Molten Salt Reactor

Extracted Attributes

• Class

  Nuclear fission reactor

• Key Benefits

  Higher efficiencies, lower waste generation

• Design Variants

  Liquid fuel model, Solid-fueled molten-salt cooled reactors, Molten-salt fast reactor (MSFR), Fluoride-salt-cooled High-temperature Reactor (FHR) / Advanced High-Temperature Reactor (AHTR)

• Safety Mechanism

  Passive (salt plug melts, allowing molten salt to flow into drain tank, stopping reaction)

• Operating Pressure

  Lower (ambient) compared to conventional water-cooled reactors

• Reactor Generation

  Generation IV

• Fuel Cycle Potential

  Thorium fuel cycle, Uranium-233 fuel cycle

• Primary Coolant/Fuel

  Molten salt mixture with fissile material

• Operating Temperature

  Higher compared to conventional water-cooled reactors

• Energy Storage Capacity

  Massive amounts of thermal energy

Timeline

• The Aircraft Reactor Experiment (ARE) operated in the United States, noted for its compact size. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia, Web Search)

  1950s

• A significant MSR development program was conducted in the United States. (Source: Web Search)

  1950s-1970s

• The Molten-Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) operated in the United States, aiming to demonstrate a thorium fuel cycle breeder reactor. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia, Web Search)

  1960s

• Increased research into Generation IV reactor designs renewed interest in MSRs, with multiple nations starting projects. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia, Web Search)

  21st century

• Rosatom announced plans to build a 10 MWth FLiBe burner MSR, fueled by plutonium and minor actinides from reprocessed VVER spent nuclear fuel. (Source: Web Search)

  2020

• China's TMSR-LF1 reactor reached criticality. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2023-10-11

• China's TMSR-LF1 achieved full power operation and demonstrated thorium breeding. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia, Related Documents)

  2023-10

• Thermal-spectrum test and commercial MSRs are anticipated to be deployed. (Source: Web Search)

  This decade (anticipated)

• The first fast-spectrum test MSR is anticipated to be deployed. (Source: Web Search)

  This decade (anticipated)

• Rosatom's 10 MWth FLiBe burner MSR is expected to launch at Mining and Chemical Combine. (Source: Web Search)

  2031 (expected)

Molten-salt reactor

A molten-salt reactor (MSR) is a class of nuclear fission reactor in which the primary nuclear reactor coolant and/or the fuel is a mixture of molten salt with a fissile material. Two research MSRs operated in the United States in the mid-20th century. The 1950s Aircraft Reactor Experiment (ARE) was primarily motivated by the technology's compact size, while the 1960s Molten-Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) aimed to demonstrate a nuclear power plant using a thorium fuel cycle in a breeder reactor. Increased research into Generation IV reactor designs renewed interest in the 21st century with multiple nations starting projects. On October 11, 2023, China's TMSR-LF1 reached criticality, and subsequently achieved full power operation, as well as Thorium breeding.

Web Search Results

• Molten Salt Reactors (MSR) | GIF Portal

  Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs) are a class of nuclear fission reactors where molten salts serve as the reactor fuel, coolant, and / or moderator. Research on MSRs began early in the development of nuclear energy. These reactors can operate at lower pressures (ambient) and higher temperatures compared to conventional water-cooled reactors. [...] From the 1950s through the 1970s, a significant MSR development programme was conducted in the United States. Two test reactors were successfully operated: the Aircraft Reactor Experiment (ARE) and the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE). A preliminary design of a 1,000 MWe reactor, the Molten Salt Breeder Reactor (MSBR) based on the thorium-uranium-233 fuel cycle, was completed, and a design was partially developed for a demonstration reactor. These programmes laid the foundation for thermal [...] Modern interest in MSRs includes both thermal and fast liquid salt fueled reactor concepts as a long-term alternative to provide large-scale primary energy. Solid-fueled, molten-salt cooled reactors have also been under development for the past couple of decades. Both thermal- and fast- spectrum MSRs are under development by multiple prospective vendors with thermal-spectrum test and commercial reactors anticipated to be deployed this decade and the first fast-spectrum test reactor also

• What are Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs)? | IAEA

  An image showing a molten salt reactor (MSR)..") (Illustration: A.Barber Huescar/IAEA) Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs) are nuclear fission reactors in which either the fuel and/or the coolant is a molten salt. Molten salt is salt which liquifies at elevated temperatures and can store massive amounts of thermal energy at atmospheric pressure. [...] MSRs in development today are based on two main designs. The first design uses traditional solid fuel rods, with molten salts used as a coolant instead of water. The second design is a liquid fuel model, in which fissile material (uranium or thorium) is dissolved into a molten salt-based coolant. In these liquid fuel designs, the fission products are dissolved into the molten salt, which is able to circulate through the reactor core where it undergoes fission and generates heat. The heat is [...] reactor gets too hot, a plug made of solid salt melts, allowing the molten salt to flow into the drain tank, stopping the reaction completely without any need for human intervention or external power.

• Molten-salt reactor - Wikipedia

  Example of a molten-salt reactor scheme A molten-salt reactor (MSR) is a class of nuclear fission reactor in which the primary nuclear reactor coolant and/or the fuel is a mixture of molten salt with a fissile material. [...] The molten-salt fast reactor") (MSFR) is a proposed design with the fuel dissolved in a fluoride salt coolant. The MSFR is one of the two variants of MSRs selected by the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) for further development, the other being the FHR or AHTR.[\[25\]]( The MSFR is based on a fast neutron spectrum and is believed to be a long-term substitute to solid-fueled fast reactors. They have been studied for almost a decade, mainly by calculations and determination of basic [...] The UNOMI Molten-Salt Reactor") is a small reactor up to 10 MWe, which eliminates external primary fuel circuit causing loss of delayed neutron, mass transfer phenomenon and corrosion on metallic surface. [\[83\]]( [\[84\]]( ### Russia \[edit\] In 2020, Rosatom announced plans to build a 10 MWth FLiBe burner MSR. It would be fueled by plutonium from reprocessed VVER spent nuclear fuel and fluorides of minor actinides. It is expected to launch in 2031 at Mining and Chemical Combine.[\[85\]](

• Molten salt reactors (MSR) | IAEA

  Initially developed in the 1950s, molten salt reactors have benefits in higher efficiencies and lower waste generation. Some designs do not require solid fuel,

• Molten Salt Reactors - World Nuclear Association

  Molten salt reactors operated in the 1960s. They are seen as a promising technology today principally as a thorium fuel cycle prospect or