Table of Contents
Does a molten salt reactor use uranium?
In the normal or basic MSR concept, the fuel is a molten mixture of lithium and beryllium fluoride (FLiBe) salts with dissolved low-enriched uranium (U-235 or U-233) fluorides (UF4). The core consists of unclad graphite moderator arranged to allow the flow of salt at about 700°C and at low pressure.
Do Natrium reactors use uranium?
Natrium reactors are uranium fueled. Both the demonstration plant and the first set of commercial plants will run on high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU). Natrium plants will not require reprocessing and will run on a once-through fuel cycle that limits the risk of weapons proliferation.
What fuel is used in a molten salt reactor?
Global research is currently led by China. Some have solid fuel similar to HTR fuel, others have fuel dissolved in the molten salt coolant. Molten salt reactors (MSRs) use molten fluoride salts as primary coolant, at low pressure.
Can thorium be mixed with uranium in a nuclear reactor?
Considering liquid-fuel MSR designs, thorium can be dissolved with the uranium in a single fluid MSR, known as a homogeneous design. Two-fluid, or heterogeneous MSRs, would have fertile salt containing thorium in a second loop separate from the fuel salt containing fissile uranium or plutonium and could operate as a breeder reactor (MSBR).
How does a uranium reactor work?
Uranium reactors use uranium-235 as their fissile fuel, as well as the plutonium-239 that is produced from the uranium-238 that is also present in the fuel, and this reaction produces enough neutrons to perpetuate the reaction until the fuel is used up or the control rods are used to absorb the neutrons and slow the reaction.
Why doesn’t India use a molten salt nuclear reactor?
The thorium reactor that India is working on uses a plutonium core to provide the neutrons, so it is a fast-breeder reactor, and would be more difficult to shut down if something went wrong. [5,7] It is also a solid-fuel heavy water reactor, so it lacks whatever high-temperature stability benefits a molten salt reactor might have. [7]