Progress of small modular molten salt reactor RD

Progress of small modular molten salt reactor R&D in China Yang ZOU TMSR Center，SINAP，CAS International Small Modular Reactor Development Forum 2017 -10 -19, Shanghai

OUTLINE Introduction Progress of TMSR R&D Small modular TMSRs concepts Summary 2

OUTLINE Introduction Progress of TMSR R&D Small modular TMSRs concepts Summary 3

TMSR Project (Chinese Academy of Sciences) 中文名称：钍基熔盐堆核能系统 英文名称：Thorium Molten Salt Reactor Nuclear Energy System Abbr. ：TMSR Aims ：Develop Th-Energy, Non-electric application of high temperature Nuclear Energy based on TMSR during coming 20 -30 years. 4

What’s MSR employ mixed molten fluoride/chloride salts as it’s fuel and coolant, working in ambient pressure, high temperature. MSR can be used to power generation and hybrid-energy application Coolant Water Sodium Helium Molten Salt Chemical Stability ++++ +++ Material Compatibility ++++ +++ Heat Transfer ++ ++++ + ++ Heat Capacity ++++ +++ High Temperature + ++++ Pressure + ++++ *@75 atm 5

反应堆功率与输出温度关系图 （熔盐堆具有明显优势） 布 雷 顿 循 环 熔盐堆（低压） 金属冷却快堆 热 化 学 循 环 熔盐堆（低压） 轻水堆 朗 肯 循 环 制氢 David Holcomb, The Advanced High Temperature Reactor (AHTR), First DOE Workshop on Fluoride Salt Cooled Reactors , ORNL, September 20 -21, 2010

Key performance & On-line fueling and processing: TMSR can loading fuel and remove fission products on-line to realize high fuel utilization. Backup reactivity is small, reactivity control system is simple , which is good for small modular design. & Ambient pressure: Components are small, good for modular design. Many accidents in PWR can be avoid. & Retention for radioactivity: Molten salt is a stable compound, which can retain important radioactive nuclide in accidents, such as I-131, Sr-90, Cs-137. 7

TMSR Roadmap Combined batched dry-processing and fission products removal. Power contribution of Th will be beyond 80%. Realize Th/U cycle. 2040 The first batched dry-processing demonstration facility for Th/U cycle. Realize U-233 recovery utilization. Power contribution of Th will be beyond 40%. 2035 100 MWe level small modular demonstration TMSR. Power contribution of Th will be beyond 20%. 2030 2 MWt Liquid-fueled TMSR，innvoative low-carbon and high effection energy demonstration system. 2020 8

100 MW small Demonstration modular TMSR reactor 国产化率（核） 部件装备： ≥ 80% 关键材料： ≥ 80% 2030 10 MWsolid fueled TMSR (TMSR-SF 1) 2 MW Liquid fueled TMSR (TMSR-LF 1) 2020 TMSR仿真堆 (TMSR-SF 0) 2017 国产化率（非核） 主要装备： ≥ 90% 关键材料： ≥ 90% 国产化率（核） 主要装备： ≥ 80% 关键材料： ≥ 60%

OUTLINE Introduction Progress of TMSR R&D Small modular TMSRs concepts Summary 10

Progress of TMSR R&D & Thorium utilization Ø Th/U fuel cycle: A three-steps roadmap for thorium utilization. Whole life-cycle evaluation for Th/U cycle. Ø Dry-processing: Fluorination and electrochemical separation for U recovery， Distillation for carrier salt purification. Offline Centralized Processing facility. & TMSR design Ø Materials, components, instrumentations, key technologies, etc. Ø Integrated T-H effect test facility construction (TMSRSF 0) Ø Experimental reactors design (TMSR-LF 1, TMSR-SF 1) 11

R&D roadmap Small modular MSR KW-MW 10 MW，100 MW Experimental MSRs Material science Reactor component Pump Heat exchanger IC Chemical science T-H loops SF 0 12

TMSR-SF 1 & 10 MWt solid-fueled MSR (FHR) & Goals of TMSR-SF 1 Ø Demonstrate concept and safety of solid-fueled MSR Ø Develop and integrate key technologies and components. Ø Build experimental platform for future reactors development: Reactor physics research, design, benchmark of modeling codes, technology and components test, materials and fuel (component) irradiated properties, etc. . 13

General parameters & Reactor power: 10 MWth & Coolant temperature: Inlet 600 C, outlet 650 C. & Fuel element: TRISO fuel, 6 cm sphere. & Core: Graphite core, conventional pebble bed arrangement. & With passive residual heat removal. & Temperature limitations: Fuel, <1400 C; coolant outlet, <750 C. & Reactor vessel pressure limitations: <5 atm. 14

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TMSR-LF 1 & Goals of TMSR-LF 1 Ø Demonstrate concept of MSR with liquid fuel and pyroprocessing. Ø Demonstrate Th-U cycle and its features. Ø MSR physics and chemistry research. Ø Build experimental platform for future reactors and Th-U cycle development. Thermal power 2 MWth Fuel salts Li. F-Be. F 2 -UF 4 -Th. F 4 Inlet temperature 630 ℃ Outlet temperature 650 ℃ Number of Loops 2 16

Layout and Main Features & Integrated design (primary loop) & Passive air cooling residual heat removal system & Core: Graphite channels & Materials: GH 3535 alloy 17

R&D of Components Salt pump Freezing valve Graphite structure test facility Heat exchanger Pressure meter film Control rod test facility Fuel sphere Loading facility Ultrasonic flowmeter benchmark platform 18

Molten Salt Loops & Completed three molten salt loops for T-H experiments, key materials and components test, instrumentations test, key technologies test. Fli. Na. K salts loops Nitrites loop Natural circulation test facility 19

TMSR-SF 0 p Integrated TH effect testing, Component and material testing facility for licensing. 系统类似 尺寸缩比 1: 3 SF 1 SF 0 SF 1 Coolant FLi. Be SF 0 p Platform of simulator and Operator training for experimental reactor. FLi. Na. K Temperature 600℃-650℃ Size ratio 1: 3 Aera ratio 1: 9 Volume ratio 1: 27 power 10 MW 370 k. W speed 84 kg/s 3. 9 kg/s 20

OUTLINE Introduction Progress of TMSR R&D Small modular TMSRs concepts Summary 21

Small modular TMSRs Hydrogen production Power generation p Space reactor p Scientific base k. W-MWe Heat deliver Steam production p. Drilling platform p. Ships 10 MWe Sea water desalination p Islands p Dry regions 100 MWe 22

p Combined with different high effciency energy cycle 700 ℃ Served for energy demand in One Belt One Road

Options for series small modular TMSR & Type: Solid-fueled MSR, Liquid-fueled MSR & Salts: Fluoride salts, chloride salts in primary loop & Primary loop: Integrated reactor, compact reactor & Fuel cycle: Th+U, Pu+Th, U, Pu etc. & Circulation: natural / forced circulation & Spectra: thermal / fast neutron TMSR 24

Consideration Safety Intrinsic safety, eliminate possiblity of large scale radioactivity release. Economy Thorium utilization, multi hybrid energy application, Special goals Deployment Used matured technologies for design and construction. 25

100 MWe level Liquid-fueled Small Modular TMSR A multi-purpose clean energy supplier ØElectricity production ØSeawater desalination ØHydrogen or methyl alcohol production ØSteam supply Air cooling Tower Thorium utilization Heat exchanger Water tank Control rod containment Pump 700℃ Pump IHX Reactor body 600℃ Drain tank Water cooling tank 26

Features p. Ambient pressure、chemical stability、high safety p. Modular fabrication, transport, assemble and maintance punderground construction p. Simple , fast deployment

Scale up for different power requirements Typical deployment for a station One unit, two units, six units (GW level) 28

Modular design consideration Typical station capacity One unit, two units, six units (GW level) Multi-purpose modules Can be deployed for different applications in different regions by using different modules Reactor body will be changed per 6 -8 years Fuel will be purified per 6 -8 years with dryprocessing. Batched dry-processing for spent fuel Other modules Can be changed or added or removed due to requirement Produce, Transport, Assemble All modules will be produced in factory, and can be easily transported and assembled building No especial requirements 29

Overall design features Reactor type Small modular liquid-fueled Molten Salt Reactor Power of one unit 400 MWth / 168 MWe In / Out temperature 600 / 700 ℃ Generator Deployed by different applications （1） Super CO 2 cycle （2）Supercritical water steam cycle （3）Open Air Brayton Cycle & Rankine Cycle （4）Closed Hellium Brayton Cycle Fuel salts Li. F-Be. F 2 -UF 4 -Th. F 4 (19. 75% U-235) Moderator Graphite Structural material Nickel-based alloy， stainless steel Processing for Fuel cycle Online degassing (Xe, ke, T), off-line remove solid fission products Residual Heat removal Whole passive residual heat removal system 30

Thorium utilization p 19. 75% U-235 and Th-232 p. On-line refueling p Batched processing for spent fuel p Power ratio of Th is about 30~40% 31

Layout of GW level plant with 6 reactor 32

Integrated small modular fast reactor p. Integrated design p. Container transport p. Chloride/Fluoride molten salt fuel p. Integral loading and unloading p. One cycle operation time＞ 10 years Factory manufacture Container transport Power 1 -10 MWe Height <4. 0 m Diameter ＜ 2. 5 m Integral loading and unloading 33

10 MWe level whole natural circulation TMSR-LF p. Safe and Simple, also means economic p. Without pump. Pump is one of very important, difficult and safety-relevant componet in reactor. p. Fuel: FLi. Be-Th-U/ FNa. Be-Th-U, etc. Power 10 -50 MWe Height 8 -10 m Diameter ~3. 5 m Temperature 550℃/750℃ 34

10 MWe level whole natural circulation MSR-SF ØWhole natural circulation ØTriso particle prism fuel ØCoolant: FLi. Be Salts ØIntrinsic safety: fuel, coolant and without pump PHX Control Rod Channel Hot Leg Reactor Core Power 10 -50 MWe Height 8 -10 m Diameter ~3. 5 m Temperature 550 -750℃ Cold Leg Active Zone Fuel Elements Lower Plenum 35

50 MWe integrated TMSR-LF ØIntegrated design ØModular design Ø Small size for transportation Power Fuel DXH 50 MWe Li. F-Be. F 2 -Th. F 4 -UF 4 3. 5 m X 7 m Temperature 600 -700℃ 36

100 MWe level solid-fueled TMSR n TMSR-SF 2 is a 168 MWe solid-fueled (Pebble Bed) Fluoride-cooled Hightemperature Reactor (PB-FHR). Shell TRISOs Fuel Pebble OPy. C Si. C IPy. C BUffer TRISO Fuel Kernel Electrical capacity (MW(e)) 168 Thermal capacity (MW(th)) 400 Coolant/moderator Flibe/Graphite Core inlet/outlet temperatures (o. C) 600 /700 Fuel type/assembly array Pebble / Floating bed Fuel enrichment (%) 19. 75% n Inherent safety: near-ambient pressure, low excess reactivity, large margin of fuel temperature. n Free-water cooling: suitable for a variety of areas. n Mature technology: fuel pebbles in HTR, fluoride salts in MSR, turbine technology in gas turbine. 37

Low-carbon energy solution H-T TMSR+Hybrid-energy application 海水淡化 CAS-TMSR As a good material for energy transfer and storage, molten salt has been widely used in CSP station and energy storge system. DOE-INL

OUTLINE Introduction Progress of TMSR R&D Small modular TMSRs concepts Summary 39

Summary & MSR is a kind of innovative reactor for Gen-IV reactor system. Due to good and balanced features of molten salt, SM-MSR has potential to realize high safety, good economy, and sustainability Gen-IV nuclear system. & TMSR has done many effort on MSR. R&D of key technologies have been finished for experimental TMSR, which will be finished by 2020. The first demonstration small modular TMSR will be constructed by 2030. & None-electrifcity and energy storage applications of MS and MSR will wide extend application, perspect and potential of TMSR 40

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION WELCOME TO TMSR CENTER 41