The CNRS Research Program on the Thorium cycle ... - Pacen - IN2P3
The CNRS Research Program on the Thorium cycle ... - Pacen - IN2P3
The CNRS Research Program on the Thorium cycle ... - Pacen - IN2P3
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<strong>Thorium</strong> Cycle – Molten Salt Reactors June 2008<br />
which, more than for any o<strong>the</strong>r GEN-IV reactor, is integrated into <strong>the</strong> very operati<strong>on</strong> of MSRs, we are<br />
proposing a preliminary flow-sheet. In turn, this flow-sheet defines specific research items in each of<br />
its sub-blocks. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>se are progressively addressed within <strong>the</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>CNRS</str<strong>on</strong>g> programme.<br />
As for material science, here also <strong>on</strong>e does not start from a blank sheet. When ORNL closed<br />
its research <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> subject, it had defined many credible soluti<strong>on</strong>s (performant Ni-based alloys for<br />
instance). It had tested some of <strong>the</strong>m in representative temperature and irradiati<strong>on</strong> c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s. Since<br />
<strong>the</strong>n, major advances in material sciences have fur<strong>the</strong>r improved <strong>the</strong> situati<strong>on</strong>. <str<strong>on</strong>g>CNRS</str<strong>on</strong>g> teams<br />
collaborating with industry are presently building <strong>on</strong> this core knowledge and have launched work <strong>on</strong><br />
innovative alloys.<br />
In order to define a work agenda compatible with material and human resources available in<br />
basic and applied chemical and material sciences, it is necessary to circumscribe <strong>the</strong> domain<br />
encompassed by intensive physical parameters (temperatures, flow velocities, pressure gradients, …)<br />
which potentially govern <strong>the</strong> operati<strong>on</strong> of a TMSR-NM. This can <strong>on</strong>ly be achieved <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> basis of a<br />
reactor design which guides <strong>the</strong> determinati<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> boundaries of <strong>the</strong> relevant multi-parametric<br />
subspace. For <str<strong>on</strong>g>CNRS</str<strong>on</strong>g>, this reactor design stands <strong>the</strong>refore presently mostly as a tool to plan and<br />
organize its basic research. In additi<strong>on</strong>, it introduces a much needed <strong>the</strong>rmal-hydraulics comp<strong>on</strong>ent<br />
into <strong>the</strong> work program. <str<strong>on</strong>g>CNRS</str<strong>on</strong>g> teams are presently realizing numerical simulati<strong>on</strong>s preparatory to <strong>the</strong><br />
making of a design. Simultaneously, <strong>the</strong>y have started <strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> of a forced c<strong>on</strong>vecti<strong>on</strong> loop<br />
which, al<strong>on</strong>g tests of material resistance in presence of molten salt, will investigate <strong>the</strong> physics of<br />
transport, corrosi<strong>on</strong>, abrasi<strong>on</strong> and <strong>the</strong>rmal exchanges with a liquid salt.<br />
Within <strong>the</strong> framework defined by a law voted by <strong>the</strong> French parliament <strong>on</strong> June 28 2006, <strong>the</strong><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>CNRS</str<strong>on</strong>g> has setup a global research programme PACEN (<str<strong>on</strong>g>Program</str<strong>on</strong>g>me sur l’Aval du Cycle et l’Energie<br />
Nucléaire). PACEN organizes and support <strong>the</strong> activities of <str<strong>on</strong>g>CNRS</str<strong>on</strong>g> and French University groups <strong>on</strong> all<br />
questi<strong>on</strong>s related to <strong>the</strong> backend of <strong>the</strong> nuclear electricity producti<strong>on</strong> and <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> transiti<strong>on</strong> towards<br />
sustainable nuclear energy. This document presents <strong>the</strong> status as of June 2008 of <strong>the</strong> research<br />
c<strong>on</strong>ducted <strong>on</strong> a) <strong>the</strong> thorium <strong>cycle</strong> 10 and b) <strong>the</strong> molten salt reactors by <strong>the</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>CNRS</str<strong>on</strong>g> teams. It outlines <strong>the</strong><br />
main lines of work identified by <strong>the</strong> academic community for <strong>the</strong> coming years within <strong>the</strong> overall<br />
exploratory missi<strong>on</strong> assigned to this research.<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>CNRS</str<strong>on</strong>g> activities <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> thorium <strong>cycle</strong> and molten salt reactors have been financed by <strong>the</strong><br />
“<str<strong>on</strong>g>Program</str<strong>on</strong>g>me C<strong>on</strong>certé de Recherches sur les Réacteurs à Sels F<strong>on</strong>dus” (PCR-RSF) of PACEN. An<br />
additi<strong>on</strong>al c<strong>on</strong>tributi<strong>on</strong> has come from <strong>the</strong> PACEN research group GEDEPEON 11 which is jointly<br />
operated by <str<strong>on</strong>g>CNRS</str<strong>on</strong>g>, CEA, EDF and AREVA-NP. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> FP6 Euratom programme ALISIA has provided<br />
support for internati<strong>on</strong>al c<strong>on</strong>tacts and collaborati<strong>on</strong>s.<br />
10 <str<strong>on</strong>g>CNRS</str<strong>on</strong>g> also supports o<strong>the</strong>r Th-<strong>cycle</strong> related activities in particular involving solid fuel (ThO2). <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>y c<strong>on</strong>cern<br />
dedicated systems and scenarios as well as basic data relevant for aqueous roprcessing. A note describing <strong>the</strong>se<br />
activities is forthcoming.<br />
11 GEDEPEON is <strong>the</strong> acr<strong>on</strong>ym of « GEsti<strong>on</strong> des DEchets et Producti<strong>on</strong> d’Energie par des Opti<strong>on</strong>s Nouvelles »<br />
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