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Title: Fused salt power reactor study. Minutes of discussion meeting No. 7

Abstract

H. G. MacPherson briefly reviewed the reference design reactor now being considered, which is a two region reactor with a 6-foot core generating 600 MW of heat. The external circuit has about three times the volume of the core. The reactor is being designed with 6 heat exchanger systems, each capable of 100 MW of heat. A Li-Be-F fuel, containing approximately 70 percent LiF, has been tentatively selected, with ThF 4 as well as UF 4 used in the core. T.he primary heat exchanger fluid now planned is Na-Li-K-F salt, which heats sodium for the sodium-to-water boiler. D. A. Carrison is presently developing data from Westinghouse on costs of power plant systems and their efficiency as a function of steam temperature and pressure. The optimization of these conditions will not necessarily be the same for coal and for nuclear fuel, especially if a favorable breeding ratio leading to a low fuel cost can be obtained.

Authors:
 [1]
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  1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
OSTI Identifier:
1241487
Report Number(s):
CF-57-2-65
TRN: US1600695
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; MOLTEN SALT FUELED REACTORS; NUCLEAR FUELS; SODIUM; HEAT EXCHANGERS; URANIUM TETRAFLUORIDE; LITHIUM FLUORIDES; POWER REACTORS; THORIUM FLUORIDES; BREEDING RATIO; COST; DESIGN; MEETINGS; WATER; NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS; BOILERS; EFFICIENCY; OPTIMIZATION; STEAM; TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE; PRESSURE DEPENDENCE; POWER RANGE 100-1000 MW; FLIBE; MOLTEN SALT COOLED REACTORS; SODIUM FLUORIDES; POTASSIUM FLUORIDES; Fused Salt Power Reactor Study

Citation Formats

MacPherson, H. G. Fused salt power reactor study. Minutes of discussion meeting No. 7. United States: N. p., 1957. Web. doi:10.2172/1241487.
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MacPherson, H. G. Fused salt power reactor study. Minutes of discussion meeting No. 7. United States. doi:10.2172/1241487.
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MacPherson, H. G. Tue . "Fused salt power reactor study. Minutes of discussion meeting No. 7". United States. doi:10.2172/1241487. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1241487.
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@article{osti_1241487,
title = {Fused salt power reactor study. Minutes of discussion meeting No. 7},
author = {MacPherson, H. G.},
abstractNote = {H. G. MacPherson briefly reviewed the reference design reactor now being considered, which is a two region reactor with a 6-foot core generating 600 MW of heat. The external circuit has about three times the volume of the core. The reactor is being designed with 6 heat exchanger systems, each capable of 100 MW of heat. A Li-Be-F fuel, containing approximately 70 percent LiF, has been tentatively selected, with ThF4 as well as UF4 used in the core. T.he primary heat exchanger fluid now planned is Na-Li-K-F salt, which heats sodium for the sodium-to-water boiler. D. A. Carrison is presently developing data from Westinghouse on costs of power plant systems and their efficiency as a function of steam temperature and pressure. The optimization of these conditions will not necessarily be the same for coal and for nuclear fuel, especially if a favorable breeding ratio leading to a low fuel cost can be obtained.},
doi = {10.2172/1241487},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Feb 05 00:00:00 EST 1957},
month = {Tue Feb 05 00:00:00 EST 1957}
}
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Technical Report:
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DOI:  10.2172/1241487
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  • Remarks made by participants in a 1956 meeting are sketched. Economics was a major concern. Significant topics included development of a new alloy for use in the heat exchanger, conversion ratios in a U-233 breeder, the effects of ThF 4 on corrosion, and means of producing various transmutation products other than U-233.

  • H. G. MacPherson presented a general review of the objectives as outlined in a proposal to the AEC last fall, and the progress which has been made toward achieving these objectives. (1) To examine various fused salt designs in sufficient detail to determine relative desirability. Enough designs have been studied to warrant selection of a reference design reactor. (2) To determine the nature of and to initiate additional experimental work and development engineering studies needed. Point (2) is being carried out and will be achieved, although experimental work is limited at present due to insufficient funds. (3) To carry throughmore » with the design of a complete reactor system selected as the best compromise between practicality of early construction and the ultimate desirability of its features. Safety and low ultimate power costs were the two main features considered. The use of Ni-Mo alloys allows the consideration of other salts, primarily salts based on the Be system instead of the Zr system, and present plans are to use a Be base salt.. The present reference design is a two region reactor with a core about 6 feet in diameter, containing about 3000 liters (~113 cu ft), surrounded by a blanket containing a fused salt with a high thorium concentration. Materials problems and neutronics of the proposed reactor were also discussed at this 1957 meeting.« less

  • H. G. MacPherson reported briefly on a meeting with the Reactor Development Division of the AEC, Washington. The purpose of the meeting was to acquaint them with the fused salt reactor (preliminary designs, tentatively selected components, controls, etc.) in order to gain support for the program for the coming year. The general attitude was not discouraging, although a bit skeptical, and the great need for work on out-of-pile and in-pile long-term loops was very apparent.

  • ; ; ; ...
    The reactor system consists of a homogeneous fused salt reactor coupled to a steam power plant by a molten Pb heat transfer system. The primary heat exchange between the fused salt fuel and the Pb is done by direct mixing of the salt and Pb in a jet pump. There are no mechanical pumps or wall type heat exchangers in the fused salt fuel system. The salt and Pb are separated downstream from the Jet pump by a pipeline separator. The thermal energy is then transferred to the steam system by the molten Pb through conventional type heat exchangers. (auth)

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