Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The protective performance of a molten salt frozen wall in the process of fluoride volatility of uranium

  • Published:
Nuclear Science and Techniques Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The fluoride volatility method (FVM) is a technique tailored to separate uranium from fuel salt of molten salt reactors. A key challenge in R&D of the FVM is corrosion due to the presence of molten salt and corrosive gases at high temperature. In this work, a frozen-wall technique was proposed to produce a physical barrier between construction materials and corrosive reactants. The protective performance of the frozen wall against molten salt was assessed using FLiNaK molten salt with introduced fluorine gas, which was regarded as a simulation of the FVM process. SS304, SS316L, Inconel 600 and graphite were chosen as the test samples. The extent of corrosion was characterized by an analysis of weight loss and scanning electron microscope studies. All four test samples suffered severe corrosion in the molten salt phase with the corrosion resistance as: Inconel 600 > SS316L > graphite > SS304. The presence of the frozen wall could protect materials against corrosion by molten salt and corrosive gases, and compared with materials exposed to molten salt, the corrosion rates of materials protected by the frozen wall were decreased by at least one order of magnitude.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. M.H. Jiang, H.J. Xu, Z.M. Dai et al., Advanced fission energy program-TMSR nuclear energy system. Chin. Acad. J. 27(3), 366–374 (2012). https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1000-3045.2012.03.016. (in Chinese)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. M.S. Cheng, Z.M. Dai, Development of a three dimension multi-physics code for molten salt fast reactor. Nucl. Sci. Tech. 25, 010601 (2014). https://doi.org/10.13538/j.1001-8042/nst.25.010601

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. L. Mathieu, D. Heuer, The thorium molten salt reactor: moving on from the MSBR. Prog. Nucl. Energy 48, 664–679 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnucene.2006.07.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. X.G. Liu, Research on dry reprocessing technology of spent nuclear fuel. J. Nucl. Radiochem. 31, 35–44 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1109/CLEOE-EQEC.2009.5194697

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. C.S. Sona, B.D. Gajbhiye, P.V. Hule et al., High temperature corrosion studies in molten salt-FLiNaK. Corros. Eng. Sci. Technol. 49(4), 287–295 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1179/1743278213Y.0000000135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. L.X. Sun, Y.S. Niu, H.Q. Zhang et al., Fluorination of UF4 and its reaction kinetics. J. Nucl. Radiochem. 37, 71–76 (2015). https://doi.org/10.7538/hhx.2015.37.02.0071. (in Chinese)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. H.Y. Fu, J.X. Geng, Y. Yang et al., Low pressure distillation technology of molten salt in spent fuel pyroprocessing field. Nucl. Tech. 41, 040001 (2018). https://doi.org/10.11889/j.0253-3219.2018.hjs.41.040001. (in Chinese)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. H. Ai, J. Hou, X.X. Ye et al., Influence of graphite-alloy interactions on corrosion of Ni–Mo–Cr alloy in molten fluorides. J. Nucl. Mater. 503, 116–123 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2018.03.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. L.L. Yang, X.H. Li, W. Xu, The research and application of the cold crucible technology in several countries. Radiat. Prot. Bull. 33, 37–41 (2013). https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1004-6356.2013.03.008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. S. Gopalakrishnan, A. Thess, A simplified mathematical model of glass melt convection in a cold crucible induction melter. Int. J. Therm. Sci. 60, 142–152 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2012.06.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. M. Takeuchi, Y. Arai, T. Kase et al., Corrosion study of a highly durable electrolyzer based on cold crucible technique for pyrochemical reprocessing of spent nuclear oxide fuel. J. Nucl. Mater. 432, 35–41 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2012.07.048

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. L.M. Jiji, S. Gaye, Analysis of solidification and melting of PCM with energy generation. Appl. Therm. Eng. 26, 568–575 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2005.07.008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. S. Kalaiselvam, M. Veerappan, A.A. Aaron, Experimental and analytical investigation of solidification and melting characteristics of PCMs inside cylindrical encapsulation. Int. J. Therm. Sci. 47, 858–874 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2007.07.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. J.H. Zhou, B. Sun, C.F. She et al., Experimental research on the formation and controlling of molten salt frozen-wall. Nucl. Tech. 38, 070602 (2015). https://doi.org/10.11889/j.0253-3219.2015.hjs.38.070602. (in Chinese)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. J.H. Zhou, B. Sun, C.F. She et al., Experimental study on the thickness detection of molten salt frozen-wall. Chem. Ind. Eng. Prog. 08, 2373–2380 (2016). https://doi.org/10.16085/j.issn.1000-6613.2016.08.11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. B. Sun, J.H. Zhou, C.F. She et al., Experimental study on the influence of key factors in the application of molten salt frozen-wall. Nucl. Tech. 39, 080602 (2016). https://doi.org/10.11889/j.0253-3219.2016.hjs.39.080602. (in Chinese)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. B. Sun, J.H. Zhou, C.F. She et al., Numerical analysis and experimental research on heat transfer equilibrium state of molten salt frozen-wall. Nucl. Tech. 41, 060601 (2018). https://doi.org/10.11889/j.0253-3219.2018.hjs.41.060601. (in Chinese)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. J.H. Zhou, B. Sun, Q. Dou et al., Experimental research on formation of fluoride molten salt frozen-wall. Mod. Chem. Ind. 38(01), 149–154 (2018). https://doi.org/10.16606/j.cnki.issn0253-4320.2018.01.035. (in Chinese)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. B. Sun, J.H. Zhou, C.F. She et al., Heat transfer characteristics of high-temperature molten salt. Nucl. Tech. 38, 030601 (2015). https://doi.org/10.11889/j.0253-3219.2015.hjs.38.030601. (in Chinese)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. V. Pavlik, M. Kontrik, M. Boca, Corrosion behavior of Incoloy 800HHT in the fluoride molten salt FLiNaK + MFx (MFx = CrF3, FeF2, FeF3 and NiF2). New J. Chem. 39, 9841–9847 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1039/c5nj01839k

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. C.J. Rao, S.N. Shen, C. Mallika et al., Molten salt corrosion behavior of structural materials in LiCl–KCl–UCl3 by thermogravimetric study. J. Nucl. Mater. 501, 189–199 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2018.01.012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. G.Q. Zheng, L.F. He, D. Carpenter et al., Corrosion-induced microstructural developments in 316 stainless steel during exposure to molten Li2BeF4 (FLiBe) salt. J. Nucl. Mater. 482, 147–155 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2016.10.023

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Jin-Hao Zhou

  2. Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201800, China

    Jin-Hao Zhou, Ji-Lin Tan, Bo Sun, Qiang Dou & Qing-Nuan Li

Authors
  1. Jin-Hao Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ji-Lin Tan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Bo Sun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Qiang Dou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Qing-Nuan Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Qiang Dou.

Additional information

This work was supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Science (No. XDA02030000).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhou, JH., Tan, JL., Sun, B. et al. The protective performance of a molten salt frozen wall in the process of fluoride volatility of uranium. NUCL SCI TECH 30, 102 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41365-019-0620-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41365-019-0620-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation