Modular Molten Salt Reactor Core for Replaceable Containment Loops

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing molten salt nuclear reactors face challenges in feasibility, safety, and waste management due to large, undivided reactor vessels that complicate handling, replacement, and disposal, and lack materials that can withstand harsh conditions, hindering timely implementation and commercialization.

Innovation Solution

A modular design of individual, self-contained nuclear reactor circuits with independent modules, each with its own molten salt and fuel, allowing easy replacement and maintenance, and multiple containments for enhanced safety, reducing the source term per containment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If a large undivided reactor vessel is used, then the reactor can contain all fuel and coolant, but handling, replacement, and disposal become complicated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel and coolant capacityVSAvoidhandling and replacement ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The reactor system is divided into multiple independent modular circuits, each containing its own fuel salt and coolant salt. These modules can be individually handled, replaced, and disposed of without affecting the entire reactor system, resolving the contradiction between containing large quantities of fuel/coolant and maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Quantity of substance

If a large undivided reactor vessel is used, then all fuel and coolant can be contained, but disposal becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel and coolant capacityVSAvoiddisposal ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the fuel and coolant into separate modular circuits, the disposal process can target individual modules rather than the entire reactor vessel. This makes disposal more manageable and less costly while still maintaining the capability to contain large total quantities of fuel and coolant across multiple modules.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If materials that can withstand harsh conditions are not available, then reactor operation is limited, but development time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial performance under harsh conditionsVSAvoiddevelopment and licensing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The modular circuit design allows individual components to be tested and qualified separately under harsh operating conditions. This segmented approach enables parallel development and testing of different materials and components, reducing overall development time while ensuring reliability through targeted validation of each module.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Individual modular circuits can be pre-tested and qualified before being assembled into the complete reactor system. This preliminary action allows materials and components to be validated under harsh conditions in advance, reducing the overall development timeline while ensuring reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Reliability

If a modular design with multiple containments is used, then safety is enhanced and source term per containment is reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety levelVSAvoidnumber of containments and modules

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The reactor is divided into multiple independent modular circuits with separate containments for fuel salt and coolant salt. This segmentation enhances safety by isolating radioactive materials in smaller volumes and providing multiple containment barriers, while the modular nature makes the increased complexity manageable through standardization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Facilitates quicker development and licensing of molten salt reactors by enabling easy replacement of components, reducing waste volume, and optimizing neutron economy while ensuring safety, thus accelerating commercialization.

Implementation Method 1

a molten salt mixture comprising a fluoride salt and a chloride salt is circulated through the channels

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

The fluid would reach criticality by flowing into a core where a moderator such as graphite can be present

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectNuclear fission: Nuclear Fission

Implementation Method 3

The fluid would reach criticality by flowing into a core where a moderator such as graphite can be present

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectNeutron moderation:

Data Source

PatentUS20260018309A1Modular core molten salt nuclear reactor

Publication Date: 2026.01.15 THORIZON HLDG BV

AI summary

A nuclear reactor including a core area; a plurality of detachable reactor modules at least partly arranged in the core area, each detachable reactor module being detachable from the core area for replacement without interference with other reactor modules, and including a containment; a loop arranged in the containment and having a nuclear fuel liquid; a pump for circulating the liquid in the loop; and a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the liquid and a secondary heat system.