Independent consultancy Energy Process Developments has released the results of its year-long study of the feasibility of various Molten Salt Reactors for the UK. EPD’s study, which was co-funded by InnovateUK and is the first of its kind, assessed six different Molten Salt Reactor designs for various criteria including basic technical feasibility, “licensability”, UK intellectual property, and viability in the UK. We were very pleased that our Stable Salt Reactor technology was found to be the most promising for the UK, and that EPD recognised the advantages of our simple and deployable fuel tube technology.
By using molten salt fuel in held in static fuel tubes, rather than conventional ‘pumped circulation’ designs, Moltex’s SSR technology avoids the engineering complexity and regulatory burden of managing a highly active circuit. In the pumps’ place we simply harness the power of natural convection and experience accumulated from past pool-type Fast Reactor programmes. This blend of new technology with established design is what sets us apart.
Dr Ian Scott, Managing Partner and inventor of SSR technology, said: “I am delighted (although unsurprised!) by EPD’s very supportive verdict on SSR. When I invented SSR I used the latest computational fluid dynamics techniques to simplify the reactor as much as possible. SSR is now confirmed as the near-term, deployable Molten Salt Reactor. I look forward to the next stage, when we move from feasibility studies to actual regulatory engagement and then demonstration. Thanks to all at EPD for their indefatigable support for MSRs in the UK.”
