Core Design Characteristics of the Fluoride Salt-Cooled High Temperature Demonstration Reactor

Conference · Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2016

OSTI ID:1330522

Brown, Nicholas  ^[1]; Qualls, A L.  ^[1]; Betzler, Benjamin R.  ^[1]; Carbajo, Juan  ^[1]; Greenwood, Michael Scott  ^[1]; Hale, Richard Edward  ^[1]; Harrison, Thomas  ^[1]; Powers, Jeffrey  ^[1]; Robb, Kevin R.  ^[1]

---

1. ORNL

Fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactors (FHRs) are a promising reactor technology option with significant knowledge gaps to implementation. One potential approach to address those technology gaps is via a small-scale demonstration reactor with the goal of increasing the technology readiness level (TRL) of the overall system for the longer term. The objective of this paper is to outline a notional concept for such a system, and to address how the proposed concept would advance the TRL of FHR concepts.Development of the proposed FHR Demonstration Reactor (DR) will enable commercial FHR deployment through disruptive and rapid technology development and demonstration. The FHR DR will close remaining gaps to commercial viability. Lower risk technologies are included in the initial FHR DR design to ensure that the reactor can be built, licensed, and operated within an acceptable budget and schedule. Important capabilities that will be demonstrated by building and operating the FHR DR include core design methodologies; fabrication and operation of high temperature reactors; salt procurement, handling, maintenance, and ultimate disposal; salt chemistry control to maximize vessel life; tritium management; heat exchanger performance; pump performance; and reactivity control. The FHR DR is considered part of a broader set of FHR technology development and demonstration efforts, some of which are already underway. Nonreactor test efforts (e.g., heated salt loops or loops using simulant fluids) can demonstrate many technologies necessary for commercial deployment of FHRs. The FHR DR, however, fulfills a crucial role in FHR technology development by advancing the technical maturity and readiness level of the system as a whole.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1330522
• Resource Relation: Conference: 2016 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP 2016) - San Francisco, Washington, United States of America - 4/17/2016 12:00:00 AM-4/20/2016 12:00:00 AM
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English