Next-gen nuclear reactors rely on solar salts for better heat control

A new multi-million dollar research effort aims to solve a central challenge for the next wave of nuclear energy: the efficient and safe management of extreme operational heat.

NANO Nuclear, a company engaged in advanced nuclear technology, is teaming up with MIT’s renowned Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering to rigorously test if “solar salts,” a common material in solar thermal plants, can withstand the harsh conditions inside advanced nuclear reactors.

The two-year collaboration, funded by NANO Nuclear with $500,000, aims to fill a significant knowledge gap. While molten nitrate salts are proven performers for storing solar energy, their behavior under the intense radiation of a nuclear environment remains largely uncharted territory.

Designing safer, more efficient reactors

This research will subject these salts to gamma irradiation using MIT’s specialized Gammacell 220F Co-60 irradiator and provide crucial data for designing safer and more efficient reactors of the future.

“Understanding how molten salts perform under radiation is essential to unlocking next-generation reactor designs, and this facility gives us the capabilities to do that without using any nuclear materials,” said Jay Yu, Founder and Chairman of NANO Nuclear. He emphasized that it will ensure a controlled and safe research environment.

The collaboration seeks to determine if these salts can be reliably used for thermal energy storage and as coolants in advanced nuclear systems, including microreactors. Professor Koroush Shirvan, a leading nuclear systems engineering expert at MIT and the project’s Principal Investigator, highlighted the sophisticated approach. 

“This project offers an exciting opportunity to characterize molten nitrate salts in radiation environments with a level of precision not previously achieved,” he said. 

His team will deploy cutting-edge diagnostics, including real-time gas analysis and thermal property measurements, to assess chemical stability and material degradation during and after irradiation.

“We’re using real-time diagnostics, high-temperature test rigs, and modern analytical techniques to generate data that can immediately impact next-generation reactor development,” Dr Shirvan explained.

Broader implications for nuclear energy

The implications of this research extend beyond just one company or reactor design. Positive findings could significantly accelerate the development of various advanced reactor concepts by providing reliable data on material performance. This could lead to more robust safety models and more efficient energy conversion.

Professor Ian Farnan, Lead of Nuclear Fuel Cycle, Radiation and Materials at NANO Nuclear, sees this as a pivotal step. 

“The ability to assess salt performance in radiation fields without reliance on operating a reactor gives us unprecedented flexibility and speed in advancing the development of our reactor systems,” he noted.

The research, expected to conclude in 2027, will provide quarterly updates, feeding directly into NANO Nuclear’s engineering and design processes. 

Success in this endeavor could revolutionize aspects of nuclear energy and offer insights beneficial for other clean energy applications, such as industrial heat and off-grid energy storage.

“We are thrilled to see this groundbreaking research move forward with MIT,” concluded Professor Farnan.