ORNL-4191 - the Molten Salt Energy Technologies Web Site

3
ORNL--DWG 67-411
- .........
25 50
FUEL YIELD (%per year)
.............
SALT VOLUME FRACTIONS
......... ..........
7.5
r
83
........
......
....
0 20 40 60 BO
POWER DENSITY (w/cm3 )
whether this comprises higher capital cost plus
lower replacement cost at low power densities, or
lower capital cost plus higher replacement cost at
higher power densities. Figures 6.2 and 6.3
show the variation of other selected parameters
both with power density and with the adjustable
constant X.
It is apparent from these results that the useful
life of the graphite is not increased by reducing
core power density without some sacrifice in other
aspects of reactor performance. The reduction in
yield and the increase in cost are quite modest for
a reduction of power density from 80 to 40 w/cm3,
but they become increasingly more significant for
each further factor-of-two reduction in power den-
sity. Nonetheless, it appears that with an average
power density as low as 20 w/cm3, the MSBR can
still achieve an annual fuel yicld of 3.5 to 4% and
a fuel-cycle cost of less than 0.5 mill/kwhr (elec-
trical).
Fig. 6.1. MSBR Fuel-Cycle Cost vs Annual Fuel
Yield.
,z ., .
6
I
......., ~
ORNL-DWG 67- 14807
.......
I----
-
ON-10-URANIUM n'ATI0 1
0 20 40 60 80
POWE H DENSITY (w/cm3)
Fig. 6.2. Variotion of MSBR Parameters with Average Core Power Density. Numbers attached to
values of the adiustable constant X.
curves are