Molten-Salt Reactor Experiment at Oak Ridge

E360955

The Molten-Salt Reactor Experiment at Oak Ridge was a pioneering 1960s nuclear research reactor that demonstrated the feasibility of using molten salt as both fuel and coolant, significantly advancing concepts for safer and more efficient nuclear power.

All labels observed (3)

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Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf experimental nuclear reactor ⓘ
molten salt reactor ⓘ
research reactor ⓘ
associatedField nuclear engineering ⓘ
nuclear materials science ⓘ
reactor physics ⓘ
associatedWith Oak Ridge molten-salt breeder reactor studies ⓘ
constructionStart 1962 ⓘ
coolant molten salt ⓘ
country United States ⓘ
demonstrated online refueling capability ⓘ
stable operation with uranium-233 fuel ⓘ
use of molten salt as combined fuel and coolant ⓘ
designedBy Oak Ridge National Laboratory molten-salt reactor program ⓘ
designedPowerLevel about 10 megawatts thermal ⓘ
endOfOperation 1969 ⓘ
firstCriticality 1965 ⓘ
fuelForm molten salt ⓘ
fuelType plutonium-239 ⓘ
uranium-233 ⓘ
uranium-235 ⓘ
historicalSignificance pioneering demonstration of molten-salt reactor technology ⓘ
influenced later molten-salt reactor designs ⓘ
modern thorium molten-salt reactor concepts ⓘ
legacy key experimental data for molten-salt reactor development ⓘ
locatedIn Oak Ridge, Tennessee ⓘ
United States ⓘ
location Oak Ridge National Laboratory ⓘ
managedBy United States Atomic Energy Commission ⓘ
moderator graphite ⓘ
neutronSpectrum thermal ⓘ
operator Oak Ridge National Laboratory ⓘ
primarySaltBase beryllium fluoride ⓘ
lithium fluoride ⓘ
primarySaltComposition LiF–BeF2–ZrF4–UF4 ⓘ
purpose demonstrate feasibility of molten salt as fuel and coolant ⓘ
investigate molten-salt reactor technology for power production ⓘ
reactorType thermal-spectrum molten salt reactor ⓘ
researchFocus fuel-salt chemistry and corrosion ⓘ
graphite moderator behavior in molten-salt environment ⓘ
thorium fuel cycle ⓘ
safetyFeature freeze plug drain system for passive shutdown ⓘ
low operating pressure ⓘ
negative temperature coefficient of reactivity ⓘ
shutdownYear 1969 ⓘ
startOfOperation 1965 ⓘ
status permanently shut down ⓘ
thermalPower 7.4 megawatts thermal ⓘ

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Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Alvin M. Weinberg → notableWork → Molten-Salt Reactor Experiment at Oak Ridge ⓘ
Molten-Salt Reactor Experiment at Oak Ridge → designedBy → Oak Ridge National Laboratory molten-salt reactor program ⓘ
linked to: Molten-Salt Reactor Experiment at Oak Ridge
Molten-Salt Reactor Experiment at Oak Ridge → associatedWith → Oak Ridge molten-salt breeder reactor studies ⓘ
linked to: Molten-Salt Reactor Experiment at Oak Ridge