Evaluation of Power Fluidic Pumping Technology for Molten Salt Reactor Applications

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Evaluation of Power Fluidic Pumping Technology for Molten Salt Reactor Applications ORNL/TM-2020/1551 Evaluation of Power Fluidic Pumping Technology for Molten Salt Reactor Applications Kevin Robb David Holcomb June 2020 Approved for Public Release CRADA Final Report - for CRADA Number NFE-17-06896 DOCUMENT AVAILABILITY Reports produced after January 1, 1996, are generally available free via US Department of Energy (DOE) SciTech Connect. Website www.osti.gov Reports produced before January 1, 1996, may be purchased by members of the public from the following source: National Technical Information Service 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22161 Telephone 703-605-6000 (1-800-553-6847) TDD 703-487-4639 Fax 703-605-6900 E-mail [email protected] Website http://classic.ntis.gov/ Reports are available to DOE employees, DOE contractors, Energy Technology Data Exchange representatives, and International Nuclear Information System representatives from the following source: Office of Scientific and Technical Information PO Box 62 Oak Ridge, TN 37831 Telephone 865-576-8401 Fax 865-576-5728 E-mail [email protected] Website http://www.osti.gov/contact.html This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. ORNL/TM-2020/1551 Reactor and Nuclear Systems Division EVALUATION OF POWER FLUIDIC PUMPING TECHNOLOGY FOR MOLTEN SALT REACTOR APPLICATIONS Kevin Robb David Holcomb June 2020 Prepared by OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6283 managed by UT-BATTELLE, LLC for the US DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................................... v LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................................ v ACRONYMS, INITIALISMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................ vii ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................................. 1 1. OVERVIEW OF POWER FLUIDICS™ ............................................................................................. 1 1.1 TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION AND KEY ADVANTAGES/CHARACTERISTICS .......... 1 1.2 CURRENT APPLICATIONS..................................................................................................... 4 2. MOLTEN SALT REACTOR APPLICATIONS OF POWER FLUIDICSTM ...................................... 5 2.1 MOLTEN SALT REACTOR BACKGROUND ........................................................................ 5 2.1.1 Overview of MSR Concepts Under Commercial Development .................................... 5 2.1.2 Other MSR Concepts ..................................................................................................... 6 2.1.3 Summary of MSR Concept Fuel/Coolant Circuit Pumping Needs ................................ 8 2.2 GENERIC ADVANTAGES OF POWER FLUIDICS FOR MOLTEN SALT REACTORS .............................................................................................................................. 10 2.3 POTENTIAL USES OF FLUIDIC TECHNOLOGY ............................................................... 10 2.3.1 Primary and Secondary Side ........................................................................................ 10 2.3.2 On-line Fuel Salt Sampling .......................................................................................... 10 2.3.3 Fuel Salt Additions or Removal ................................................................................... 12 2.3.4 Fuel Salt Separations .................................................................................................... 12 2.3.5 Waste Form Preparation .............................................................................................. 15 2.3.6 Passive DRACS Augmentation with Stored Pressure ................................................. 15 2.3.7 Spill Cleanup Vacuuming – Post-Accident Cleanup ................................................... 16 2.3.8 Pumps for Molten Salt Irradiation Test Loops ............................................................. 16 2.3.9 Tank-to-Tank Transfer ................................................................................................. 18 2.3.10 Fuel Salt Synthesis from Used LWR Fuel ................................................................... 18 2.3.11 Tube Fuel Salt Type Reactors ...................................................................................... 18 3. POTENTIAL PF APPLICATIONS BEYOND MSRS ...................................................................... 20 3.1 MOLTEN SALT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FACILITIES ................................... 20 3.2 CONCENTRATING SOLAR POWER .................................................................................... 20 3.3 3-D PRINTING REINFORCED CONCRETE ......................................................................... 21 4. COMPARISON OF CURRENT TECHNOLOGY TO MSR REQUIREMENTS ............................. 22 5. TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT ROADMAP .............................................................................. 24 6. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................................. 25 7. REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................... 26 iii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Example arrangement and operation of PF mixer. ........................................................................ 2 Figure 2. Illustration of a vortex diode and the different flow paths depending on flow direction [2]. .................................................................................................................................................... 2 Figure 3. Diode pump during suction phase (A) and drive phase (B) [3]. .................................................... 3 Figure 4. RFD pump and eductor [4]. ........................................................................................................... 3 Figure 5. MSRE sampler capsule [27]. ....................................................................................................... 11 Figure 6. Continuous salt processing system flowsheet for single-fluid MSBR by fluorination, reductive extraction, and metal transfer [51]. ................................................................................ 14 Figure 7. Flow diagram for ORNL-MTR-44 circulating fused salt fuel irradiation test loop (ORNL-3574, p. 70). ...................................................................................................................... 17 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Summary of pumping needs for MSR concepts pursued commercially ......................................... 8 Table 2. Summary of pumping needs for other MSR concepts. ................................................................... 9 v ACRONYMS, INITIALISMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS AC alternating current AHTR Advanced High Temperature Reactor ARE Aircraft Reactor Experiment ATR Advanced Test Reactor CFR Code of Federal Regulations CSP concentrating solar power DFR Dual Fluid Reactor DOE US Department of Energy DRACS Direct Reactor Auxiliary Cooling System EERE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy EPRI Electric Power Research Institute ESBWR Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor FHR Fluoride Salt Cooled High Temperature Reactor FHR-DR Fluoride Salt Cooled High Temperature Reactor Demonstration Reactor HFIR High Flux Isotope Reactor IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency ID inner diameter IMSR Integral Molten Salt Reactor KP Kairos Power LFTR Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor LWR light-water reactor MCFR Molten Chloride Fast Reactor MSDR Molten Salt Demonstration Reactor MSR molten salt reactor MSRE Molten Salt Reactor Experiment NPP nuclear power plant NVE NuVision Engineering O&M operations and maintenance ORNL Oak Ridge National Laboratory NRC US Nuclear Regulatory Commission PB pebble bed PF Power Fluidics™ SmAHTR Small Modular AHTR SMSR Space Molten Salt Reactor SSR Stable Salt Reactor TAMU Texas A&M University TAP Transatomic Power UC University of California UM University of Michigan UW University of Wisconsin VT Virginia Tech vii ABSTRACT Power Fluidics™ (PF) is a NuVision Engineering proprietary technology which uses gases to control the flow of other fluids in industrial applications. This unique technology has several advantages over traditional centrifugal pumps. Molten salt nuclear reactors and associated systems have unique fluid handling demands. This report explores the applicability of PF to molten salt systems. Several potential applications
Recommended publications
  • Molten Salt Reactor: Sustainable and Safe Reactor for the Future?
    WIR SCHAFFEN WISSEN –HEUTE FÜR MORGEN Jiří Křepel :: MSR activity coordinator :: Paul Scherrer Institut Molten Salt Reactor: sustainable and safe reactor for the future? NES colloquium 14.09.2016 [email protected] INTRODUCTION Page 2 History of Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) Illustration, not MSR started at Oak Ridge National Laboratory 1950s • Aircraft Reactor Experiment (ARE)* 1960s • Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE)* 1970s • Molten Salt Breeder Reactor (MSBR)* 1970s • EIR (PSI) study (report nr. 411, 1975) fast spectrum, chlorides 1980s • Denatured Molten Salt Reactor (DMSR)* * ORNL <= <= <= Page 3 History of MSR: revival 100 90 80 1990s • Accelerator-driven transmutation 70 keff=0.95 [mA] of Nuclear Waste - ATW (LANL) 60 keff=0.97 curent 2000s • Generation IV, Amster, Sphinx, … 50 keff=0.98 40 2010s • MSFR, Mosart, … fast spectrum, fluorides Accelerator 30 keff=0.99 FHR (fluorides cooled HTR) 20 keff=0.995 2015+ • MCFR, Breed & Burn (TerraPower, PSI, …) 10 keff=0.997 WR at PSI 2.3mA 0 keff=1 fast spectrum, chlorides 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 ADS reactor power [GWth] <= <= <= Page 4 Classification of MSR MSR is a class of reactors with two groups Type of: Molten salt Application Molten salt fueled reactors cooled reactors Reactor Thermal reactors Fast reactors Fission reactors Fusion reactors Salt Fluorides Fluorides or Chlorides Fluorides Fluorides Core Graphite moderated “Empty” cylinder Graphite based fuel Blanket of the core (ZrH, H2O, D2O, Be, … (TRISO particles) (coolant and/or needs barrier) tritium production) Page 5 Anions in the salts Fluorides Chlorides 19 35 37 100% F 76% Cl + 24% Cl ] 1000 ‐ 1 [ 35Cl 37Cl 19F 0.1 100 interaction 0.01 [b] per XS 10 0.001 Total 0.0001 probabilty 1 0.00001 Capture 35Cl 37Cl 19F 0.1 0.000001 0.001 0.1 10 1000 100000 10000000 0.001 0.1 10 1000 100000 10000000 Incident neutron energy [eV] Incident neutron energy [eV] Number of collision to slow-down fast neutron (2MeV->1eV) 19F 35Cl 37Cl 142 (+big inelastic XS) 258 273 For instance: Iodine as the fission product is the next possible anion.
    [Show full text]
  • Thermal Hydraulics Analysis of the Distribution Zone in Small Modular Dual Fluid Reactor
    metals Article Thermal Hydraulics Analysis of the Distribution Zone in Small Modular Dual Fluid Reactor Chunyu Liu 1,* , Xiaodong Li 1 , Run Luo 1,2 and Rafael Macian-Juan 1 1 Chair of Nuclear Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Boltzmannstr. 15, 85748 Garching, Germany; [email protected] (X.L.); [email protected] or [email protected] (R.L.); [email protected] (R.M.-J.) 2 School of Resource & Environment and Safety Engineering, University of South China, No. 28, Changsheng West Road, Hengyang 421001, China * Correspondence: [email protected] or [email protected] Received: 29 June 2020; Accepted: 4 August 2020; Published: 6 August 2020 Abstract: The Small Modular Dual Fluid Reactor (SMDFR) is a novel molten salt reactor based on the dual fluid reactor concept, which employs molten salt as fuel and liquid lead/lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) as coolant. A unique design of this reactor is the distribution zone, which locates under the core and joins the core region with the inlet pipes of molten salt and coolant. Since the distribution zone has a major influence on the heat removal capacity in the core region, the thermal hydraulics characteristics of the distribution zone have to be investigated. This paper focuses on the thermal hydraulics analysis of the distribution zone, which is conducted by the numerical simulation using COMSOL Multiphysics with the CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) module and the Heat Transfer module. The energy loss and heat exchange in the distribution zone are also quantitatively analyzed. The velocity and temperature distributions of both molten salt and coolant at the outlet of the distribution zone, as inlet of the core region, are produced.
    [Show full text]
  • The Potential Impact of Molten Salt Reactors on the UK Electricity Grid
    The Potential Impact of Molten Salt Reactors on the UK Electricity Grid Charles Denbowa,b, Niccolo` Le Bruna, Niall Mac Dowella, Nilay Shaha, Christos N. Markidesa aDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ bDepartment of Materials, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ Abstract The UK electricity grid is expected to supply a growing electricity demand and also to cope with electricity generation variability as the country pursues a low-carbon future. Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs) could offer a solution to meet this demand thanks to their estimated low capital costs, low operational risk, and promise of reliably dispatchable low-carbon electricity. In the published literature, there is little emphasis placed on estimating or modelling the future impact of MSRs on electricity grids. Previous modelling efforts were limited to quantifying the value of renewable energy sources, energy storage and carbon capture technologies. To date, no study has assessed or modelled MSRs as a competing power generation source for meeting decarbonization targets. Given this gap, the main objective of this paper is to explore the cost benefits for policy makers, consumers and investors when MSRs are deployed between 2020 and 2050 for electricity generation in the UK. This paper presents results from electricity systems optimization (ESO) modelling of the costs associated with the deployment of 1350 MWe MSRs, from 2025 onwards to 2050, and compares this against a UK grid with no MSR deployment. Results illustrate a minimum economic benefit of £1.25 billion for every reactor installed over this time period. Additionally, an investment benefit occurs for a fleet of these reactors which have a combined net present value (NPV) of £22 billion in 2050 with a payback period of 23 years if electricity is sold competitively to consumers at a price of £60/MWh.
    [Show full text]
  • Economics and Finance of Molten Salt Reactors
    Progress in Nuclear Energy 129 (2020) 103503 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Progress in Nuclear Energy journal homepage: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/pnucene Economics and finance of Molten Salt Reactors Benito Mignacca, Giorgio Locatelli * University of Leeds, School of Civil Engineering, Leeds, United Kingdom ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Keywords: There is a long-standing and growing interest in Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs) mainly because of their potential Molten salt reactor advantages in terms of safety, sustainable fuel cycle, and the high melting and boiling points of salt which allow Economics operations at high temperatures and atmospheric pressure with potential merits in terms of cost. A key objective Finance of MSRs is to have a life-cycle cost advantage over other energy sources. Leveraging a systematic literature LCOE review, this paper firstly provides an overview of “what we know” about MSR economics and finance following Modularisation “ ” GEN IV reactor two main streams: scientific and industrial literature. Secondly, this paper highlights what we should know about the economics and financeof MSRs, suggesting a research agenda. The literature is very scarce and focuses on MSR overnight capital cost estimations and the comparison between MSR cost of electricity and other energy sources. Cost estimations need to be more transparent and independently assessed. Furthermore, there is no peer- reviewed literature on MSR financing, only claims from vendors. 1. Introduction - SCWR (Supercritical-Water-cooled Reactor) is a thermal/fast reactor technology cooled by supercritical water. It is considered as an The evolution of Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) is usually divided into evolution of the actual boiling water reactor because of its compa­ four generations (GIF, 2014): rable plant layout and size, same coolant and identical main appli­ cation, i.e.
    [Show full text]
  • Stable Salt Reactors
    Stable Salt Reactors A new platform technology in nuclear fission October 15th, 2020 Ian Scott, M.A., Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Scientist Moltex Energy Ltd 13 The Courtyard Timothy’s Bridge Road Stratford-upon-Avon Warwickshire United Kingdom CV37 9NP [email protected] www.moltexenergy.com Moltex mission • To reduce the cost of nuclear fission energy so that it economically beats burning coal and gas and the world is powered with renewables and nuclear 2 Copyright @ 2020 Moltex Energy Ltd www.moltexenergy.com The real challenge for nuclear • Nuclear energy with low enough capital and fixed operating costs to be profitable at 30-50% capacity factor in unsubsidised competition with fossil fuels • Radical innovation needed to slash costs of nuclear • SSR achieves that cost objective, comfortably, through a single minded focus on intrinsic safety and simplicity 3 Copyright @ 2020 Moltex Energy Ltd www.moltexenergy.com Two ways to use molten salt fuel Conventional MSRs Stable Salt Reactor platform Heat exchanger Reaction chamber Emergency dump tank • Intensely radioactive fuel salt pumped at • Fuel salt placed in fuel assemblies pressure round an engineered system which • New concept, patent now granted worldwide can never be approached by a human being 4 Copyright @ 2020 Moltex Energy Ltd www.moltexenergy.com Why is this a new idea? • “Static” molten salts in fuel pins Aircraft reactor experiment which led rejected by ORNL because to molten salt reactor experiment convection of fluids would be unreliable in an aircraft – but convection
    [Show full text]
  • Interview: the Dual Fluid Reactor the Public Is Ready for Nuclear Power
    Interview: The Dual Fluid Reactor The Public is Ready for Nuclear Power Dr. Ahmed Hussein is Professor Emeritus of physics at University of Northern British Columbia currently stationed at TRIUMF, Canada’s National Laboratory for particle and nuclear physics in Vancouver, British Columbia. He is also an Associate Member of the Institute for Solid State Nuclear Physics (IFK) in Berlin, Germany. He was interviewed on September 16, 2014 by Robert Hux for 21st Century Science & Technology. Robert Hux – Dr. Hussein, we met you recently at the millions of tons of green house gases and the 320,000 Pacific Basin Nuclear Conference here in Vancouver, tonnes of ash containing toxic heavy metals and tens of where you presented a very interesting new design for thousands of tonnes of sulfur and nitrogen oxides that a nuclear fission reactor.1 How does your design differ are produced by fossil fuel power stations. Furthermore, from the nuclear fission reactors which have been de- nuclear power reactors do not emit any radioactive ma- veloped since the 1950s? terials into the atmosphere during operation, while coal- Dr. Ahmed Hussein – Our reactor, called the Dual fired stations emit radioactive materials that are mixed Fluid Reactor (DFR)2, was designed to solve many of the naturally with coal. problems which exist now with the current reactors that Our reactor concept has a simpler design that avoids people are afraid of. Current reactors have some designs most of the problems that we have right now. And it will that actually originated in the military use of nuclear actually make nuclear power a lot cheaper, safer, most- power in the old days of the Manhattan Project, and they ly carbon-free, and better to use than any other energy were adapted to civilian use.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report 2013 / 2014
    Technische Universität München Department of Mechanical Engineering Mechanical Engineering Annual Report Imprint Technische Universität München Department of Mechanical Engineering Boltzmannstraße 15 85748 Garching near Munich Germany www.mw.tum.de Editor: Prof. Dr. Tim C. Lüth, Dean Sub-editor: Dr. Till v. Feilitzsch Layout: Fa-Ro Marketing, Munich Photo credits: Uli Benz, Thomas Bergmann, Astrid Eckert, Kurt Fuchs, Andreas Gebert, Haslbeck, Andreas Heddergott, Mittermüller Bildbetrieb, Wotan Wilden and further illustrations by the institutes March 2015 Technische Universität München Department of Mechanical Engineering Mechanical Engineering Annual Report 2013-2014 Content Preamble 6 TUM Department of Mechanical Engineering 7 Department Board of Management 8 Teaching 10 Research 11 Ranking Results 12 Facts and Figures 13 Projects and Clusters 14 Divisions of the Department of Mechanical Engineering 16 Faculty Graduate Center Mechanical Engineering 26 Center of Key Competences 27 Elected Representatives 28 Faculty Members 29 Prof. Dr.-Ing. Nikolaus Adams Institute of Aerodynamics and Fluid Mechanics 36 Prof. Dr.-Ing. Horst Baier Institute of Lightweight Structures 45 Prof. Dr. Klaus Bengler Institute of Ergonomics 49 Prof. Dr. Sonja Berensmeier Bioseparation Engineering Group 55 Prof. Dr. Carlo L. Bottasso Wind Energy Institute 58 Prof. Dr.-Ing. Klaus Drechsler Institute for Carbon Composites 63 Prof. Dr.-Ing. Michael W. Gee Mechanics & High Performance Computing Group 68 Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Dipl.-Geophys. Christian Große Institute of Non-destructive Testing 72 Prof. Dr.-Ing. Willibald A. Günthner Institute for Materials Handling, Material Flow, Logistics 75 Prof. Dr.-Ing. Oskar J. Haidn Institute of Flight Propulsion 84 Prof. Dr.-Ing. Oskar J. Haidn Space Propulsion Group 90 Prof.
    [Show full text]
  • Advances in Small Modular Reactor Technology Developments
    Advances in Small Modular Reactor Technology Developments Advances in Small Modular Reactor Technology Developments Technology in Small Modular Reactor Advances A Supplement to: IAEA Advanced Reactors Information System (ARIS) 2018 Edition For further information: Nuclear Power Technology Development Section (NPTDS) Division of Nuclear Power IAEA Department of Nuclear Energy International Atomic Energy Agency Vienna International Centre PO Box 100 1400 Vienna, Austria Telephone: +43 1 2600-0 Fax: +43 1 2600-7 Email: [email protected] Internet: http://www.iaea.org Printed by IAEA in Austria September 2018 18-02989E ADVANCES IN SMALL MODULAR REACTOR TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS 2018 Edition A Supplement to: IAEA Advanced Reactors Information System (ARIS) http://aris.iaea.org DISCLAIMER This is not an official IAEA publication. The material has not undergone an official review by the IAEA. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the International Atomic Energy Agency or its Member States and remain the responsibility of the contributors. Although great care has been taken to maintain the accuracy of information contained in this publication, neither the IAEA nor its Member States assume any responsibility for consequences which may arise from its use. The use of particular designations of countries or territories does not imply any judgement by the publisher, the IAEA, as to the legal status of such countries or territories, of their authorities and institutions or of the delimitation of their boundaries. The mention of names of specific companies or products (whether or not indicated as registered) does not imply any intention to infringe proprietary rights, nor should it be construed as an endorsement or recommendation on the part of the IAEA.
    [Show full text]
  • NRC Collection of Abbreviations
    I Nuclear Regulatory Commission c ElLc LI El LIL El, EEELIILE El ClV. El El, El1 ....... I -4 PI AVAILABILITY NOTICE Availability of Reference Materials Cited in NRC Publications Most documents cited in NRC publications will be available from one of the following sources: 1. The NRC Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, NW., Lower Level, Washington, DC 20555-0001 2. The Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, P. 0. Box 37082, Washington, DC 20402-9328 3. The National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161-0002 Although the listing that follows represents the majority of documents cited in NRC publica- tions, it is not intended to be exhaustive. Referenced documents available for inspection and copying for a fee from the NRC Public Document Room include NRC correspondence and internal NRC memoranda; NRC bulletins, circulars, information notices, inspection and investigation notices; licensee event reports; vendor reports and correspondence; Commission papers; and applicant and licensee docu- ments and correspondence. The following documents in the NUREG series are available for purchase from the Government Printing Office: formal NRC staff and contractor reports, NRC-sponsored conference pro- ceedings, international agreement reports, grantee reports, and NRC booklets and bro- chures. Also available are regulatory guides, NRC regulations in the Code of Federal Regula- tions, and Nuclear Regulatory Commission Issuances. Documents available from the National Technical Information Service Include NUREG-series reports and technical reports prepared by other Federal agencies and reports prepared by the Atomic Energy Commission, forerunner agency to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Documents available from public and special technical libraries include all open literature items, such as books, journal articles, and transactions.
    [Show full text]
  • Molten Salt Reactors
    1 Molten Salt Reactors Thomas J. Dolan, Member, IEEE Fig. 1. MSRE core. Liquid fuel flowed upwards through Abstract— Nuclear power is advancing slowly because of public channels in the graphite. [ORNL] concerns about nuclear accidents, radioactive waste, fuel supply, cost, and nuclear proliferation. The development of molten salt reactors could alleviate most of these concerns and prevent water-cooled The MSRE demonstrated that the issues of control, reactor accidents like those at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and pumping, heat removal, radioactivity containment, and Fukushima. The purpose of this article is to provide information about corrosion could be managed. Oak Ridge also designed a the potential advantages and problems of molten salt reactors. The coolants could be either fluorides or chlorides, operated above their Molten Salt Breeder Reactor (MSBR) that would produce melting temperatures, to avoid solidification, and well below their more fuel than it burned, using Flibe salt with dissolved ThF4 233 boiling temperatures, to prevent evaporation losses. “Fast” reactors use and UF4. It would have had a breeding ratio (BR) of 1.06 energetic fission neutrons, while “thermal” reactors use graphite to and a fuel doubling time of 22 years but funding was slow the neutrons down to thermal energies. We describe four reactor i types: solid fuel thermal, liquid fuel thermal, liquid fuel fast, and terminated in the 1970s. “stable salt” fast reactors (liquid fuel in tubes). We discuss load following, reactor design projects, and development problems. Liquid II. LIQUID AND SOLID FUEL MSRS fuel reactors will require a chemical processing plant to adjust fissile fuel inventory, fission products, actinides, and corrosivity in a hot, Neutrons emitted by fission start at high energies, called highly-radioactive environment.
    [Show full text]
  • Preliminary Quantitative Feasibility Analysis of Proposed Thorium-Based Nuclear Reactor
    IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering PAPER • OPEN ACCESS Preliminary quantitative feasibility analysis of proposed Thorium-based nuclear reactor To cite this article: Anas Muhamad Pauzi et al 2019 IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater. Sci. Eng. 555 012006 View the article online for updates and enhancements. This content was downloaded from IP address 43.130.79.121 on 08/10/2021 at 08:30 International Nuclear Science, Technology and Engineering Conference 2018 IOP Publishing IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 555 (2019) 012006 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/555/1/012006 Preliminary quantitative feasibility analysis of proposed Thorium-based nuclear reactor Anas Muhamad Pauzi1,a), Azril Wasim Abdul Wahid1, Juniza Md Saad1 1College of Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Jalan IKRAM-UNITEN, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia [email protected] Abstract. In the beginning of the 21st century, several research institutions and also private companies had proposed various design of thorium-based nuclear reactor, ranging from solid fuel to molten fuel, fast and thermal neutron spectrum and also various path of waste management. This paper studies 10 of the proposed reactor designs by 10 different organizations, three key aspects analysed quantitatively namely price per kilowatt, safety features and spent fuel managements. Corresponding factors contributing to the key aspects mentioned above were gathered, weighted based on evidence available and analysed using decision matrix. Based on the information collected, preliminary ranking were constructed based on trends between various factors. 1. Introduction 1.1. Thorium reactor developer of the 21st century Thorium fuel reactor was first developed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in 1950s, under the Aircraft Reactor Experimental (ARE) by Alvin Weinberg, then director of ORNL.
    [Show full text]
  • Uranium for Nuclear Power: an Introduction 1
    Stichting Laka: Documentatie- en onderzoekscentrum kernenergie De Laka-bibliotheek The Laka-library Dit is een pdf van één van de publicaties in This is a PDF from one of the publications de bibliotheek van Stichting Laka, het in from the library of the Laka Foundation; the Amsterdam gevestigde documentatie- en Amsterdam-based documentation and onderzoekscentrum kernenergie. research centre on nuclear energy. Laka heeft een bibliotheek met ongeveer The Laka library consists of about 8,000 8000 boeken (waarvan een gedeelte dus ook books (of which a part is available as PDF), als pdf), duizenden kranten- en tijdschriften- thousands of newspaper clippings, hundreds artikelen, honderden tijdschriftentitels, of magazines, posters, video's and other posters, video’s en ander beeldmateriaal. material. Laka digitaliseert (oude) tijdschriften en Laka digitizes books and magazines from the boeken uit de internationale antikernenergie- international movement against nuclear beweging. power. De catalogus van de Laka-bibliotheek staat The catalogue of the Laka-library can be op onze site. De collectie bevat een grote found at our website. The collection also verzameling gedigitaliseerde tijdschriften uit contains a large number of digitized de Nederlandse antikernenergie-beweging en magazines from the Dutch anti-nuclear power een verzameling video's. movement and a video-section. Laka speelt met oa. haar informatie- Laka plays with, amongst others things, its voorziening een belangrijke rol in de information services, an important role in the Nederlandse anti-kernenergiebeweging. Dutch anti-nuclear movement. Appreciate our work? Feel free to make a small donation. Thank you. www.laka.org | [email protected] | Ketelhuisplein 43, 1054 RD Amsterdam | 020-6168294 Woodhead Publishing is an imprint of Elsevier The Officers’ Mess Business Centre, Royston Road, Duxford, CB22 4QH, UK 50 Hampshire Street, 5th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, OX5 1GB, UK Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd.
    [Show full text]