Influence of transmutation products on the thermophysical properties of eutectic NaCl-UCl3 fuel salt in a fast-spectrum molten salt reactor

IF 2.8 2区工程技术 Q3 MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Journal of Nuclear Materials Pub Date : 2025-02-01 DOI:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2024.155572

Sudipta Paul , Siamak Attarian , Massimiliano Fratoni , Dane Morgan , Izabela Szlufarska

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Abstract

During the operation of fast-spectrum liquid-fueled molten salt reactors (MSRs), the salt composition of the fuel salt changes due to the generation of transmutation products (TPs) with the depletion of fuel, which can influence the thermophysical properties of the salt. Here, we evaluate changes in thermophysical properties of NaCl-UCl₃, such as density, viscosity, heat capacity, and thermal conductivity, due to generation of TPs after a representative burn-up of 180 MWd/Kg-HM. Concentration of TPs was determined from Monte Carlo simulations. Thermophysical properties were evaluated using semi-empirical models with input from experiments, ab initio molecular dynamics, and machine learning potentials. Our analysis predicts that although the aforementioned properties of the salt mixture are altered after the burn-up period, the concentration of TPs is small enough so that the overall changes in these properties in the fuel salt are likely not significant for nuclear applications.

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来源期刊

Journal of Nuclear Materials 工程技术-材料科学：综合

CiteScore

5.70

自引率

25.80%

发文量

601

审稿时长

63 days

期刊介绍： The Journal of Nuclear Materials publishes high quality papers in materials research for nuclear applications, primarily fission reactors, fusion reactors, and similar environments including radiation areas of charged particle accelerators. Both original research and critical review papers covering experimental, theoretical, and computational aspects of either fundamental or applied nature are welcome. The breadth of the field is such that a wide range of processes and properties in the field of materials science and engineering is of interest to the readership, spanning atom-scale processes, microstructures, thermodynamics, mechanical properties, physical properties, and corrosion, for example. Topics covered by JNM Fission reactor materials, including fuels, cladding, core structures, pressure vessels, coolant interactions with materials, moderator and control components, fission product behavior. Materials aspects of the entire fuel cycle. Materials aspects of the actinides and their compounds. Performance of nuclear waste materials; materials aspects of the immobilization of wastes. Fusion reactor materials, including first walls, blankets, insulators and magnets. Neutron and charged particle radiation effects in materials, including defects, transmutations, microstructures, phase changes and macroscopic properties. Interaction of plasmas, ion beams, electron beams and electromagnetic radiation with materials relevant to nuclear systems.