Application of MELCOR for Simulating Molten Salt Reactor Accident Source Terms

Gelbard, Fred Morris; Beeny, Bradley Aaron; Humphries, Larry L.; Wagner, Kenneth Charles; Albright, Lucas Iain; Poschmann, Max; Piro, Markus H. A.

doi:10.1080/00295639.2022.2161277

Application of MELCOR for Simulating Molten Salt Reactor Accident Source Terms

Journal Article · Wed Jun 21 00:00:00 EDT 2023 · Nuclear Science and Engineering

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00295639.2022.2161277· OSTI ID:2311745

^[1]; Beeny, Bradley Aaron ^[1]; Humphries, Larry L. ^[1]; Wagner, Kenneth Charles ^[1]; Albright, Lucas Iain ^[1]; ^[2]; ^[2]

Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Ontario Tech Univ., Oshawa, ON (Canada)

Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) systems can be divided into two basic categories: liquid-fueled MSRs in which the fuel is dissolved in the salt, and solid-fueled systems such as the Fluoride-salt-cooled High-temperature Reactor (FHR). The molten salt provides an impediment to fission product release as actinides and many fission products are soluble in molten salt. Nonetheless, under accident conditions, some radionuclides may escape the salt by vaporization and aerosol formation, which may lead to release into the environment. Here, we present recent enhancements to MELCOR to represent the transport of radionuclides in the salt and releases from the salt. Some soluble but volatile radionuclides may vaporize and subsequently condense to aerosol. Insoluble fission products can deposit on structures. Thermochimica, an open-source Gibbs Energy Minimization (GEM) code, has been integrated into MELCOR. With the appropriate thermochemical database, Thermochimica provides the solubility and vapor pressure of species as a function of temperature, pressure, and composition, which are needed to characterize the vaporization rate and the state of the salt with fission products. Since thermochemical databases are still under active development for molten salt systems, thermodynamic data for fission product solubility and vapor pressure may be user specified. This enables preliminary assessments of fission product transport in molten salt systems. In this paper, we discuss modeling of soluble and insoluble fission product releases in a MSR with Thermochimica incorporated into MELCOR. Separate-effects experiments performed as part of the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment in which radioactive aerosol was released are discussed as needed for determining the source term.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS)

Grant/Contract Number:: NA0003525

OSTI ID:: 2311745

Report Number(s):: SAND--2023-07856J

Journal Information:: Nuclear Science and Engineering, Journal Name: Nuclear Science and Engineering Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 197; ISSN 0029-5639

Publisher:: Taylor & FrancisCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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