Study on passive reactivity control of space molten salt reactor based on fuel movement mechanisms

ZHANG Naiwen; FAN Yuhan; YAN Rui; CHEN Liang; XU Honghui; DAI Ye

doi:10.3724/j.0253-3219.2025.hjs.48.240495

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Study on passive reactivity control of space molten salt reactor based on fuel movement mechanisms

NUCLEAR ENERGY SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING | 更新时间：2025-11-27

- Study on passive reactivity control of space molten salt reactor based on fuel movement mechanisms
- NUCLEAR TECHNIQUES Vol. 48, Issue 11, Article number: 110603(2025)
- 作者机构：
  
  1.中国科学院上海应用物理研究所上海 201800
  2.中国科学院大学北京 100049
  3.钍基核裂变能全国重点实验室上海 201800
- 作者简介：
  
  ZHANG Naiwen, female, born in 2000, graduated from Xi'an Shiyou University in 2022, doctoral student, focusing on reactor physics
  YAN Rui, E-mail: yanrui@sinap.ac.cn
- 基金信息：
  
  State Key Laboratory Project for Thorium Energy(E455961001)
- DOI：10.3724/j.0253-3219.2025.hjs.48.240495
  CLC： TL3
- Received：03 December 2024，
  
  Revised：2025-06-23，
  
  Published：15 November 2025
- 稿件说明：
移动端阅览
张乃文,凡玉涵,严睿等.基于燃料移动机制的空间熔盐堆非能动反应性控制研究[J].核技术,2025,48(11):110603.

ZHANG Naiwen,FAN Yuhan,YAN Rui,et al.Study on passive reactivity control of space molten , salt reactor based on fuel movement mechanisms[J].NUCLEAR TECHNIQUES,2025,48(11):110603.
张乃文,凡玉涵,严睿等.基于燃料移动机制的空间熔盐堆非能动反应性控制研究[J].核技术,2025,48(11):110603. DOI： 10.3724/j.0253-3219.2025.hjs.48.240495. CSTR： 32193.14.hjs.CN31-1342/TL.2025.48.240495.

ZHANG Naiwen,FAN Yuhan,YAN Rui,et al.Study on passive reactivity control of space molten , salt reactor based on fuel movement mechanisms[J].NUCLEAR TECHNIQUES,2025,48(11):110603. DOI： 10.3724/j.0253-3219.2025.hjs.48.240495. CSTR： 32193.14.hjs.CN31-1342/TL.2025.48.240495.

摘要

空间熔盐堆运行过程中，反应性控制起到十分重要的作用，目前陆地上常采用的主动反应性控制方式存在出现故障的概率等问题。空间熔盐堆需要一种非能动反应性控制方式，在无需外源及人为操控情况下，对反应性实施自动控制，降低事故发生风险。本文针对热管式液态燃料空间熔盐堆，利用液态燃料的热胀冷缩机制，当堆芯处在正常运行工况下温度发生变化时，提出并设计一种液态燃料移出移入非能动反应性控制系统（Liquid Fuel in/out Transfer in a Passive Reactivity Control System，LFT-PRCS），并对含有该系统的堆芯进行在正常运行工况下物理特性分析，以及该系统结构参数与反应性补偿能力分析。结果表明：正常运行工况下，含有LFT-PRCS的堆芯具有更负的反应性，且堆芯物理特性未发生明显变化；LFT-PRCS中毛细管道较佳结构参数为：高度为10 cm、内层半径为0.2 cm、外层半径为0.4 cm；LFT-PRCS在寿期初、寿期末温度发生2 K波动时，可向堆芯引入约20 pcm的反应性。上述结果表明，LFT-PRCS可提高堆芯固有安全性，一定程度上补偿燃耗造成的反应性损失。

Abstract

Background

Reactivity control plays a vital role in the operation of space molten salt reactors

but commonly used terrestrial reactivity control methods may encounter issues such as the failure probability. Thus

space molten salt reactors require passive reactivity control that can operate automatically without the need for manual intervention and external systems

while also reducing the risk of accidents.

Purpose

This study aims to address the heat pipe cooled liquid fuel space molten salt reactor and design a Liquid Fuel in/out Transfer in a Passive Reactivity Control System (LFT-PRCS).

Methods

When temperature changes occurred in reactor core under normal operations

liquid fuel underwent thermal expansion and contraction

achieving the process of liquid fuel moving in or out of reactor core. This mechanism of thermal expansion and cold contraction of liquid fuel salt at temperature change was made use of to design LFT-PRCS. Subsequently

an analysis of this system was conducted regarding physical properties in reactor core

along with an analysis between structure parameters in LFT-PRCS and reactivity compensation.

Results

The results indicate that under normal operating conditions

reactor containing LFT-PRCS exhibits a more negative temperature reactivity coefficient without significant changes in the core's physical properties. The optimal structural parameters of capillary in LFT-PRCS are a height of 10 cm

an inner radius of 0.2 cm

and an outer radius of 0.4 cm. When the temperature of the core fluctuates by 2 K at both the beginning and end of the reactor's life

approximately 20 pcm of reactivity is introduced into the core by the LFT-PRCS.

Conclusions

The results of this study show that LFT-PRCS can enhance the inherent safety of reactor core and compensate reactivity loss due to burnup to some extent.

关键词

Keywords

references

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