The molten salt reactor (MSR) in generation IV: Overview and perspectives

Molten Salt Reactors (MSR) with the fuel dissolved in the liquid salt and fluoride-salt-cooled High temperature Reactors (FHR) have many research themes in common. This paper gives an overview of the international R&D efforts on these reactor types carried out in the framework of Generation-IV. Many countries worldwide contribute to this reactor technology, among which the European Union, France, Japan, Russia and the USA, and for the past few years China and India have also contributed. In general,the international R&D focuses on three main lines of research. The USA focuses on the FHR, which will be a nearer-term application of liquid salt as a reactor coolant, while China also focuses on solid fuel reactors as a precursor to molten salt reactors with liquid fuel and a thermal neutron spectrum. The EU, France and Russia are focusing on the development of a fast spectrum molten salt reactor capable of either breeding or transmutation of actinides from spent nuclear fuel. Future research topics focus on liquid salt technology and materials behavior, the fuel and fuel cycle chemistry and modeling, and the numerical simulation and safety design aspects of the reactor. MSR development attracts more and more attention every year, because it is generally considered as most sustainable of the six Generation-IV designs with intrinsic safety features. Continuing joint efforts are needed to advance common molten salt reactor technologies

The molten salt reactor (MSR) in generation IV: Overview and perspectives

International audienceMolten Salt Reactors (MSR) with the fuel dissolved in the liquid salt and fluoride-salt-cooled High-temperature Reactors (FHR) have many research themes in common. This paper gives an overview of the international R&D efforts on these reactor types carried out in the framework of Generation-IV. Many countries worldwide contribute to this reactor technology, among which the European Union, France, Japan, Russia and the USA, and for the past few years China and India have also contributed. In general, the international R&D focuses on three main lines of research. The USA focuses on the FHR, which will be a nearer-term application of liquid salt as a reactor coolant, while China also focuses on solid fuel reactors as a precursor to molten salt reactors with liquid fuel and a thermal neutron spectrum. The EU, France and Russia are focusing on the development of a fast spectrum molten salt reactor capable of either breeding or transmutation of actinides from spent nuclear fuel.Future research topics focus on liquid salt technology and materials behavior, the fuel and fuel cycle chemistry and modeling, and the numerical simulation and safety design aspects of the reactor. MSR development attracts more and more attention every year, because it is generally considered as most sustainable of the six Generation-IV designs with intrinsic safety features. Continuing joint efforts are needed to advance common molten salt reactor technologies

Recommendations for an MSFR demonstrator pre-conceptual design

The present deliverable introduces the need for several demonstration tools before reaching the final levels of a zero power demonstrator and subsequently a power demonstrator from which an industrial prototype may be defined. Safety consideration by safety authorities should be addressed all along the demonstration process, and this should take time, more than that needed previously for older concepts. This is essential for an innovative reactor concept that has a potentially high level of intrinsic safety. Two designs have been presented for the final step of the power demonstrator. For the MSFR-like demonstrator, a rather small reactor would both fit the needs for a demonstrator and be the base for modular reactors (300MWth) with less than 2 cubic meters of fuel salt. A simplified version of such a small reactor would be a burner only reaching fissile regeneration with an additional fertile blanket. It may be the simplest prototype to build and operate. An alternative spherical core shape design has been also introduced, taking into account the strongly-coupled behavior of the reactor neutronics and thermal fluid dynamics. It is characterized by an arrangement of the fuel circuit that would still ensure good neutron economy and breeding performance, limit hot spots at walls and reduce the overall temperature of structural materials, improve the effectiveness of natural circulation under pump blockage accidents, and keep the design as simple as possible. Preliminary analyses of the pre-conceptual spherical core shape design have demonstrated such potentialities, it could be further investigated. At this point, several design and fuel composition options are still open after the EVOL-MARS collaboration. This is an illustration of the high flexibility of this concept both in terms of size and fuel composition. Proceeding further in the definition of the most suitable common demonstrator for all the foreseeable application of this concept, with priority to simplicity and compliance to the safety authority requirements will be an important next step of future international collaborations

REPORT ON INTERMEDIATE RESULTS OF THE IAEA CRP ON STUDIES OF ADVANCED REACTOR TECHNOLOGY OPTIONS FOR EFFECTIVE INCINERATION OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES

In 2003 the IAEA has initiated a Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on ‘‘Studies of Advanced Reactor Technology Options for Effective Incineration of Radioactive Waste". Major intermediate results have been obtained and will be reported here. The overall objective of the CRP, performed within the framework of IAEA's Nuclear Energy's Department Technical Working Group on Fast Reactors, is to increase the capability of Member States in developing and applying advanced technologies in the area of long-lived radioactive waste utilization and transmutation. Sixteen institutions from 12 member states and one international organization participated in this CRP. The CRP concentrated on the assessment of the dynamic behaviour of various transmutation systems. The reactor systems investigated comprise critical reactors, subcritical accelerator driven systems with heavy liquid metal and gas cooling, critical molten salt systems and hybride fusion/fission systems. Both fertile and fertile-free fuel options have been investigated. For a deep assessment of the transient and safety behaviour, the analytical capabilities have to be qualified. A major effort of the CRP consisted in the benchmarking of steady state core configurations and performing transient/accident simulations. For a general assessment and comparison, the safety coefficients were determined for the individual systems. In a second step transient analyses were performed which reflected the generic behaviour of the various reactors types. In addition the transmutation potential, burn-up behaviour and decay heat of minor actinide bearing fuels were investigate

The IAEA CRP on Studies of Advanced Reactor Technology Options for Effective Incineration of Radioactive Waste

In 2003, the IAEA has initiated the Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on ¿Studies of Advanced Reactor Technology Options for Effective Incineration of Radioactive Waste¿. The overall objective of the CRP, performed within the framework of IAEA¿s Nuclear Energy Department¿s Technical Working Group on Fast Reactors, is to increase the capability of Member States in developing and applying advanced technologies in the area of long-lived radioactive waste utilization and transmutation. Twenty institutions from 15 Member States and one international organization participated in this CRP. The CRP concentrated on the assessment of the dynamic behavior of various transmutation systems. The reactor systems investigated comprise critical reactors, sub-critical accelerator driven systems with heavy liquid metal and gas cooling, critical molten salt systems, and hybrid fusion/fission systems. Both fertile and fertile-free fuel options have been investigated. Apart from the benchmarking of steady state core configurations (including the investigation of transmutation potential, burn-up behavior and decay heat of minor actinide (MA) bearing fuels), the CRP participants determined the safety coefficients for the individual systems and, in a second stage, performed transient analyses which reflected the generic safety related behavior of the various reactors types.JRC.F.4-Safety of future nuclear reactor

REPORT ON INTERMEDIATE RESULTS OF THE IAEA CRP ON STUDIES OF ADVANCED REACTOR TECHNOLOGY OPTIONS FOR EFFECTIVE INCINERATION OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES

In 2003 the IAEA has initiated a Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on ‘‘Studies of Advanced Reactor Technology Options for Effective Incineration of Radioactive Waste”. Major intermediate results have been obtained and will be reported here. The overall objective of the CRP, performed within the framework of IAEA’s Nuclear Energy’s Department Technical Working Group on Fast Reactors, is to increase the capability of Member States in developing and applying advanced technologies in the area of long-lived radioactive waste utilization and transmutation. Sixteen institutions from 12 member states and one international organization participated in this CRP. The CRP concentrated on the assessment of the dynamic behaviour of various transmutation systems. The reactor systems investigated comprise critical reactors, subcritical accelerator driven systems with heavy liquid metal and gas cooling, critical molten salt systems and hybride fusion/fission systems. Both fertile and fertile-free fuel options have been investigated. For a deep assessment of the transient and safety behaviour, the analytical capabilities have to be qualified. A major effort of the CRP consisted in the benchmarking of steady state core configurations and performing transient/accident simulations. For a general assessment and comparison, the safety coefficients were determined for the individual systems. In a second step transient analyses were performed which reflected the generic behaviour of the various reactors types. In addition the transmutation potential, burn-up behaviour and decay heat of minor actinide bearing fuels were investigated