A promising fuel for fast neutron spectrum Molten Salt Reactor: NaCl-ThCl4-PuCl3

T. Dumaire; J. A. Ocádiz-Flores; R. J.M. Konings; A. L. Smith

doi:10.1016/j.calphad.2022.102496

A promising fuel for fast neutron spectrum Molten Salt Reactor: NaCl-ThCl₄-PuCl₃

T. Dumaire, J. A. Ocádiz-Flores, R. J.M. Konings, A. L. Smith^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

RST/Reactor Physics and Nuclear Materials

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Abstract

Chloride salts are considered a good alternative to fluoride salts as fuel carrier in the Molten Salt Fast Reactor concepts. The NaCl–ThCl4–PuCl3 fuel salt solution seems very promising, with low melting temperature eutectic compositions, and the potential to be used in a breeder and burner type of reactor design. This work focuses on the first thermodynamic modeling assessment of the ThCl4–PuCl3 binary system and the NaCl–ThCl4–PuCl3 ternary system, using the CALPHAD (Computer Coupling of Phase Diagrams and Thermochemistry) method and the quasichemical formalism in the quadruplet approximation. The investigated system shows potential for a high flexibility with respect to composition at operating temperatures, which can be beneficial to accommodate the requirements on other essential fuel properties (e.g. neutronic and thermo-hydraulic).

Original language	English
Article number	102496
Number of pages	10
Journal	Calphad: Computer Coupling of Phase Diagrams and Thermochemistry
Volume	79
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.calphad.2022.102496
Publication status	Published - 2022

Keywords

CALPHAD
Chloride salts
Fuel
Molten Salt Reactor
Plutonium
Thorium

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10.1016/j.calphad.2022.102496

1-s2.0-S0364591622000992-mainFinal published version, 1.29 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "A promising fuel for fast neutron spectrum Molten Salt Reactor: NaCl-ThCl4-PuCl3",

abstract = "Chloride salts are considered a good alternative to fluoride salts as fuel carrier in the Molten Salt Fast Reactor concepts. The NaCl–ThCl4–PuCl3 fuel salt solution seems very promising, with low melting temperature eutectic compositions, and the potential to be used in a breeder and burner type of reactor design. This work focuses on the first thermodynamic modeling assessment of the ThCl4–PuCl3 binary system and the NaCl–ThCl4–PuCl3 ternary system, using the CALPHAD (Computer Coupling of Phase Diagrams and Thermochemistry) method and the quasichemical formalism in the quadruplet approximation. The investigated system shows potential for a high flexibility with respect to composition at operating temperatures, which can be beneficial to accommodate the requirements on other essential fuel properties (e.g. neutronic and thermo-hydraulic).",

keywords = "CALPHAD, Chloride salts, Fuel, Molten Salt Reactor, Plutonium, Thorium",

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year = "2022",

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T2 - NaCl-ThCl4-PuCl3

AU - Dumaire, T.

AU - Ocádiz-Flores, J. A.

AU - Konings, R. J.M.

AU - Smith, A. L.

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Chloride salts are considered a good alternative to fluoride salts as fuel carrier in the Molten Salt Fast Reactor concepts. The NaCl–ThCl4–PuCl3 fuel salt solution seems very promising, with low melting temperature eutectic compositions, and the potential to be used in a breeder and burner type of reactor design. This work focuses on the first thermodynamic modeling assessment of the ThCl4–PuCl3 binary system and the NaCl–ThCl4–PuCl3 ternary system, using the CALPHAD (Computer Coupling of Phase Diagrams and Thermochemistry) method and the quasichemical formalism in the quadruplet approximation. The investigated system shows potential for a high flexibility with respect to composition at operating temperatures, which can be beneficial to accommodate the requirements on other essential fuel properties (e.g. neutronic and thermo-hydraulic).

AB - Chloride salts are considered a good alternative to fluoride salts as fuel carrier in the Molten Salt Fast Reactor concepts. The NaCl–ThCl4–PuCl3 fuel salt solution seems very promising, with low melting temperature eutectic compositions, and the potential to be used in a breeder and burner type of reactor design. This work focuses on the first thermodynamic modeling assessment of the ThCl4–PuCl3 binary system and the NaCl–ThCl4–PuCl3 ternary system, using the CALPHAD (Computer Coupling of Phase Diagrams and Thermochemistry) method and the quasichemical formalism in the quadruplet approximation. The investigated system shows potential for a high flexibility with respect to composition at operating temperatures, which can be beneficial to accommodate the requirements on other essential fuel properties (e.g. neutronic and thermo-hydraulic).

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KW - Chloride salts

KW - Fuel

KW - Molten Salt Reactor

KW - Plutonium

KW - Thorium

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M1 - 102496

ER -

A promising fuel for fast neutron spectrum Molten Salt Reactor: NaCl-ThCl₄-PuCl₃

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Keywords

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