Molten Salt Reactor MSR (C. Renault and C. Guérard)

4TH INPRO-GIF INTERFACE MEETING

The Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) GIF System Development Progress Status C. Renault (CEA/DEN/DER, France) C. GuĂŠrard (OECD/NEA)

4th INPRO-GIF Interface Meeting, Vienna, March 1-3, 2010

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MSR potential and performances

A technology deeply investigated in the 60’s and 70’s  The successful operation of the MSRE (Molten Salt Reactor Experiment, ORNL-USA) from 1965 to 1969 3 fuel types: • Uranium enriched to 30% in 235U • Pure 233U • 239Pu

Off-gas System Primary Salt Pump

Fuel salt reprocessing was not implemented in MSRE, except the off-gas system

o

454 C

o

o

621 C

704 C

Purified Salt

 The detailed design of a 1000 MWe breeder reactor in Th/U cycle, the MSBR (graphite moderated)

Secondary Salt Pump

NaBF4 _ NaF Coolant Salt

Graphite Moderator Reactor Heat Exchanger o

566 C Chemical Processing Plant

Fuel salt 71%LiF-16%BeF2-12%ThF4-0.3%UF4

LiF _ BeF2 _ ThF4 _ UF4 Fuel Salt

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Steam Generator o

538 C Freeze Plug TurboGenerator Critically Safe, Passively Cooled Dump Tanks (Emergency Cooling and Shutdown)

The termination of the program in 1975 left a number of open questions relative to the viability of MSRs 4th INPRO-GIF Interface Meeting, Vienna, March 1-3, 2010

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MSR potential and performances Two baseline concepts considered in GIF

AHTR (Molten Salt cooled) with superior economics

Fast neutron MSR (MSFR) as a long term alternative to solid-fuelled fast neutron reactors Graphite-free core

• Attractive features (very negative feedback coefficients, simplified fuel cycle with co-location of reactor and reprocessing unit,…)

• Technological challenges need to be addressed and the safety approach is to be established

Better compactness compared to VHTR and passive safety potential for medium to very high unit power

• Large commonalities in basic R&D areas (liquid salt technology, materials) • Opportunities offered by liquid salts for heat transport in other systems (SFR, LFR, VHTR) 4th INPRO-GIF Interface Meeting, Vienna, March 1-3, 2010

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MSR potential and performances MSFR for breeding and waste minimization A single stream liquid fuel concept (no core structures)

Neutron spectrum: fast spectrum (thermal for MSBR) Power density: 333 MWt/m3 (22 MWt/m3 for MSBR) Power conversion efficiency: > 45%

MSFR 3000 MWt (~ 1350 MWe) Pool-type concept with high degree of compactness (5 m diameter vessel)

4th INPRO-GIF Interface Meeting, Vienna, March 1-3, 2010

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Status of MSR System in Gen IV

R&D Projects Fast neutron MSR (MSFR) (Europe, Russia) and the AHTR (USA) 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6. draft SRP April 2008 (V2.0)

SI&A Leader CEA (France) Liquid salt chemistry and properties Leader JRC/ITU (Euratom) Materials and Components Leader ORNL (USA) and KI (Russia) System design and operation Leader CNRS (France) and ORNL (USA) Safety and safety system Leader FzK (Europe) and ORNL (USA) Fuel and Fuel cycle Leader CNRS (France)

• Materials and components selected as the first priority project Towards a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) 4th INPRO-GIF Interface Meeting, Vienna, March 1-3, 2010

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MSR R&D in Europe and elsewhere From MOST to EVOL A continuous and coordinated activity (European network) since 2001 MOST

2001-2003 Confirmation of MSR potential Identification of key issues (vs MSBR)

6 countries + Euratom

LICORN

2004-2006 Strenghthening of European network Follow-up of R&D progress

7 countries + Euratom + Russia

ALISIA

2007-2008 7 countries Review of liquid salts for various applications + Euratom Preparation of European MSR roadmap + Russia

 2009

SUMO

 Feasibility demonstration of MSFR

8 countries + Euratom + Russia

EVOL

2009-2012 Optimization of MSFR (remaining weakpoints)

7 countries + Euratom (+ Russia)

4th INPRO-GIF Interface Meeting, Vienna, March 1-3, 2010

from MSBR

… to MSFR 6

MSR R&D in Europe and elsewhere A joint Euratom-Rosatom project in the 7th Euratom FWP (EVOL+MARS) Evaluation and Viability of Liquid Fuel Fast Reactor System

WP2 Pre‐conceptual Design & Safety

WP3 Fuel salt chemistry & reprocessing

WP4 Structural materials

CNRS‐France INOPRO‐France FZD‐Germany KIT‐G‐Germany POLITO‐Italy TUD‐The Netherlands EVM‐Czech Rep. BME‐Hungary CNRS‐France ITU‐European Union UOXF‐United Kingdom

CNRS‐France A&D France

Euratom Consortium (EVOL)

WP1 Management & coordination

CNRS‐France

WP5 Training, management of knowledge CNRS‐France UOXF‐DJ and scientific dissemination

The support of Russian expertise and existing facilities ‐ Actinides (PuF3) solubilities ‐ Molten salt properties Corrosion tests of NiWCr alloys in Russian convective loops

Rosatom (MARS)

4th INPRO-GIF Interface Meeting, Vienna, March 1-3, 2010

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Summary and Conclusions 1. MSR has been recognized as a long term alternative to solid-fuelled fast neutron systems with unique potential. This is a very distinctive system to be analyzed very specifically (fuel cycle, safety, PR&PP).

2. The attention is focused today on fast spectrum concepts (MSFR) for which attractive core designs have been developed for breeding and MA burning. MSFRs combine BR>1 with strongly negative “void” reactivity, which is unique among fast spectrum reactors.

3. Physico-chemical aspects on the MSR viability must be properly addressed (reactor and clean-up unit). This is a key R&D area.

4. A European network on MSR R&D has been active since 2001 (5th and 6th FWP). A new project has been submitted April 2009 as a joint Euratom-Rosatom initiative (EVOL-MARS) and accepted 5. MARS and ISTC-3749 (started Feb 2009) projects take advantage from the high potential of existing facilities in Russia.

6. The European/Russian and US interests are focused on different concepts (MSFR, AHTR) but large commonalities exist in basic R&D areas  GIF framework has proved useful to optimize R&D effort.

4th INPRO-GIF Interface Meeting, Vienna, March 1-3, 2010

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