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

LWR. However, considering the mechanisms and probabilitfes for release
events, along with the CCXIS~~U~RC~~, would be necessary in assessing any
effect on system licensability.
Before amy MSW is licensed, we probably wibk need to define a com-
plete new spectrum of potential transients and accidents and their appli-
cable Lnitiating events that are to be treated in safety analysis reports.
Some of the more important safety-significant events for an MSR were wen-
tioned earlier, but even routine operational events may have a different
order of importance for this reactor concept. FOP example, moderate re-
actor power disturbances would not be very important because one o€ the
principal consequences, fuel cladding failure, is a nonevent in an MSR.
Conversely, a small leak of reactor coolant would be an important event
because of the high Bevel of radioactivity in the MSR C Q Q ~ ~ I K ~ .
The above examples of significant differences between MSRs and other
licensed reactors illustrate why a substantial design and analysis ef-
fort would be required - first to establish licensing criteria for MSRs
in general and a DMSR in particular and second %S evaluate MSR licene-
ability in relation to that of other reactor types. This requirement,
with no a priori assurance that an MSR could be licensed, makes it un-
likely that private organizations in the United States would undertake
the development and commercfaPSzation of KSRs. Instead, if such develop-
ment were pursued, gove~ment funding probably would be required, at
least until the licensing issues could be resolved and near-commercial
units could he constructed.
. ..