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A study of plutonium fluoride solubility in LiF–BeF2 melt for the substantiation of a molten salt reactor for Np, Am, Cm transmutation

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Abstract

The paper presents a justification, setting, and results of experiments on the determination of the liquidus temperature for a molten salt comprised of 73LiF–27BeF2 with plutonium trifluoride, considered as the fuel circuit salt of a liquid-salt reactor for burning Np, Am, Cm. The liquidus temperature of the melt was determined using a differential scanning calorimetry method; the plutonium concentration in the samples was controlled by recording the γ‑radiation of plutonium isotopes. According to the results of the studies, the liquidus temperature comprised 600–680 °C across a range of plutonium trifluoride concentrations from 0.1–3 mol.%. According to the performed calculations, in order to transmute 250 kg/year of Np, Am, Cm in an MSR‑T reactor, this restriction on the concentration of actinide fluorides in the fuel salt at its operating temperature in the reactor of 650–750 °C requires 550–660 kg/year of plutonium.

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Correspondence to M. N. Belonogov.

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Translated from Atomnaya Energiya, Vol. 134, No. 1–2, pp. 56–62, January–February, 2023.

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Original article submitted February 16, 2023.

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Belonogov, M.N., Dyrda, N.D., Rykovanov, G.N. et al. A study of plutonium fluoride solubility in LiF–BeF2 melt for the substantiation of a molten salt reactor for Np, Am, Cm transmutation. At Energy 134, 73–80 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10512-023-01029-9

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