ORNL-TM-7207 - the Molten Salt Energy Technologies Web Site

esponsibility for a chemical processing facility, the sociopolitical ac-
ceptability of colocating such a facility with each DMSR, and the Picens-
ing questions that way arise from such an arrangement.
The ~ther end of the rartge of possible fuel cycle performances for
DMSRs is represented by the 38-year cycle descrfbed earlier in this report
as the reference concept.
Although this system, with a lifetime require-
ment of 1860 Mg (2000 short tons) of U308, would be the largest consumer
of natural UK~R~UITI and separative work among the DMSR opti~ns considered,
it still wuuld require substantially less of these commodities than the
once-through fuel cycle in light-water reactors. In the absence of fa-
cilities for recycling the won-SIW constituents of the fuel salt, this
approach would use less of such materials than any of the other alterna-
tives. However, despite the 38-year fuel cycle, this concept would not
eliminate all on-site chemical treatment uf the fuel salt. Tlne activities
to maintain the desired u3+/u4+ ratis in the fuel ana the treatments to
limit the level of oxide contamination in the salt would still be needed.
Thus, even the "sFmpPest" DMSW would require SQIW equipment for and some
technical competence in chemical processing, even though neither would
directly iRVQlVe the sm ill the system.
The intermediate concepts that make use of a shorter salt discard
cycle merely substitute consumption of other fluoride salts for past of
the fissile uranium consumption in the reference 30-year cycle, Because
these other fluorides (especialby 'Lip> may also be relatively expensive
this substitution might not always be cost effective. In addition, any
system that used salt discard would have to recover uranium from the
"wa~te'~ salt to prevent excessive uranium consumption. This would add
yet another chemical processing operation to the reactor plant.
The alternatives that rely on special treatment schemes to remove
flssion products from the fuel salt may have attractive fuel. utilization
characteristics, but they have not been analyzed in sufficient detail eo
pernit an accurate characterization. In addition, considerable research
and development would be required before such processes cou$d be shown to
be technically feasible. Consequently, little incentive is apparent at
this time to propose new and different chemical p ~ ~ e s sconcepts i ~ ~ g € 0 ~
BMSRs 0