Analysis of heat source distribution in internal circulating surface heat transfer molten salt reactor

• We examine the neutronic behaviour of an innovative MSR concept.
• A reference configuration is created to study the heat source distribution.
• The heat source distribution is calculated using MCNPX.
• The graphite channels are the main sources of heat generation.
• Control rod actuation has little effect on the heat source distribution.

The Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) is one of the Generation IV nuclear reactor concepts that were selected by the Generation IV International Forum in 2000. The concept is based on liquid fuel instead of solid fuel assemblies. Besides the advantages, there are several aspects of operation that can hinder the realization of this reactor concept. In this paper, the authors investigate the neutronics behaviour of a new sub-concept that offers solutions for many of the technical problems. The analysis was performed using the particle transport code MCNPX 2.7. The paper focuses on the short-term and steady state heat source distribution in the fuel salt and in the graphite moderator. Accordingly, neither burn-up effects nor reactivity transients are considered. The sensitivity of the effective multiplication factor on different geometrical and material parameters was studied. The results obtained indicate that the main region of heat deposition is in the internal and external channels of the graphite moderator. Only a few percent of the total heat power is released in the graphite moderator, where the gamma and neutron related heat deposition is on the same scale. The results also prove that the heat source distribution does not change drastically upon the actuation of the control rods.