Molten Salt Reactor system GIF 2011 Status Hubert Boussier Chair of the Molten Salt Reactor System Steering Committee
Organizational status • Euratom and France are the signatories to the MOU. Russia and the USA remain as permanent observers. – In the future Russia and USA (?) intend to join SSC MSR as members. – Euratom and France are involved in the Euratom-funded EVOL project (Evaluation and Viability of Liquid Fuel Fast Reactor Systems) A complementary ROSATOM programme named MARS (Minor Actinides Recycling in Molten Salt) project between Russian research organizations is carried out in parallel – From time to time other country's representatives attend our meeting as temporary observers. » Japan (Dr.Yoichiro Shimazu) » China a first contact is planed for mid 2012 during SSC meeting in Paris ( Dr Hongjie Xu & Dr. zhimin Dai From the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics TMSR Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences , )
Concepts studied by partners • Two reactors concepts using molten salt are studied in the GIF MSR –
Molten salt reactors, in which the salt is at the same time the fuel and the cooling liquid. » France and Euratom work on MSRF (Molten Salt Fast Reactor).
» Russia works on MOSART (Molten Salt Actinide Recycler & Transmuter)
– Reactors with solid fuel cooled by a molten salt. » USA work on FHR (fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature reactor) concepts – –
AHTR SmAHTR
Molten Salt Fast Reactor Concept activities (1/2) – Core configuration »
A benchmark of the reference MSFR core configuration has been developed and made available to all the partners of the EVOL European project
– Residual heat extraction studies » the influence of the reprocessing during reactor operation on the decay heat is significant: 3.5% compared to 6% in a PWR, 2% of nominal power is located in the reprocessing units.
– Studies of the different starting modes » 233U or 235U or also the transuranic elements from LWR » Safety, proliferation, breeding and deployment capacities
– French molten salt loop (FFFER project) » Fabrication of the salt mixture (LiF-NaF-KF) to be used in the (FFFER project) has been achieved. » Tests with liquid salt have been undertaken to prove the ability of the cold plug system.
Molten Salt Fast Reactor Concept activities (2/2) – MSFR reprocessing » Analytical relations have been established to understand the influence of the liquid solvent composition on the extraction efficiency » Different procedures of metallic phases preparations have been tested. The method retained is the electrolysis of LiCl-KCl-ThF4.
– Acquiring thermodynamical data » Fluorination line which will be used for synthesis and purification of actinide fluorides is completed. » Study of the heat capacity of binary LiF-AlkF (Alk = Na, K, Rb, Cs) systems finalized » The thermodynamic database that is being developed at ITU since 2002 has been extended by two binary systems, namely BeF2-UF4 and BeF2-ThF4, to total description of 39 binary systems
– Corrosion studies » The corrosion of a specific Ni-25W-6Cr (wt.%) alloy was studied in a LiF-NaF molten salt, at 750°C and 900°C
Activities on MOSART concept •
Physical and chemical properties of molten binary LiF-BeF2, LiF-NaF, LiF-KF and LiF-ThF4, ternary LiF-BeF2-ThF4 and LiF-NaF-KF mixtures were experimentally studied. – – –
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Corrosion experiments of nickel-based alloys* with fuel salt +Te additions at 720–740 oC with exposure time 1000 hrs in the range of U+4/U+3 ratios from 1 to 500 high temperature operations are feasible using carefully purified molten salts – –
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Melting temperatures, plutonium and americium trifluorides solubility Viscosity, density, thermal conductivity and heat capacity Experimental data on reductive extraction of the lanthanum, neodymium and thorium for the molten salt / liquid bismuth systems at 650°С
[U(IV)]/[U(III)] ratio from 1 to 100 no traces of tellurium intergranular cracking [U(IV)]/[U(III)] = 500 Te intergranular cracking was found (lower in unstressed state).
Study on deuterium permeation through nickel-based HN80MTY and ЕМ721
*HN80М-VI (Mo–12, Cr–7.6, Nb–1.5), HN80МТY (Mo–13, Cr–6.8, Al–1.1, Ti–0.9), HN80МТВ (Mo-9.4, Cr-7.0, Ti-1.7, W-5.5) and ЕМ-721 (Cr-5.7, Ti-0.17, W-25.2).
Activities on FHR concept •
FHR Program: developing a conceptual design for an FHR test reactor. » » » »
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Advanced High Temperature Reactor (AHTR). »
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Department of Energy’s Office of Advanced Reactor Concepts (ARC) sponsors theproject , technical leadership is done by ORNL, INL fuel qualification University based integrated research program (MIT, Univ of Berkeley and the University of Wisconsin) GIF Economic Modeling Working Group Generation IV Excel Calculation of Nuclear Systems (G4-ECONS) model was applied to the AHTR plant design cost predictions compare favorably with those of large LWRs. A feasibility study of salt to power cycle heat exchanger for the AHTR was performed.
Development of a fluoride salt component test facility also continued during 2011 A cooperative research program between U.S. Department of Energy and the Czech Republic Ministry of Industry and Trade –
Understanding of the reactivity worth of lithium isotopically selected 2LiF-BeF2 salt.
View of the MSFR systems in contact with the fuel salt
FFFER molten salt loop design Liquid/gas separation
Circulation pump tank
Bubbles injection
Clod plug test assembly: running test cold plug
ball valve
Esquema del reprocesso estudiado Li
Bi
Appoint Th Reconstitution du sel Ajustage UIII/UIV
Ajustage réducteur
Th-Li-Bi
Reduction UF6
Hydrofluoration
Sel Fluorure Métal Sel Chlorure
Bullage Li-Bi Extraction 1
Fluoration CaF2
Sel vers la vitrification (TRU+Zr)
F2
El reductor Li se transforma en LiF, y reemplaza los elementos extraídos Traitement des en proporción estequiométrica PF Gazeux
Establece la KOH selectividad
Li-Bi+Pa+TRU+Zr
Vitrification
Verre
H2Ovap
Colonne Lavage
3
F2, HF, HCl
Extraction 3
2
Soutirage sel
Extraction2
H2 + HF
• Ratio sal combustible fluoruro / metal PiAlèOge H2 H2 intermedio / sal cloruro creciente eUFigual a 6 TMSR Piège 1/12/25 NaF • 75% deF- las tierras raras eliminadas Résidus • 2% del torio perdido en los residuos laine de Ni
• • • • • •
Li-Bi
Précipitation des oxydes de TR
Colonne Lavage
KOH
Cl-, ClO-
Air+1300°C
Calcination Burbujeo continuo de gas He Volatilización del Uranio Extracción reductora en el bismuto Oxydes de lanthanides Transferencia metálica entre sal fluoruro bismuto y sal cloruro Reciclado de la sal combustible hacia el reactor Recuperación de los lantánidos en forma de oxido
NaCl
MFn /sal + nLi/Bi = M/Bi + nLiF/sal