Considerations of Alloy N Code Extension for Commercial Molten Salt Reactor Development and Deployment

For commercial development and deployment of the molten salt reactor, a structural alloy that provides both strength at high temperature and resistance to very corrosive molten salt environment is required. To meet this requirement, a survey is conducted on domestic and international candidate alloys. Alloy N turns out to be the sole frontrunner in readiness for qualification to enable the desired deployment within an estimated 10 years. A review of the qualification for commercial nuclear applications indicates that Alloy N has met a large portion of the requirements. Gaps in the qualification are also identified. A search for historical data is underway to retrieve information needed for filling the gaps and upgrading the qualification. Scope of the discovered historical data is briefly discussed and strategic planning for research and development pathway is suggested to ensure successful evolution in commercial deployment of the molten salt reactor system.