A molten-salt reactor (MSR) is a class of nuclear fission reactor in which the primary nuclear reactor coolant and/or the fuel is a mixture of molten salt with a fissile material.
Two research MSRs operated in the United States in the mid-20th century. The 1950s Aircraft Reactor Experiment (ARE) was primarily motivated by the technology's compact size, while the 1960s Molten-Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) aimed to demonstrate a nuclear power plant using a thorium fuel cycle in a breeder reactor.
Increased research into Generation IV reactor designs renewed interest in the 21st century with multiple nations starting projects. As of June 2023, China has been operating its TMSR-LF1 thorium unit.[1]
- ^ "Operating permit issued for Chinese molten salt reactor". World Nuclear News. 15 June 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
The Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has been granted an operating licence for the experimental TMSR-LF1 thorium-powered molten-salt reactor.