• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.9
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• pp.3730-3739
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• 2024

The high-temperature molten salt pump is the core equipment in the small modular molten salt reactor with media temperatures up to 700 ℃. The cantilever ratio of the molten salt pump is usually large. Excessively large cantilever ratios cause increased deformations and rotational amplitudes at the impeller, thus affecting the operational stability of the main pump; small cantilever ratios cause heavy temperature gradients, thus affecting the structural integrity evaluation. This paper used numerical simulation methods to calculate and analyze the temperature field, stress, and structural integrity, optimized the pump shaft cantilever length of the original scheme based on structural integrity using the dichotomy method, and analyzed the rotor dynamics of the optimization results. The results of this study show that the thermal expansion load caused by the temperature difference has a significant mechanical effect on the structure; the first-order critical speed of the rotor system of the optimized schemes has been improved, and the amplitude of the unbalanced response has been significantly reduced, which not only improves the operational stability of the rotor, also contributes to the compact design of the main pump of a small modular molten salt reactor.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.97-102
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• 2024

The next-generation Molten Salt Reactor is known for its high safety because it uses nuclear fuel dissolved in high-temperature molten salt, unlike traditional solid atomic fuel methods. However, the high-temperature molten salt causes severe corrosion in internal structural materials, threatening the reactor's safety. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the high-temperature corrosion resistance and wear performance of materials used in reactors to ensure safety. In this study, the high-temperature corrosion resistances and wear performances of corrosion samples in a NaCl-MgCl2-KCl (20-40-40 [wt%]) molten salt are investigated to evaluate the applicability of economically viable stainless steels, 316SS and 304SS. Hastelloy C276 and a new alloy containing a small amount of Nb are used as reference samples for comparative analysis. The mass loss, mass loss rate per unit volume, and surface roughness of each sample are measured to understand the corrosion mechanisms. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy analyses are employed to analyze the corrosion mechanisms. Wear tests on the corroded samples are also conducted to assess the extent of corrosion. Based on the experimental results, we predict the lifespans of the materials and evaluate their suitability as candidate materials for molten salt reactors. The data obtained from the experiments provide a valuable database for structural materials that can enhance the stability of molten salt reactors and recommend high-temperature corrosion-resistant materials suitable for next-generation reactors.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.8
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• pp.1727-1732
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• 2017

Pyroprocessing is an alternative method of reprocessing spent fuel, usually involving the dissolving spent fuel in a molten salt media. The National Nuclear Laboratory designed, built, and commissioned a molten salt dynamics rig to investigate the transfer characteristics of molten lithium chloride-potassium chloride eutectic salt. The efficacy and flow characteristics of a high-temperature centrifugal pump and argon gas lift were obtained for pumping the molten salt at temperatures up to $500^{\circ}C$. The rig design proved suitable on an industrial scale and transfer methods appropriate for use in future molten salt systems. Corrosion within the rig was managed, and melting techniques were optimized to reduce stresses on the rig. The results obtained improve the understanding of molten salt transport dynamics, materials, and engineering design issues and support the industrialization of molten salts pyroprocessing.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.34 no.12
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• pp.1093-1099
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• 2010

For Very High Temperature Reactors (VHTR), the designs of the Intermediate Heat Transport Loop (IHTL) and the Intermediate Heat Exchanger (IHX) are particularly difficult because of the high-temperature operation (up to $950^{\circ}C$). In this study, Flinak molten salt, a eutectic mixture of LiF, NaF, and KF (46.5:11.5:42.0 mole %) is considered as the heat transporting fluid in the IHTL. To evaluate the flow and heat transfer performance of the Flinak molten salt in small channels with hydraulic diameters in the millimeter range, a double-pipe heat exchanger was constructed using small-diameter tubes for the heat exchange between the Flinak and the gas flow. The experimental data showed that, for laminar Flinak flow, the measured friction factors were close to the 64/Re curve and the Nusselt numbers were generally between 3.66 and 4.36.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.251-259
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• 2004

In the development of the advanced spent fuel management process based on the molten salt technology, it is essential to choose the optimum material for the process equipment handling molten salt. Corrosion behavior of Ni 200 and Ni-base alloys in molten salt of LiCl-$Li_2$O under oxidation atmosphere was investigated in the temperature range of $650～800^{\circ}C$ for 24～312 hrs. The order of corrosion rate was Ni 200 > Inconel 690 > Inconel 601 > Inconel 600. Inconel 600 alloy showed the highest corrosion resistance among the examined alloys, but Ni 200 exhibited the highest corrosion rate. Corrosion products of Inconel 600 and Inconel 601 were $Cr_2$$O_3$ and $NiFe_2$$O_4$. In case of Inconel 690, a single layer of $CrO_2$$O_3$ was formed in the early stage of corrosion and an outer layer of $NiFe_2$O$_4$ and inner layer of $Cr_2$$O_3$ were formed with increase of corrosion time. Inconel 600 showed local corrosion behavior and Inconel 601, 690 showed uniform corrosion behavior.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.528-534
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• 2014

Thermal batteries are primary reserve batteries that use inorganic salt as electrolytes which are inactive at room temperature. The two principal heat sources that have been used in thermal batteries are heat paper and heat pellets. As soon as the heat paper, which is ignited by the initiator, in turn ignites the heat pellets, all the solid electrolytes are melted into excellent ionic conductors. However, the high combustion temperature by heat papers in thermal batteries causes thermal decomposition at the cathode, eventually leading to a thermal runaway. In this paper, we have attempted to prepare $Zr/BaCrO_4$ heat papers coated with KCl molten salt. We have also investigated the effect of a molten salt coating on the heat papers through the thermal characteristics such as calorimetric value, combustion temperature and burning rate. The calorimetric value and combustion temperature of heat papers were reduced with an increase in the molten salt coating. As a result, the molten salt coating on heat papers greatly reduced risk of a thermal runaway and improved the stability of thermal batteries.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.3-9
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• 2002

The corrosion behavior of alloys in a molten salt was investigated along with the oxidation characteristics in the air. The basic composition of alloys in the study was Fe-25Ni-7Cr with Si and RE(rare-earth metal) as additives. The corrosion rate of the alloys was low in a molten salt of LiCl while the rate was high in the mixed molten salt of LiCl and $Li_2O$. When Si is added to the base alloy of Fe-25Ni-7Cr, corrosion resistance was improved as the Si content is increased up to 3%, however, it was observed that the corrosion resistance was getting worse as the Si content is increased. The base alloy with 2.43% of Si and 0.9% of RE(KSA-65), showed higher corrosion rate compared to that of KSA-63 alloy with an equivalent amount of only Si. The corrosion resistance of KSA-65 was similar to that of the base alloy(KSA-60). The oxidation resistance of KSA-65 alloy was greatly increased even at $850^{\circ}C$ for a long term exposure.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2008.05a
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• pp.190-193
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• 2008

The heat transfer characteristics of molten salt storage system for the solar thermal power generation were investigated. Temperature profiles and the heat transfer coefficients during the storage and discharge stage were obtained with the steam as the heat transfer fluid. Two kinds of inorganic salt were employed as the storage materials and coil type of heat exchanger were installed in both tanks to provide the heat transfer surfaces during the storage and discharge stage. The effects of steam flow rates, flow direction of steam in the storage tank and the initial temperature of storage and discharge tank on the heat transfer were tested.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.209-229
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• 2022

This work provided a review of three techniques-(1) spectrochemical, (2) electrochemical, and (3) spectroelectrochemical-for molten salt medias. A spectroelectrochemical system was designed by utilizing this information. Here, we designed a spectroelectrochemical cell (SEC) and calibrated temperature controllers, and performed initial tests to explore the system's capability limit. There were several issues and a redesign of the cell was accomplished. The modification of the design allowed us to assemble, align the system with the light sources, and successfully transferred the setup inside a controlled environment. A preliminary run was executed to obtain transmission and absorption background of NaCl-CaCl₂ salt at 600℃. It shows that the quartz cuvette has high transmittance effects across all wavelengths and there were lower transmittance effects at the lower wavelength in the molten salt media. Despite a successful initial run, the quartz vessel was mated to the inner cavity of the SEC body. Moreover, there was shearing in the patch cord which resulted in damage to the fiber optic cable, deterioration of the SEC, corrosion in the connection of the cell body, and fiber optic damage. The next generation of the SEC should attach a high temperature fiber optic patch cords without introducing internal mechanical stress to the patch cord body. In addition, MACOR should be used as the cell body materials to prevent corrosion of the surface and avoid the mating issue and a use of an adapter from a manufacturer that combines the free beam to a fiber optic cable should be incorporated in the future design.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.1324-1331
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• 2023

In the present work, we carried out a molecular dynamics study of the kinetic properties of the FLiNaK molten salt, as well as a detailed study of the structure of this salt melt. The high value of the self-diffusion coefficient of fluorine ions is due to the large number of Coulomb repulsions between the most numerous negative ions. The calculated values of shear viscosity are in good agreement with the experimental data, as well as with the reference data obtained on the basis of finding the most reliable data. The total and partial functions of the radial distribution are calculated. According to the statistical analysis, fluorine ions have the greatest numerical diversity in the environment of similar ions, and sodium ions with the lowest representation in FLiNaK, have the least such diversity. For the subsystem of fluorine ions, the rotational symmetry of the fifth order is the most pronounced. Some of the fluorine ions form linear chains consisting of three atoms, which are not formed for positive ions. The results of the work give an understanding of the behavior molten FLiNaK under operating conditions in a molten salt reactor and will find application in future studies of this molten salt.