Derivation and Implementation in OpenFOAM of a Point-Kinetics Model for Molten Salt Reactors

In the last couple of decades, the nuclear community has witnessed a renewed interest in Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs) [1]. MSRs are typically claimed to overcome the drawbacks of current LWR technology thanks to their ambient operating pressure, higher efficiency, as well as several positive features associated to a liquid fuel such as: avoiding by design core melting accidents; the possibility of extracting during operation the gaseous and volatile fission products, thus decoupling radioactive and power sources; the possibility of an online reprocessing; a wide flexibility in terms of fuel composition and fuel cycle. However, this feature of a liquid fuel is also a source of concern in terms of licensing, proliferation, and technology readiness. A specific aspect in this sense is the unsuitability of most legacy nuclear safety codes to deal with a circulating fuel.