The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is experimenting with a new type of nuclear reactor that uses molten chloride salt and uranium as fuel and coolant. Its construction will be carried out by Southern Company and TerraPower.
Advanced reactors of this type are seen as a promising solution for generating electricity and heat for cities and industrial facilities. Their high operating temperature allows for greater energy efficiency, reduced waste and improved safety through the use of a liquid fuel design.
But producing the necessary type of molten salt requires a rare ingredient: uranium. During the reprocessing process, uranium metal is converted into a chemical compound that can dissolve in molten salt, creating the basis for the fuel. The team then had to convert more than 90% of the uranium metal into usable fuel salt.
No one has ever produced such quantities of uranium chloride before, so the entire process had to be developed from scratch. INL continues to advance nuclear technology research, and the development of a uranium chloride fuel salt for MCRE is a significant step forward that could play a key role in meeting the energy needs of future generations.