Fused salt power reactor study. Minutes of discussion meeting No. 6

Abstract

H. G. MacPherson presented a general review of the objectives as outlined in a proposal to the AEC last fall, and the progress which has been made toward achieving these objectives. (1) To examine various fused salt designs in sufficient detail to determine relative desirability. Enough designs have been studied to warrant selection of a reference design reactor. (2) To determine the nature of and to initiate additional experimental work and development engineering studies needed. Point (2) is being carried out and will be achieved, although experimental work is limited at present due to insufficient funds. (3) To carry through with the design of a complete reactor system selected as the best compromise between practicality of early construction and the ultimate desirability of its features. Safety and low ultimate power costs were the two main features considered. The use of Ni-Mo alloys allows the consideration of other salts, primarily salts based on the Be system instead of the Zr system, and present plans are to use a Be base salt.. The present reference design is a two region reactor with a core about 6 feet in diameter, containing about 3000 liters (~113 cu ft), surrounded by a blanket containing amore » fused salt with a high thorium concentration. Materials problems and neutronics of the proposed reactor were also discussed at this 1957 meeting.« less