Abstract
The 235,238UF4 was irradiated by photo-neutrons, distribution and behavior of the fission product 95Nb from irradiated 235,238UF4 in FLiBe salt were investigated by the measurement of its activity in the salt with the γ-ray spectroscopy. The experiments indicated that a part of 95Nb deposited on the surfaces of graphite and Hastelloy, as the moderator and the structural materials of molten salt reactor (MSR), respectively, and the majority of 95Nb maintained in molten salt. Addition of lithium metal made 95Nb in salt to be reduced and settled, leading to the decrease in its activity. Degree of the decrease was found to be correlated with niobium concentration. The experimental results supported the statement proposed early by ORNL, that 95Nb might be used as a redox indicator for MSR. Finally, the problem met with on-site monitoring for redox potential in MSR was pointed, and a possible protocol to resolve the problem was proposed.
Funding source: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Award Identifier / Grant number: XDA02030000 and QYZDYSSW-JSC016
Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
Research funding: This work was supported by the “Strategic Priority Research Program” and “Frontier Science Key Program” of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (grant nos. XDA02030000 and QYZDYSSW-JSC016).
Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding this article.
References
1. Cai, X. Z., Dai, Z. M., Xu, H. J. Thorium molten salt reactor nuclear energy system. Physics 2016, 45, 578. https://doi.org/10.7693/wl20160904.Search in Google Scholar
2. Serp, J., Allibert, M., Benes, O., Delpech, S., Feynberg, O., Ghetta, V., Heuer, D., Holcomb, D., Ignatiev, V., Kloosterman, J. L., Luzz, L. The molten salt reactor (MSR) in generation IV: overview and perspectives. Prog. Nucl. Energy 2014, 77, 308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnucene.2014.02.014.Search in Google Scholar
3. Compere, E. L., Kirslis, S. S., Bohlmann, E. G., Blankenship, F. F., Grimes, W. R. Fission Product Behavior in the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment; Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL-4865: USA, 1975.10.2172/4077644Search in Google Scholar
4. Rosenthal, M. W. Molten Salt Reactors Program Semiannual Progress Report for Period Ending February 28; Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL-4396: USA, 1969.10.2172/4780471Search in Google Scholar
5. Thoma, R. E. Chemical Aspects of MSRE Operations; Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL-4658: USA, 1971.10.2172/4675946Search in Google Scholar
6. Rosenthal, M. W. Molten Salt Reactors Program Semiannual Progress Report for Period Ending February 28; Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL-4548: USA, 1970.10.2172/4780471Search in Google Scholar
7. Wang, H. W., Chen, J. G., Cai, X. Z., Lin, Z. K., Ma, Y. G., Zhang, G. L., Li, C., Fang, D. Q., Zhang, S., Zhang, G. Q., Cao, X. G., Zhong, C., Lu, F., Cao, Y., Hu, R. R., Jin, J., Hu, J. H., Chen, W. L., Huang, J. P., Wang, N. X., Han, J. L., Kang, G. G., Du, L., Wang, Y. T., Zhu, L., Chang, L., Zhou, C. S. Development of photo-neutron facility driven by electron LINAC. Nucl. Tech. 2014, 37, 114; https://doi.org/10.11889/j.0253-3219.2014.hjs.37.100522.Search in Google Scholar
8. Khandaker, M. U., Kim, K., Kim, G. Production cross sections of short-lived silver radionuclides from natPd(p, xn) nuclear processes. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. B 2012, 274, 148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2011.12.022.Search in Google Scholar
9. Kedl, R. J. The Migration of a Class of Fission Products (Noble Metals) in the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment; Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL-TM-3884: USA, 1972.10.2172/4471292Search in Google Scholar
© 2021 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Original Papers
- Revisiting cross sections for proton induced reactions on natural lead between 10 and 80 MeV
- The influence of chemical parameters on the in-situ metal carbonyl complex formation studied with the fast on-line reaction apparatus (FORA)
- The influence of physical parameters on the in-situ metal carbonyl complex formation studied with the Fast On-line Reaction Apparatus (FORA)
- Study on the continuous precipitation of U(IV) oxalate in a vortex precipitator
- Evaluation of promethium-147 production as a by-product of the fission molybdenum-99 process in Tehran research reactor
- Uncertainty propagation in Pu isotopic composition calculation by gamma spectrometry: theory versus experiment
- Distribution and behavior of fission product 95Nb in FLiBe salt
- Chemical effect on muonic atom formation through muon transfer reaction in benzene and cyclohexane samples
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Original Papers
- Revisiting cross sections for proton induced reactions on natural lead between 10 and 80 MeV
- The influence of chemical parameters on the in-situ metal carbonyl complex formation studied with the fast on-line reaction apparatus (FORA)
- The influence of physical parameters on the in-situ metal carbonyl complex formation studied with the Fast On-line Reaction Apparatus (FORA)
- Study on the continuous precipitation of U(IV) oxalate in a vortex precipitator
- Evaluation of promethium-147 production as a by-product of the fission molybdenum-99 process in Tehran research reactor
- Uncertainty propagation in Pu isotopic composition calculation by gamma spectrometry: theory versus experiment
- Distribution and behavior of fission product 95Nb in FLiBe salt
- Chemical effect on muonic atom formation through muon transfer reaction in benzene and cyclohexane samples