Protection of graphite from salt and gas permeation in molten salt reactors

Jo Jo Lee; José D. Arregui-Mena; Cristian I. Contescu; Timothy D. Burchell; Yutai Katoh; Sudarshan K. Loyalka

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2020.152119

Protection of graphite from salt and gas permeation in molten salt reactors

Jo Jo Lee, José D. Arregui-Mena, Cristian I. Contescu, Timothy D. Burchell, Yutai Katoh, Sudarshan K. Loyalka

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

37 Scopus citations

Abstract

The reactor core, moderator and reflectors of a thermal spectrum advanced molten salt reactor will constitute multi-tons of graphite. Porous reactor-grade graphite, if unprotected, can be permeated by molten salt depending on the infiltrating pressure differential and entrance diameters of accessible graphite pores. Salt and gas permeation of graphite can affect microstructural properties and radiation behavior but also facilitate diffusion, deposition and retention of fission products and tritium. Because of the significant void volume of nuclear graphite, fission products and tritium retention due to salt permeation necessitates seal coatings or pore impregnation to reduce open porosity. Alternatively, very fine-grained graphite grades with low Xe permeability are being developed. Here, we survey the current technologies for mitigating salt and gas transport into graphite.

Original language	English
Article number	152119
Journal	Journal of Nuclear Materials
Volume	534
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2020.152119
State	Published - Jun 2020

Funding

This work was supported by the US Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Nuclear Energy, under contact DE-AC05-00OR22725 with UT-Battelle, LLC. The authors thank Rachel L. Seibert for her helpful comments on the manuscript. This work was supported by the US Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Nuclear Energy , under contact DE-AC05-00OR22725 with UT-Battelle, LLC. The authors thank Rachel L. Seibert for her helpful comments on the manuscript.

Funders	Funder number
US Department of Energy
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Nuclear Energy	DE-AC05-00OR22725

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title = "Protection of graphite from salt and gas permeation in molten salt reactors",

abstract = "The reactor core, moderator and reflectors of a thermal spectrum advanced molten salt reactor will constitute multi-tons of graphite. Porous reactor-grade graphite, if unprotected, can be permeated by molten salt depending on the infiltrating pressure differential and entrance diameters of accessible graphite pores. Salt and gas permeation of graphite can affect microstructural properties and radiation behavior but also facilitate diffusion, deposition and retention of fission products and tritium. Because of the significant void volume of nuclear graphite, fission products and tritium retention due to salt permeation necessitates seal coatings or pore impregnation to reduce open porosity. Alternatively, very fine-grained graphite grades with low Xe permeability are being developed. Here, we survey the current technologies for mitigating salt and gas transport into graphite.",

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AU - Lee, Jo Jo

AU - Arregui-Mena, José D.

AU - Contescu, Cristian I.

AU - Burchell, Timothy D.

AU - Katoh, Yutai

AU - Loyalka, Sudarshan K.

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N2 - The reactor core, moderator and reflectors of a thermal spectrum advanced molten salt reactor will constitute multi-tons of graphite. Porous reactor-grade graphite, if unprotected, can be permeated by molten salt depending on the infiltrating pressure differential and entrance diameters of accessible graphite pores. Salt and gas permeation of graphite can affect microstructural properties and radiation behavior but also facilitate diffusion, deposition and retention of fission products and tritium. Because of the significant void volume of nuclear graphite, fission products and tritium retention due to salt permeation necessitates seal coatings or pore impregnation to reduce open porosity. Alternatively, very fine-grained graphite grades with low Xe permeability are being developed. Here, we survey the current technologies for mitigating salt and gas transport into graphite.

AB - The reactor core, moderator and reflectors of a thermal spectrum advanced molten salt reactor will constitute multi-tons of graphite. Porous reactor-grade graphite, if unprotected, can be permeated by molten salt depending on the infiltrating pressure differential and entrance diameters of accessible graphite pores. Salt and gas permeation of graphite can affect microstructural properties and radiation behavior but also facilitate diffusion, deposition and retention of fission products and tritium. Because of the significant void volume of nuclear graphite, fission products and tritium retention due to salt permeation necessitates seal coatings or pore impregnation to reduce open porosity. Alternatively, very fine-grained graphite grades with low Xe permeability are being developed. Here, we survey the current technologies for mitigating salt and gas transport into graphite.

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VL - 534

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ER -

Protection of graphite from salt and gas permeation in molten salt reactors

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