RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Kyra Lawson
Intern/Mentor GT
2017-2018

Title​: The safe future of nuclear energy: Thorium molten salt reactors

Introduction and Overview of Research​:

The purpose of this research is to discuss the safety, efficiency, and cost aspects of the thorium
molten salt reactor (MSR). The various designs created around the world will be analyzed and
used to determine which specific features improve the reactor’s overall performance. This will be
done through meta-analysis. The data will be presented in papers and reports. By the end of the
research process, hopefully, the thorium MSR will have been proven exceptionally safe and a
description of the optimal MSR design will have been determined.

Background and Rationale

Uranium and light water reactors have dominated nuclear power production since the beginning
of harvesting nuclear energy. Consequently, not much innovation has been made in the nuclear
field since the 1970s. Current reactors are inefficient, have many safety risks, and produce large
amounts of radioactive waste. New nuclear technology needs to be designed and implemented
soon to provide clean energy in an efficient manner. Thorium has been previously used as a
nuclear fuel; however, it has not had much attention and its appealing qualities have been
forgotten. A reactor design called the molten salt reactor (MSR) has regained popularity recently
because of its safety features. This reactor design was first developed in the Oak Ridge National
Laboratory under the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment. Since then, multiple companies and
government agencies around the world have researched this design, but support is still low and
physical reactors have not yet been constructed.

The types of MSRs can vary from salt-cooled to salt-fueled, solid-fueled to liquid-fueled, and
passively flowed to pumped. The fuel may be composed of uranium, thorium, plutonium,
actinides, or a combination of fissile/fertile isotopes. Although uranium has always been the
major nuclear fuel, thorium is the focus of this paper because of its abundance, resistance to
proliferation, and ability to breed U-233. Thorium is a fertile, not fissile fuel, meaning it cannot
maintain a chain reaction. Therefore, a startup fuel or outside neutron source is needed in order
to power a nuclear reactor (Szondy, 2017). The most common moderator has been graphite.
Proposed coolants have been fluoride-lithium-beryllium (Flibe) salts, chloride salts, sodium, and
lead. The best materials out of all of these options have not yet been decided.

The energy crisis is an important issue to the present and future world. As the population grows,
energy demand is projected to double by 2050 (Nuttin, 2005). The only realistic source of energy
that can provide large amounts of power without causing serious damage to the environment is
nuclear fuel. However, nuclear technology has not been majorly innovated since the 1970s; most
reactors in use today are in forms of those created in the 1950s (“Nuclear power reactors,” 2017).
Gen IV reactors have many predicted advancements and advantages, and it is hopeful that these
reactors will be commercially used in the future. The molten salt reactor is the safest and most

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feasible of the newer designs. The utilization of thorium, rather than uranium, fuel would further
increase the benefits of this reactor. More information and analyses of thorium MSRs are needed
in order for scientists, engineers, and researchers to note the true potential of these reactors.

Research Methodology​:
Research Question​: Is the thorium molten salt reactor a feasible design? To what extent do the
safety, efficiency, and cost features compete with current energy sources?

Research Hypothesis​: Thorium-fueled MSRs have many safety and economic risks due to lack of
research and experimentation. However, as technology advances and models are created, the
MSR will be proven exceptionally safe and will provide commercial power in a few years.
Thorium will also become a valuable fuel source because of its availability and resistance to
proliferation.

Research Design Model​: An evaluation design model will be used to gather and present original
data. This type of data collection is qualitative and quantitative. Numerical and descriptive
information will be examined, compared, and then used to conclude which reactor design is,
overall, the most safe, efficient, and economical.

Data Collection​: To support the hypothesis, an analysis of multiple MSR designs, such as Flibe
Energy, MOSART, Thorcon Power, Terrestrial Energy, Seaborg Waste Burner, and the original
Molten Salt Reactor Experiment, will list and compare the features of different thorium MSR
designs. These examined features will include operating temperatures and pressures, fuel and
coolant composition, power level, thermal efficiency, core size, operating spectrum, burnup, and
moderator and piping material. Such qualities will be examined to determine the most feasible,
safe, and efficient design. Because building/testing a nuclear reactor is not probable and
experiments/tests on reactor designs already exist, a meta-analysis is the best data collection
method. Through data collection, new comparisons and conclusions will be made, contributing
to the overall collection of information about nuclear energy. Hopefully, the data will help
improve public opinion of nuclear reactors and perhaps push for more research in this field.

Product Objectives​:
Samples of papers composed for Dr. Modarres will be used as the product. This product will
minimize repetition in work, while also displaying representative material from the internship.
An example of this product is the summary written for the American Nuclear Society annual
meeting submission. The papers will describe the advantages of thorium molten salt reactors,
current obstacles, and areas for future research. The papers will serve as sources of concentrated
information on various models/versions, safety and efficiency analyses, and problems that need
to be solved. The papers will be technical, requiring at least a moderate understanding of nuclear
reactors. Therefore, the audience will be scientists, engineers, and researchers interested in
nuclear energy. These papers may be made available online. Hopefully, the final paper,
composed in cooperation with Dr. Modarres, will get published. This paper will be more easily
accessed by anyone who simply searches the keywords involved in the paper.

Also, a presentation, if accepted by the committee, will be given at the American Nuclear
Society annual meeting in Philadelphia during June 2018. In this case, the audience will be a

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diverse group of people interested in the future of nuclear technology, especially molten salt
reactors.

Logistical Considerations​:
Access to the following sources will be needed in order to complete the project and product:
human resources, scholarly journals, a publishing company, permission from the ANS
committee, money to accompany the submission, and transportation to the meeting. As far as
human resources go, I have the privilege of working with a nuclear engineering professor. If
additional resources are ever needed, he may recommend other scholars. Dr. Modarres has
already arranged the payment to come from the university. The summary submission to ANS
will be done by January 12, 2018.

Extensive research and papers have been prepared for the culminating research project. An
annotated source list includes multiple useful resources that will be used in the final project.
Papers written for the internship have relevant information that may guide the project as well.
The following is a timeline outlining the remaining work required to complete the research
project.

Date Item to be Further Elaboration Completed?

Completed

3/10/18 Send synthesis Complete all corrections and necessary updates

paper to mentor to paper and send to Dr. Modarres.

3/16/18 Locate analysis Find all documents required to complete data

files collection, including company white papers.

3/21 Internship Paper Transfer relevant information from synthesis

paper to paper for mentor. Add other necessary
research.

3/23/18 Three designs for Read the first three designs listed in table. Find
data collection all necessary info to fill the chart.

3/23/18 Class Oral Finish designing and practicing the oral

Presentation presentation to give to the IM class.

3/30/18 Four designs for Read the last four designs listed in table. Find
data collection all necessary info to fill the chart.

4/6/18 Data collection Write an analysis comparing the designs and

analysis describing which features are preferred.

4/10/18 Data Collection and Have entire document completed and added to
analysis synthesis paper.

4/11/18 Display board Lay out the display board’s individual papers,

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 layout images, etc. Obtain all necessary materials.

4/13/18 Weebly Site Update the Weebly site with quarter three
information and documents.

4/13/18 Basics of display Start board by gluing down papers, coloring,

board and lettering the title board.

4/16/18 SLC Rehearsal Rehearse the presentation for the SLC. Use
activities/video to divide up time (25 mins).

4/20/18 Oral Presentation Complete the presentation and deliver it to the

SLC.

4/25/18 Final Paper Have the entire paper finished, including data
collection and figures. Send to mentor.

4/27/18 Display board Have the majority of the board done with
rough draft maybe some remaining details to be fixed.

5/4/18 Display Board Complete the display board.

5/4/18 Final Product Present the final product (ANS summary) to

Dr. Kiehl and relevant nuclear researchers.

References​:
Nuclear power reactors. (2017, November). Retrieved December 11, 2017, from World Nuclear
Association website:
http://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/nuclear-power-react
ors/nuclear-power-reactors.aspx
Nuttin, A., Heuer, D., Billebaud, A., Brissot, R., Le Brun, C., Liatard, E., . . . Merle-Lucotte, E.
(2005). Potential of thorium molten salt reactors : detailed calculations and concept
evolution with a view to large scale energy production. ​Progress in Nuclear Energy​,
77-99.
Szondy, D. (2017, August 24). Thorium salt reactor experiments resume after 40 years.
Retrieved October 25, 2017, from New Atlas website:
https://newatlas.com/thorium-salt-reactor-experiment/51051/