Study Finds Salt Purity ‘Key’ To Preventing Corrosion In Molten Salt Reactors

Purified molten salts sharply reduce corrosion, high-temperature tests show

Study Finds Salt Purity ‘Key’ To Preventing Corrosion In Molten Salt Reactors
Salt compounds heated beyond melting point into a liquid state produce the molten salts used in molten salt reactors as both a coolant and a carrier for nuclear fuel. Image courtesy Copenhagen Atomics.

Researchers from the University of Liverpool and Danish reactor developer Copenhagen Atomics said corrosion in molten salt reactors (MSRs) can be largely eliminated if the reactor salt is sufficiently purified.

The findings of a recent study, published in the Journal of Nuclear Materials, show that salt purity is the key factor controlling corrosion of 316L stainless steel, a commonly used and relatively inexpensive industrial material.

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