MOLTEN SALT | REACTOR DESIGN
corrosion properties, they still give off small amounts of metal particles. The MoReCCU project aims to monitor the cumulative concentration of metal particles in the molten salt, enabling better control of the cleanliness of the molten salt. This is particularly crucial for molten salt nuclear reactors, where the corrosivity of molten salts and the changing chemical composition of the salt/fuel mixture pose significant maintenance challenges. By giving the industry a device that can operate in up to 800-degree environments and can handle the corrosive nature of the molten salt, they can react faster to different corrosion- related failures. Nuclear molten salt reactors typically operate at around 700 degrees. By using the filtration device as a solid material removal, technicians can also analyse the composition of the particles. This information can act as an early warning sign for emerging corrosion-related incidents. Decayed fuel products can also be removed using this technology, thereby increasing the efficiency and safety of the reactors. The project is tackling important production challenges, including waste management, energy efficiency, and resource efficiency. It offers a sustainable alternative to reduce the need for environmentally damaging carbonate salt mining, while also targeting a reduction in production costs. Over the past three years, the cost of carbonate salt has skyrocketed by 260%, primarily due to its widespread usage in energy storage applications. By tackling these
challenges, the project proposes a promising cost-effective strategy for repurposing valuable materials. The device is suitable for use in a wide range of industries. As the project leader and technology owner, UP Catalyst
will coordinate the technical and operational activities. The University of Lleida will conceptualise the system and determine the key requirements. The Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava will be responsible for the design of the molten salt regeneration system, which will be later constructed by consortium partner INEGI. The development timeline for the filtering system project
involves several important milestones. The lab scale test filter was completed recently. This will be followed by the selection of filter material and completion of the full-scale design by September of this year. Once the design for the kilogram-scale reactor is finalised, work on the tonne-scale design will begin at the end of 2023. By autumn of 2024, the team aims to have the tonne-scale filtering system ready for implementation. These critical milestones represent a systematic approach to project development and demonstrate the team’s commitment to achieving its goals in a timely and effective manner. Removing impurities from the salt at high temperatures the nuclear industry can improve the quality of its molten salt fuels as well as control corrosion more effectively and increasing both the efficiency and safety of these reactor designs. ■
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www.neimagazine.com | June 2023 | 37
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