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Safety analysis of graphite core in molten salt test reactor

Safety analysis of graphite core in molten salt test reactor. Derek Tsang SINAP. 16.09.2013. Introduction. The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has launched a Thorium Molten Salt Reactor (TMSR) research project in 2011. 350M USD for 5 years To develop generation IV molten salt reactors.

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Safety analysis of graphite core in molten salt test reactor

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  1. Safety analysis of graphite core in molten salt test reactor Derek Tsang SINAP 16.09.2013

  2. Introduction • The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has launched a Thorium Molten Salt Reactor (TMSR) research project in 2011. • 350M USD for 5 years • To develop generation IV molten salt reactors. • Multipurpose applications of high temperature nuclear energy. • To build two molten salt test reactors between 2015 and 2017. • A CAS center for TMSR research has been set up at the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics (SINAP) to lead the project.

  3. SINAP has a light source: Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF) • 150 MeV Linear accelerator. • 3.5 GeV Booster, 180m circumference • 3.5 GeV Storage Ring, 432m circumference • Number of Cells = 20

  4. Introduction • Two types of molten salt reactors: • Molten salt and molten salt-cooled reactor. • Molten salt reactors use salt as fuel and coolant • Molten salt-cooled reactors use TRISO fuel and salt as coolant only. • Molten salt reactors may have a fully closed fuel cycle, however, online reprocessing is challenging. • Molten salt-cooled reactors have a once-through fuel cycle, however, have high temperature and efficiency.

  5. Molten salt coolant • Coolant salt has • Good thermal conductivity • High boiling point • Nuclear system can operate at much lower pressure than high temperature gas cooled reactor • High melting point • Trap fission products in an accident • Large heat capacity • During accident the temperature of the core rises slowly

  6. 10MW salt-cooled test reactor • TMSR SF1 • Built around 2015~2016 • Aims: • To gain experiences on design, construction and operation • To validate models, analyses and codes • To test the equipment and safety features • To accumulate operation data for larger-size reactors design and licensing

  7. 10MW salt-cooled test reactor • TRISO is used as nuclear fuel • 6cm diameter fuel pebbles • Graphite is used as moderator and reflector • Primary coolant is FLiBe salt • Operating temperature is between 600C and 650 C • Core dimensions is 2.6m(dia.) x 3.0m(h)

  8. 10MW salt-cooled test reactor

  9. Challenges for the 10MW test reactor • Reactor licensing • No molten salt-cooled or molten salt reactor has been licensed in China before • The regulators in China have limited exposure to either molten salt-cooled or molten salt reactor. • Stress analysis • Material properties • Irradiation data

  10. Graphite stress analysis • Density of graphite: 1.77g/cm3 • Density of molten salt: 1.99g/cm3 • Buoyant force acts on graphite bricks! • Graphite bricks must be constrained within the core! • Solid liquid interaction

  11. Graphite problems • Molten salt may penetrate into graphite. • Modify graphite material properties?!? • How to measure Young’s modulus with molten salt at high temperature: • Dynamic method • Static method

  12. Graphite Irradiation program • Measure irradiated graphite material properties • Young’s modulus • CTE • Dimensional change • Thermal conductivity • Tensile strength • Compressivestrength • With and without molten salt.

  13. Graphite experiments • Shaking table 2m x 2m • Seismic test on graphite component

  14. Thank you!

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