UK nuclear power shipping start-up Core Power says the world’s first molten chloride fast reactor (MCFR) has passed another milestone in helping decarbonise the sector.
Southern Company and TerraPower — the US partners of Mikal Boe-led Core Power — have successfully started pumped-salt operations in an integrated effects test (IET), which they described as a “major achievement in the development of fourth-generation molten salt reactor technology”.
Core Power aims to use molten salt reactors to power vessels and on floating power stations to produce green energy.
Since installing the IET at TerraPower’s laboratory in Everett, Washington, the project team has completed mechanical, electrical and controls verification, and commissioned all systems.
The latest milestone involved using hot argon and chloride salts to confirm readiness, including filling and flushing drain tanks and verifying the operation of freeze valves.
Chloride salt has been loaded into the primary coolant salt loops, and pumped-salt operations have begun.
A multi-month test campaign will provide valuable salt operations data and know-how for the programme.
The IET is a non-nuclear, externally heated multiloop system of up to 1MW — the world’s largest chloride salt system developed by the nuclear sector.
Southern Company and TerraPower initiated the project under the US Department of Energy’s advanced reactor concepts award.
“The start-up of the integrated effects test is a milestone achievement in the development of the first fast-spectrum molten salt reactor, and we are immensely proud to contribute to its success,” Core Power chief executive Boe said.
Going the final mile
He described the test as collecting “crucial last-mile data” for the design and build of the reactor.
A 180MW MCFR demonstration is planned for the early 2030s.
Boe told TradeWinds: “New nuclear for maritime is now firmly on the agenda for the ocean transport industry as the only solution that can take us to actual zero.
“It’s the endgame of our energy transition, and with solid progress in building a new nuclear technology that actually works for shipping, we see the momentum continuing to build.”
He also mentioned “palpable” excitement at ABS’ first global forum on new nuclear in the US last week, with 150 industry and government executives from the US, South Korea and Europe in attendance.
