Kinetic analysis of molten salt reactors

Abstract EN

The molten salt reactor (MSR) represents one of the promising high temperature nuclear reactor types for future generation of electricity which is characterized by remarkable advantages in inherent safety, fuel cycle, miniaturization, effective utilization of nuclear resources and proliferation resistance.

The molten salt reactor is characterized by circulation of fuel salt (mixture of molten salt and fissile-fertile isotopes).

The circulation of fuel salt serves the purpose of coolant as well as fuel simultaneously.

This results in strongly coupled neutronics and thermo-hydraulics system.

These special features require a modification to mathematical models applicable to static fuel system.

In this paper, coupled point kinetics equations and core heat transfer have been modeled by developing a mathematical model for MSR based on lumped parameters technique and modes of transients such as: reactivity insertion, fuel mass flow rate variations, and the inlet temperature drop conditions.

The results showed that the program is a suitable tool for MSR transient analysis.