KR-20260064128-A - Molten Salt Reactor System

KR20260064128AKR 20260064128 AKR20260064128 AKR 20260064128AKR-20260064128-A

Abstract

The present invention provides a reactor system capable of safely cooling molten salt by draining it from the reactor. For example, a molten salt reactor system installed in a marine vessel or structure is disclosed, comprising: a reactor using molten salt; a drain tank disposed on one side of the reactor for storing molten salt discharged from the reactor; and an emergency cooling tank thermally coupled to the drain tank through cooling water stored therein.

Inventors

박동빈
이제경
한성곤
박상민

Assignees

에이치디한국조선해양 주식회사

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20241031

Claims (7)

In a molten salt reactor system installed on a marine vessel or structure, A nuclear reactor using molten salt; A drain tank disposed on one side of the reactor, for storing molten salt discharged from the reactor; A molten salt reactor system comprising an emergency cooling tank thermally coupled to the drain tank through cooling water stored internally.
In Article 1, A molten salt reactor system in which the above drain tank and emergency cooling tank are interconnected through valves.
In Article 2, A molten salt reactor system in which the above valve remains closed under normal conditions and opens when molten salt is stored in the above drain tank in an emergency.
In Article 1, A molten salt reactor system in which the above emergency cooling tank includes a tube that stores the above cooling water inside.
In Article 4, A molten salt reactor system, wherein the above emergency cooling tank further includes a structure surrounding the tube, and a vacuum pump further formed between the tube and the structure.
In Article 1, A molten salt reactor system in which the above emergency cooling tank is connected to a ballast water tank via a valve and receives seawater from the ballast water tank as the cooling water.
In Article 1, A molten salt reactor system further comprising a freeze plug located between the molten salt reactor and the drain tank.

Description

Molten Salt Reactor System The present invention relates to a molten salt reactor system, and more specifically, to a molten salt reactor system capable of safely cooling molten salt by draining it from the reactor. Nuclear power generation is a method of generating energy using the nuclear fission reaction of atomic nuclei, and due to the advantage of being able to obtain a massive amount of energy with a small amount of fuel, it is recognized as a major mode of power generation in an era of rapidly increasing energy demand. Meanwhile, the maritime industry faces an urgent need to introduce future decarbonized fuels due to tightening international decarbonization regulations, and there are emerging movements to apply nuclear power, one of the various alternatives, to marine systems. In particular, research on applying Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) to ships is progressing rapidly. This is because SMRs offer advantages such as miniaturization compared to conventional large nuclear power plants, shortened manufacturing time since they are fabricated and assembled in modular form at a factory before being transported and installed on-site, and the ability to easily address the need for increased power generation capacity. Among these, the Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) is a reactor that uses molten salt as a coolant and/or fuel. It has the advantage of high stability due to the low vapor pressure of molten salt and high thermal efficiency because it can extract high heat. The nuclear fuel used in the Molten Salt Reactor is either solid fuel rods or fuel that is melted and put into the coolant. By doing so, fuel assemblies are eliminated, which has the advantage of simplifying the reactor structure and homogenizing the burnup. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a molten salt reactor system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 illustrates the draining and cooling process of molten salt in a molten salt reactor system according to one embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. The embodiments of the present invention are provided to more fully explain the present invention to those skilled in the art, and the following embodiments may be modified in various different forms, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make the present disclosure more faithful and complete and to fully convey the spirit of the present invention to those skilled in the art. Additionally, in the drawings below, the thickness or size of each layer is exaggerated for convenience and clarity of explanation, and like reference numerals in the drawings refer to like elements. As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any one of the listed items and all combinations of one or more thereof. Also, as used herein, the meaning of "connected" implies not only the case where Member A and Member B are directly connected, but also the case where Member C is interposed between Member A and Member B so that Member A and Member B are indirectly connected. The terms used herein are for describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. As used herein, the singular form may include the plural form unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Also, as used herein, "comprise, include" and/or "comprising, including" specify the presence of the mentioned features, numbers, steps, actions, members, elements, and/or groups thereof, and do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, actions, members, elements, and/or groups. Although terms such as "first," "second," etc. are used in this specification to describe various components, parts, regions, layers, and/or parts, it is obvious that these components, parts, regions, layers, and/or parts should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used solely to distinguish one component, part, region, layer, or part from another region, layer, or part. Accordingly, the first component, part, region, layer, or part described below may refer to the second component, part, region, layer, or part without departing from the teachings of the present invention. Spatial terms such as "beneath," "below," "lower," "above," and "upper" may be used to facilitate understanding of one element or feature depicted in the drawings and another element or feature. These spatial terms are intended to facilitate understanding of the invention according to various process or usage conditions of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention. For example, if an element or feature in the drawings is inverted, an element or feature described as "beneath" or "below" becomes "upper" or "on top." Therefore, "below" is a concept that encompasses "upper" or "below." FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a molten salt reactor system according to one embod