Radiochemical Facilities for the Molten Salts in Nuclear Technologies Network

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The Molten Salt in Nuclear Technology Laboratory (MSNTL) aims to provide a network of research equipment and expertise to support the recently expanding interests in molten salt technologies for use in next generation nuclear fuel cycles. Recent world-wide interest in molten salt reactor (MSR) technology in advanced nuclear reactor designs presents an ideal opportunity to utilise the UK's established expertise in spent nuclear fuel pyroprocessing to make a vital contribution to the emerging development of this reactor type. Even though there has recently been substantial investment in MSR designs across numerous companies and institutes, there are still substantial research challenges that need to be addressed to allow the deployment of these advanced reactors. The MSNTL addresses a gap in capability by providing user access to state-of-the-art research facilities that can safely handle fluoride melts (the dominant salt type in MSRs) with radionuclides and radiation doses that will be present in these reactor process environments. The equipment provided in the MSNTL will allow the safe assessment of salt and materials behavior in process-like demanding environments, and enable the development of valid management strategies for waste streams from molten salt technologies. The MSNTL forms a key component in a large network of facilities that can provide comprehensive assessments of molten salt technologies across radioactivity levels and process scales.