Exploring the Performance and Applications of a Novel Refueling and Waste Management Strategy in LEU- and Thorium-fueled Molten Salt Reactors

Interest in advanced, Generation IV nuclear reactors for commercial electricity production has increased in recent years as the U.S. and many nations around the world seek to transition to clean, carbon-free electricity generation. In particular, liquid-fueled Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs) were selected by the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) as one of the six most promising advanced reactor designs for potential development. Innovative fuel cycles for liquid-fueled MSRs hold promise in solving current challenges in nuclear energy, such as used fuel minimization and management and radionuclide production for medicine and industry. In this work, a novel fuel cycle concept for liquid-fueled MSRs operating with low enriched uranium (LEU) and thorium-based fuels is studied in detail in a small, 400 MWt, thermal spectrum MSR model. The safety and overall performance of this fuel cycle with LEU and thorium fuels will be investigated, in addition to fuel cycle applications such as radionuclide production for nuclear diagnostic procedures and innovative targeted radionuclide therapies for cancer.