The present disclosure provides systems and methods for fast molten salt reactor fuel-salt preparation. In one implementation, the method may comprise providing fuel assemblies having fuel pellets, removing the fuel pellets and spent fuel constituents from the fuel assemblies, granulating the removed fuel pellets or process feed to a chlorination process, processing the granular spent fuel salt into chloride salt by ultimate reduction and chlorination of the uranium and associated fuel constituents chloride salt solution, enriching the granular spent fuel salt, chlorinating the enriched granular spent fuel salt to yield molten chloride salt fuel, analyzing, adjusting, and certifying the molten chloride salt fuel for end use in a molten salt reactor, pumping the molten chloride salt fuel and cooling the molten chloride salt fuel, and milling the solidified molten chloride salt fuel to predetermined specifications.

A liquid metal cooled molten salt reactor having a liquid metal vessel connected to a gas chamber that is connected to a molten salt chamber that is connected with a hot liquid metal vessel. A fuel salt that is withdrawn from the fuel salt tank through a feeding tube into the molten salt chamber from which the fuel salt is withdrawn into a salt separator. A purging gas is inserted into the gas chamber and withdrawn. A liquid metal coolant is dispensed from the liquid metal vessel through a plurality of dispensing nozzles into the molten salt chamber. The liquid metal coolant flows through the molten salt into a hot liquid metal vessel and then through a liquid metal filter into a liquid metal pump. The liquid metal coolant flows through a thermal exchanger subsequently returning to the liquid metal vessel.

A liquid metal cooled molten salt reactor having a liquid metal vessel connected to a gas chamber that is connected to a molten salt chamber that is connected with a hot liquid metal vessel. A fuel salt that is withdrawn from the fuel salt tank through a feeding tube into the molten salt chamber from which the fuel salt is withdrawn into a salt separator. A purging gas is inserted into the gas chamber and withdrawn. A liquid metal coolant is dispensed from the liquid metal vessel through a plurality of dispensing nozzles into the molten salt chamber. The liquid metal coolant flows through the molten salt into a hot liquid metal vessel and then through a liquid metal filter into a liquid metal pump. The liquid metal coolant flows through a thermal exchanger subsequently returning to the liquid metal vessel.

A closed-vessel molten salt reactor (cvMSR) is described herein. A cvMSR may comprise a suspended container, such as a metallic container, within a trench surrounded by a concrete enclosure and a concrete cover having a number of channels. The suspended container may be hollow and a solution of fissile materials and salt materials may be provided within the suspended container. The solution may be capable of undergoing a chain reaction nuclear fission process once a threshold temperature is reached. Heat generated by the solution may heat a fluid surrounding the suspended container. The heated fluid may be transported, through the number of channels of the concrete cover, to an external location where the heated fluid may be used in distributing heat and/or electricity generation.

A closed-vessel molten salt reactor (cvMSR) is described herein. A cvMSR may comprise a suspended container, such as a metallic container, within a trench surrounded by a concrete enclosure and a concrete cover having a number of channels. The suspended container may be hollow and a solution of fissile materials and salt materials may be provided within the suspended container. The solution may be capable of undergoing a chain reaction nuclear fission process once a threshold temperature is reached. Heat generated by the solution may heat a fluid surrounding the suspended container. The heated fluid may be transported, through the number of channels of the concrete cover, to an external location where the heated fluid may be used in distributing heat and/or electricity generation.

A combined power generation system and method of a small fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature reactor and solar tower is provided, which belongs to the field of new energy and renewable energy application and includes: a nuclear reactor power generation system, a solar tower power generation system and a heat compensation system. Both the nuclear reactor power generation system and the solar tower power generation system adopt supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle system to generate electricity efficiently; molten salt pool in the nuclear reactor power generation system stores high-temperature heat from the modular reactor, and multi-stage temperature heat is utilized for generating power and compensating heat required by the solar tower power generation system.

A combined power generation system and method of a small fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature reactor and solar tower is provided, which belongs to the field of new energy and renewable energy application and includes: a nuclear reactor power generation system, a solar tower power generation system and a heat compensation system. Both the nuclear reactor power generation system and the solar tower power generation system adopt supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle system to generate electricity efficiently; molten salt pool in the nuclear reactor power generation system stores high-temperature heat from the modular reactor, and multi-stage temperature heat is utilized for generating power and compensating heat required by the solar tower power generation system.

A method of generating power using a Thorium-containing molten salt fuel is disclosed. One example of the disclosed method includes the steps of providing a vessel containing a molten salt fuel, the molten salt fuel comprising Thorium and at least one salt containing a nucleus capable of interacting with a proton of sufficient energy to produce a (p, n) reaction resulting in the generation of a neutron at a first energy level and generating a proton beam externally to the vessel, where the externally generated proton beam being of an energy level sufficient to interact with the at least one salt in the vessel to produce a (p, n) reaction resulting in the generation of a neutron at the first energy level. In the example, the externally generated proton beam is directed into the vessel such that at least some protons forming the beam will interact with an atom forming a part of the at least one salt contained in the vessel to causing interaction between the externally generated proton beam and the at least one salt contained in the vessel to produce (p, n) reactions resulting in the generation of neutrons within the vessel and an absorption reaction involving the generated neutrons and Thorium within the vessel. Neutrons generated within the vessel through the (p, n) reactions caused by the externally generated proton’s interaction with the at least one salt are utilized to produce a fission reaction where the fission reaction increases. the heat content of the molten salt within the vessel. In the example, a heat exchanger is used to extract heat from the molten salt within the vessel and power is generated from the extracted heat.

A method of generating power using a Thorium-containing molten salt fuel is disclosed. One example of the disclosed method includes the steps of providing a vessel containing a molten salt fuel, the molten salt fuel comprising Thorium and at least one salt containing a nucleus capable of interacting with a proton of sufficient energy to produce a (p, n) reaction resulting in the generation of a neutron at a first energy level and generating a proton beam externally to the vessel, where the externally generated proton beam being of an energy level sufficient to interact with the at least one salt in the vessel to produce a (p, n) reaction resulting in the generation of a neutron at the first energy level. In the example, the externally generated proton beam is directed into the vessel such that at least some protons forming the beam will interact with an atom forming a part of the at least one salt contained in the vessel to causing interaction between the externally generated proton beam and the at least one salt contained in the vessel to produce (p, n) reactions resulting in the generation of neutrons within the vessel and an absorption reaction involving the generated neutrons and Thorium within the vessel. Neutrons generated within the vessel through the (p, n) reactions caused by the externally generated proton’s interaction with the at least one salt are utilized to produce a fission reaction where the fission reaction increases. the heat content of the molten salt within the vessel. In the example, a heat exchanger is used to extract heat from the molten salt within the vessel and power is generated from the extracted heat.

This disclosure describes various configurations and components of a molten fuel fast or thermal nuclear reactor for managing the operating temperature in the reactor core. The disclosure includes various configurations of direct reactor auxiliary cooling system (DRACS) heat exchangers and primary heat exchangers as well as descriptions of improved flow paths for nuclear fuel, primary coolant and DRACS coolant through the reactor components.