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

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3,3,2.5 Uncertain features<br />

Prom <strong>the</strong> foregoing discussion, several uncertainties are apparent.<br />

Details of behavior of <strong>the</strong> noble and seminoble fission products are still<br />

poorly known. The fractions of each isotope that will appear in <strong>the</strong> off-<br />

gas, deposit on <strong>the</strong> moderatst graphite, and deposit OR <strong>the</strong> heat-exchanger<br />

metal u% <strong>the</strong> I>r/n§R can only be crudely estimated. That fraction which ap-<br />

pears in <strong>the</strong> reactor off-gas would seem to cause no insurmountable prsb-<br />

lems though that system- at our present state of knowledge -would need<br />

to be overdesigned substantially. Their deposition in <strong>the</strong> heat exchanger<br />

is a recognized disadvantage and will be quite insufficient to impede<br />

fuel flow, but radioactive decay of <strong>the</strong> deposited material contributes<br />

heat that must be removed during reactor shutdown. Precipztation on <strong>the</strong><br />

graphite, which appears to be smaller than on heat-exchanger metal, maxi-<br />

mizes <strong>the</strong>ir opportunities to absorb neutrons. Clearly, a better knowl-<br />

edge of this situation is weeded,<br />

While <strong>the</strong> results obtained in <strong>the</strong> recent past are highly encouraging,<br />

additional data - especially on a larger scale - are needed to establish<br />

<strong>the</strong> redox potential (UF~/UP~ ratio) required to keep <strong>the</strong> tebburium crack-<br />

ing problem to tolerable levels.<br />

substantially above 0.85, <strong>the</strong> probability of precipitation of triflusride<br />

solid solutions would be increased.<br />

Should <strong>the</strong> required UF3/UF4 ratio rise<br />

Finally, additional infomation abseat <strong>the</strong> collective solubility be-<br />

havior of <strong>the</strong> lanthanide-actinide trffluorides is required. Should <strong>the</strong>y<br />

prove appreciably less soluble than wow believed likely, some replacement<br />

of fuel might be required late in <strong>the</strong> life of <strong>the</strong> essentially unprocessed<br />

DMSR e<br />

3.3.3 Fuel. maintenance<br />

To achieve fuel maintenance, (1) <strong>the</strong> fuel must be delivered to and<br />

into <strong>the</strong> reactor in a proper state of purity and homogeneity, (2) <strong>the</strong> fuel<br />

must be sufficiently protected from extraneous impurities, and (3) sound<br />

procedures must exist for addition of <strong>the</strong> required uranium and provision<br />

of <strong>the</strong> required BTF3/UF, ratio,

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