The molten salt reactor adventure
Journal Article
·
· Nucl. Sci. Eng.; (United States)
A personal history of the development of molten salt reactors in the United States is presented. The initial goal was an aircraft propulsion reactor, and a molten fluoride-fueled Aircraft Reactor Experiment was operated at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in 1954. In 1956, the objective shifted to civilian nuclear power, and reactor concepts were developed using a circulating UF4-ThF4 fuel, graphite moderator, and Hastelloy N pressure boundary. The program culminated in the successful operation of the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment in 1965 to 1969. By then the Atomic Energy Commission's goals had shifted to breeder development; the molten salt program supported on-site reprocessing development and study of various reactor arrangements that had potential to breed. Some commercial and foreign interest contributed to the program which, however, was terminated by the government in 1976. The current status of the technology and prospects for revived interest are summarized.
- OSTI ID:
- 6309258
- Journal Information:
- Nucl. Sci. Eng.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Sci. Eng.; (United States) Vol. 90:4; ISSN NSENA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
220800* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Propulsion Reactors
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
AIRCRAFT PROPULSION REACTORS
BREEDER REACTORS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
FUELS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HISTORICAL ASPECTS
LIQUID FUELS
MATERIALS
MOLTEN SALT FUELS
MOLTEN SALT REACTORS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FUELS
ORNL
PROPULSION REACTORS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
REPROCESSING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
THORIUM COMPOUNDS
THORIUM FLUORIDES
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM FLUORIDES
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
220800* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Propulsion Reactors
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
AIRCRAFT PROPULSION REACTORS
BREEDER REACTORS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
FUELS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HISTORICAL ASPECTS
LIQUID FUELS
MATERIALS
MOLTEN SALT FUELS
MOLTEN SALT REACTORS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FUELS
ORNL
PROPULSION REACTORS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
REPROCESSING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
THORIUM COMPOUNDS
THORIUM FLUORIDES
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM FLUORIDES
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS