(c) 2017. Raluca O. Scarlat
This is the material for the Molten Salt Reactor course [see syllabus] that I taught at the University of Wisconsin Madison in the Spring of 2017. The links for each lecture will point you to lecture videos, course notes, and readings. Errors are likely to be present, so when you find them, do reach out and let me know.
- History of Molten Salt Reactors | Week 1 Feedback Survey
- Overview of Molten Salt coolants in the nuclear industry, present: molten salt and salt-cooled reactors (Lecture 2 & 3) | Week 2 Feedback Survey
- 1/23. Lecture 2. Reactor design considerations, and some design examples from the current decade | Reading: “Fluid Fuel Reactors, Chapter 12.” | Assignment 1 Due 1/30 by 12pm.
- 1/25. Lecture 3. Reactor components.
- Thermodynamics of mixtures (Lecture 4-9) | Week 3 Feedback Survey
- 1/30. Lecture 4. Phase Diagrams | Assignment 2 Due 2/6.
- 2/1. Lecture 5. Thermo-physical properties. Vapor pressure. Solubilities
- 2/6 & 2/8. Lectures 6 & 7. Thermodynamics and Phase Diagrams. | Assignment 3 Due 2/17 by 12pm.
- 2/13 & 2/15. Lectures 8 & 9. Thermo-physical properties, uncertainties, and measurement techniques.
- Chemistry of molten fluorides (Lectures 10-13)
- Isotope transport
- Lectures 14-17. Isotope trasport. Tritium transport.
- 3/16 Tritium. Xenon.
- Graphite and isotope transport in graphite. Graphite coatings.
- Thermal-hydraulics of molten salts: unique physics (Lecture 18,19,21,22)
- 3/29 & 4/3. Lectures 18 & 19. Thermal-hydraulics.
- High-Prandtl number, and high volumetric heat capacity fluids
- Mixed convection. Entrance effects
- 4/10 & 4/12 – Dr. Mark Anderson. Lecture 21 & 22. Notes and Resources:
- Heat transfer in pebble beds and porous media, enhanced heat exchanger surfaces (e.g. twisted tube heat exchangers)
- Natural circulation and natural convection
- Radiative heat transfer 3/5, 3/7
- Freezing
- High-temperature heat-pipes 4/12
- 3/29 & 4/3. Lectures 18 & 19. Thermal-hydraulics.
- Neutronics of salt-cooled and molten-salt reactors – Dr. Manuele Aufiero. 4/5. Lecture 20. Notes and Resources
- Corrosion –
- 4/17 Lecture 23- Dr. Kumar Sridharan. Steel alloys. Graphite. Different types of concrete. Advanced materials: SiC, C/C composites.
- Lectures 24 & 25. Corrosion Follow-up Discussion. Solubility vs. Chemical Equilibrium Concentration.
- Safety Analysis and Licensing.
- Lecture 24. Safety Analysis [from 1:02 time-stamp]
- Lecture 25. Safety Analysis and licensing [from 1:02 time-stamp]
- Safety Design Criteria. Design of active and passive systems. Licensing. ANS Standards. Nonproliferation