>Tritium production: If lithium is used in the salt, tritium will be produced,
Not a disadvantage for all MSRs. Both lithium and beryllium can be avoided. FLiBe is required for efficient MSRs and MSBR.
>Mobile fission products
It is the only disadvantage common to all molten-salt reactors and all fluid-fuel reactors. Pumps and pipes have to handle a hot radioactive liquid.
> Material Degradation
Common to all nuclear reactors, solar, coal boiler tubes, etc. Components used in reactor core do not last long. MSRs dispose nickel tubes and LWRs dispose zirconium tubes and uranium.
>Proliferation...The problem with MSRs, then, is that the fuel is already completely cut open and melted.
>it will be difficult for the IAEA to distinguish plate-out losses from actual proliferative losses.
The fuel salt loop can be sealed tamper-proof. The entire fuel salt loop is analogous to a fuel assembly. Weigh the entire fuel salt loop. Vapor pressure of actinide-halide salt is very low at operating temperatures. Actinides don't move out of this loop.
Regarding pumps and pipes, the Moltex design avoids them entirely. Liquid fuel is contained in vertical fuel rods, open at the top to allow escape of gaseous fission products (some of which are strong neutron absorbers). The pipes are mostly immersed in a pool of molten salt coolant.
Not a disadvantage for all MSRs. Both lithium and beryllium can be avoided. FLiBe is required for efficient MSRs and MSBR.
>Mobile fission products
It is the only disadvantage common to all molten-salt reactors and all fluid-fuel reactors. Pumps and pipes have to handle a hot radioactive liquid.
> Material Degradation
Common to all nuclear reactors, solar, coal boiler tubes, etc. Components used in reactor core do not last long. MSRs dispose nickel tubes and LWRs dispose zirconium tubes and uranium.
>Proliferation...The problem with MSRs, then, is that the fuel is already completely cut open and melted. >it will be difficult for the IAEA to distinguish plate-out losses from actual proliferative losses.
The fuel salt loop can be sealed tamper-proof. The entire fuel salt loop is analogous to a fuel assembly. Weigh the entire fuel salt loop. Vapor pressure of actinide-halide salt is very low at operating temperatures. Actinides don't move out of this loop.