Status of Molten Salt Reactor Technology
Résumé
The IAEA supports Member States in the development of advanced reactor technology by serving as a major focal point for information exchange and collaborative research programmes. The activities of the IAEA in this field are mainly carried out within the framework of several work areas, typically supported by technical working groups that assist in the implementation of corresponding IAEA support and ensure that all technical activities are in line with the expressed needs of the Member States. In recent years, there has been renewed global interest in molten salt reactors — advanced reactors that are fuelled and/or cooled by molten salt — and the number of activities related to the design and technology of these reactors is growing. The molten salt reactor is one of the six reactor technologies selected by the Generation IV International Forum for further research and development. The technology is appropriate for small modular reactors, and molten salt reactors are expected to have advantages over light water reactors in terms of safety, environment, economics and non-proliferation. High operating temperatures leading to increased efficiencies in electricity generation, passive decay heat removal and flexible fuel cycles are some of the additional benefits of this reactor technology. This publication summarizes current knowledge on the status of research, technological developments, reactor designs and experiments in the area of molten salt reactors. It presents a balanced view of the status and potential advantages of the technology and identifies challenges and areas in which research and development are required before deployment is achievable. The IAEA technical officers responsible for this publication were G. Martinez-Guridi, L. Peguero and F. Reitsma of the Division of Nuclear Power of the Department of Nuclear Energy.