Aggregation of Noble Metal Fission Products and 233pa in Floatage on the Surface of Molten Fluoride Salt and its Potential Influence on the Operation of Molten Salt Reactor

Abstract

the distribution and behavior of actinides and fission products is the important content of molten salt reactor chemistry. In this work, it was found that there are black floatage on the surface of molten fluoride salt by accident in laboratory. The effect of floatage on the distribution of several nuclides (e.g., 233Pa, 99Mo, 132Te and 103Ru) and its interference on the radioactivity analysis of fuel salt samples were investigated and determined by gamma ray spectroscopy. Detailed analysis by Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed that the chemical composition of floatage is mainly carbon elements, and its potential influence on the operation and control of molten salt reactor was also discussed. These findings provide useful reference for predicting the behavior and distribution of actinides (e.g., 233Pa) and noble metal fission products in molten salt reactor, which might be helpful to make strategy for on-line processing of fuel salt.

Keywords: molten salt reactor, floatage, noble metal fission product, LiF-BeF2, fuel salt