direct means, and indirectly-induced failure. These two areas have been discussed in other reports. In addition, the frequency of a large bread (equivalent to a DEGB) in other process water system components is assessed. This report reviews the large break frequency for each component as well as the overall large break frequency for the reactor system

  19. Treatment of spent fuels from research reactors and reactor development programs in Germany

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Closs, K.D.

    1999-01-01

    Quite a great number of different types of spent fuel from research reactors and development programs exists in Germany. The general policy is to send back to the USA as long as possible fuel from MTRs and TRIGAs of USA origin. An option is reprocessing in Great Britain or France. This option is pursued as long as reprocessing and reuse of the recovered material is economically justifiable. For those fuels which cannot be returned to the USA or which will not be reprocessed, a domestic back-up solution of spent fuel management has been developed in Germany, compatible with the management of spent fuel from power reactors. It consists in dry storage in special casks and, later on, direct disposal. Preliminary results from experimental R and D investigations with research reactor fuel and experience from LWR fuel lead to the conclusion that the direct disposal option even for research reactor fuel or exotic fuel does not impose major technical difficulties for the German waste management and disposal concept. (author)

  20. Progress of the United States foreign research reactor spent nuclear fuel acceptance program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huizenga, D.G.; Clapper, M.; Thrower, A.W.

    2002-01-01

    The United States Department of Energy (DOE), in consultation with the Department of State (DOS), adopted the Nuclear Weapons Nonproliferation Policy Concerning Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel in May 1996. To date, the Foreign Research Reactor (FRR) Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) Acceptance Program has completed 23 shipments. Almost 5000 spent fuel assemblies from eligible research reactors throughout the world have been accepted into the United States under this program. Over the past year, another cross-country shipment of fuel was accomplished, as well as two additional shipments in the fourth quarter of calendar year 2001. These shipments attracted considerable safeguards oversight since they occurred post September 11. Recent guidance from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) pertaining to security and safeguards issues deals directly with the transport of nuclear material. Since the Acceptance Program has consistently applied above regulatory safety enhancements in transport of spent nuclear fuel, this guidance did not adversely effect the Program. As the Program draws closer to its termination date, an increased number of requests for program extension are received. Currently, there are no plans to extend the policy beyond its current expiration date; therefore, eligible reactor operators interested in participating in this program are strongly encouraged to evaluate their inventory and plan for future shipments as soon as possible. (author)