Abstract:
The molten salt reactor (MSR) depletion calculation model was studied, considering the cycling of fuel salt in the primary loop and isotope feeding and exaction through on-line processing system. Fuel cycle calculation function was developed and tested based on lattice code SONG. Fuel cycle and start-up schemes were analyzed for different core types, including BeO moderated molten salt thermal reactor and no moderator molten salt fast reactor. According to the reactivity requirement for long-term operation, corresponding on-line reprocessing and fissile isotope feeding schemes were analyzed for
233U and Pu start-up schemes. By the balance calculations of isotope feeding, exaction and density in the fuel salt, the influences of on-line processing and start-up schemes on Th-U fuel cycle efficiency were revealed, and technology roadmap was proposed preliminarily for molten salt reactor fuel cycle. The results show that using Pu from PWR is better than using
233U for start-up of Th-U fuel cycle, since Pu started fast spectrum molten salt reactor has much higher
233U production rate than
233U started reactors. However, when there is enough
233U accumulation,
233U started thermal spectrum reactor is preferred, which has a shorter doubling time and much less fuel loading.