About this Research Topic
In a molten salt reactor, high-temperature molten salt is used as a coolant in the primary circuit of the reactor. Particularly for salt-fueled MSRs, the fissile materials are dissolved in the primary coolant, which functions both as fuel and coolant. With the fission process over time, the fuel salt chemistry becomes (though slowly) more and more corrosive to the structural materials, and, therefore, the salt chemistry must be well controlled to minimize the corrosion of materials. Both development of materials for MSRs and salt chemistry control are two crucial areas, among others, for development and deployment of MSRs.
There is much research and development activities globally in recent decades about these reactors. Multiple MSRs, like the fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactor (FHR) of Kairos Power, salt–fueled Molten Salt Research Reactor (MSRR) by Abilene Christian University, and the molten chloride reactor experiment (MCRE) and molten chloride fast reactor (MCFR) by TerraPower, are being developed. Researchers also are advancing molten salt technologies like engineering scale synthesis of salts, salt purification, thermophysical properties measurements, pumps, engineering testing units, salt chemistry control and instrumentation, and materials certification.
This Research Topic will accept the following article types: Original Research, Review, Perspective, and Methods.
Themes of interest include but are not limited to the following:
• New developments in advanced materials for MSRs
• Materials properties for MSRs
• Salt chemistry control for different MSR concepts.
• Materials compatibility with molten salts
• Thermophysical properties of molten salts for MSRs
• Sensor and monitoring of molten salts for MSRs
• Computational modeling of molten salts for MSRs
• Reprocessing of molten salts for MSRs
• Licensing requirements on materials and salt chemistry control for MSRs
There is much research and development activities globally in recent decades about these reactors. Multiple MSRs, like the fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactor (FHR) of Kairos Power, salt–fueled Molten Salt Research Reactor (MSRR) by Abilene Christian University, and the molten chloride reactor experiment (MCRE) and molten chloride fast reactor (MCFR) by TerraPower, are being developed. Researchers also are advancing molten salt technologies like engineering scale synthesis of salts, salt purification, thermophysical properties measurements, pumps, engineering testing units, salt chemistry control and instrumentation, and materials certification.
This Research Topic will accept the following article types: Original Research, Review, Perspective, and Methods.
Themes of interest include but are not limited to the following:
• New developments in advanced materials for MSRs
• Materials properties for MSRs
• Salt chemistry control for different MSR concepts.
• Materials compatibility with molten salts
• Thermophysical properties of molten salts for MSRs
• Sensor and monitoring of molten salts for MSRs
• Computational modeling of molten salts for MSRs
• Reprocessing of molten salts for MSRs
• Licensing requirements on materials and salt chemistry control for MSRs
Keywords: Molten salt reactor, material, salt chemistry, corrosion, salt processing
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
