Developing of instrumentation technologies for a future zero power reactor experiment on molten salt reactors

Student: Andrew Jones
Supervisors: Carsten P Welsch and Bruno Merk (UoL)
Institution: University of Liverpool

Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs) are a re-emerging reactor technology from the 1950s, with the capability to fulfil global goals of sustainability, safety and proliferation resistance, through the re-use of previously discarded high-level (spent nuclear fuel) waste. With the development of a zero-power reactor, modern instrumentation technology is required to provide online reactor measurements. 

This project aims to develop a tailored neutron instrumentation package for use in a zero-power MSR. The use of Monte-Carlo simulations alongside experimental results will play a crucial part in this project, as the neutron detector system is developed from the ground up using modern technology and materials. Both in-core and out-of-core detectors will be looked at during the project, as there are no current off-the-shelf solutions for this reactor type.