Moreover, this moderator is not degraded by neutron irradiation – a challenge that has stalled previous attempts at commercializing the technology. Another attractive feature is a novel liquid salt used as a neutron moderator: it acts as a catalyst to improve the efficiency of the fission chain reaction, reducing the size and cost of generating energy. In either case, it generates a large amount of low-carbon energy. The CMSR works with both fossil fuels and renewable energy sources.
Without a doubt, Seaborg Technologies are motivated by the challenges of the need to address eliminating carbon dioxide and adding electricity through this solution. I have taken their excellent visuals to help describe and present Molten Salt reactors. I read up on Seaborg Technologies based in Denmark that their CMSR (compact molten salt reactor) is in design and further hypothesis validation. It does have as much potential (or even more) to halting carbon emissions than other solutions more readily discussed? But as climate issues increase, we need to consider MSR and ones that seem to be ahead at present, the liquid fluoride thorium reactors (LFTRs) I have used to illustrate MSR’s the visuals supplied by Seaborg Technologies to provide a clearer example of Molten Salt Reactors they offer one concept of a few.Īlso, Thorium-based energyis being significantly invested in still not well tested and does have some scenario’s still to be worked through in design, process and final operation.įusion power is in the future, a future rapidly coming into view without a doubt. There are different approaches to molten salt reactors, all being investigated or tested at present. There is a long list of advantages and disadvantages to working through, but I leave these out of this post. Its need for the future is in new evolving modular solutions. There are quite naturally different bodies of concern about Nuclear in general. Relevant design challenges include the corrosivity of hot salts and the changing chemical composition of the salt as it is transmuted by reactor radiation. These MSR’s still face several challenges. If the core were to overheat, the biggest and best safety feature is that a gravity-enabled passive shutdown system would send the heated, radiated salt into an underground containment chamber or drain tanks by simply gravity and turn off the reactor. The MSR doesn’t require massive cooling in dedicated water ponds or rivers they can be placed anywhere and air-cooled. The combination of offering a low-pressure system and a high boiling point greatly limits the chance of a containment explosion. So why are these not the future for any debate on Nuclear? The MSR can also operate at higher operating temperatures providing higher electricity-generation efficiency, allowing for a greater coupling benefit of having grid-storage facilities, potentially more economical hydrogen product, and some potential for process-heat opportunities. This smaller reactor and these differences provide a key benefit of removing the risks of contaminating large land areas. MSR has significant advantages over traditional nuclear reactors.įirst, the MSR typically operates at or close to atmospheric pressure, rather than 75 to 150 times atmospheric pressure used for LWR’s, thereby reducing the containment structures’ needs and eliminating hydrogen as a source of explosion risk.Įqually, the MSR does not produce dangerous and radioactive fission gases under pressure these are naturally absorbed into the molten salt. There are several different designs, all looking to bring small modular reactors (SMR) to market. It is a class of nuclear fission reactor where the primary coolant and/or the fuel is a molten salt mixture. I wrote a piece recently, “ the Elephant that should be in the Energy Debate,” and it is largely because of the technology, safety and reality of what Nuclear offers in new approaches and designs that make it have a real place to be at the Energy Transition table.įirstly what is a molten salt reactor (MSR)? This is largely from the use of salt! Well, actually, small modular reactors offer a Nuclear future as part of our clean energy requirements. Nuclear has been not given the debate it deserves. Let’s discuss Nuclear in different ways than the present discussion has gone.