REACTOR DESIGN | MOLTEN SALT
Regeneration: The Game-Changer
Molten Salt Corrosion caused by high temperatures and corrosive salts has long plagued
molten salt-based nuclear reactor industries. Now though, a technology designed to produce carbon nanomaterials could be the breakthrough needed to clean impurities from the coolant fuel circulating in molten salt reactor designs
By: Sander Trofimov, Production manager, UP Catalyst
THE ISSUE OF CORROSION CAUSED by high temperatures and corrosive salts has long plagued molten salt-based nuclear reactor industries and other industries such as solar power thermal energy storage. UP Catalyst, an Estonian nanotechnology company has formed a consortium of experts to develop a cutting-edge technology that promises to give better quality control over the salt, by providing a system that can filter out solid particles. UP Catalyst’s technology to produce sustainable carbon
materials and nuclear power generation share common ground in their reliance on high temperatures and the need to remove impurities from the salt. Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs) are nuclear reactors that utilise hot liquid fuel composed of salt in place of the solid fuel commonly used in traditional reactors. The fuel salt has a unique property that allows it to function as both the source of heat and the coolant, making it a highly efficient and flexible option for power generation. The idea for the project called MoReCCU, or Molten Salt
Regeneration for Carbon Capture and Utilization, was born from the need to maximise resource efficiency. UP Catalyst reprocesses CO2
to produce carbon nanomaterials and
graphite, using the electrolysis method with molten salt used as an electrolyte. Working with the Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (INEGI) in Portugal, Slovak University of Technology (STUBA) in Bratislava and the University of Lleida, UP Catalyst joined forces to optimise the technology of Molten Salt Carbon Capture and Electrochemical Transformation (MSCC-ET). This
is a process conducted at very high temperatures reaching 800o Celsius. The consortium is working to implement the best industry practices as it develops the technology. Metal oxidation is a natural consequence of high
temperatures and it can also negatively impact the quality of molten salt, as well as the quality of the end-product in UP Catalyst’s case – carbon. During the project, a semi- automated system that circulates molten salt will be constructed to remove the electrolyte mixture’s impurities. This results in both the preservation of the salt for reuse up to 100 times and an improvement in the quality of the carbon produced. In removing the impurities this is a solution that solves an important production aspect that has been challenging the nuclear industry for many years.
Purifying molten salt Purifying the extracted raw material can often be a lengthy process that involves the use of chemicals to purify and characterise carbon according to customer specifications. The innovation of this system lies in achieving high purity and clean carbon immediately after extraction from the reactor, streamlining the purification process and increasing efficiency. To achieve its goals, the consortium is designing a high-temperature-resistant device that can separate solid particles from the liquid medium. Nickel-based alloys have been widely used in the
nuclear and solar power industries, as they generate a surface oxidation that provides a useful protective layer against further corrosion. However, even with their mild
Above: Backed by Bill Gates Terra Power’s Natrium project features a molten salt energy storage system 36 | June 2023 |
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