Additively Manufactured Heat Exchangers for sCO2 and Molten Salt Nuclear Reactors

Next generation molten salt reactor and supercritical carbon dioxide systems require new materials and techniques to improve operational efficiency, durability, lifetime, and waste heat recovery. These coolants require corrosion resistant materials and manufacturing approaches that enable standard codes for these systems to be met or exceeded. The overarching goal of this Phase I program is to demonstrate a new material and manufacturing method to utilize additive manufacturing to produce heat exchangers required for next generation molten salt / supercritical carbon dioxide cooling systems. Specifically, this program will demonstrate that the new material prepared by additively manufacturing can meet the corrosion resistance and physical properties required for state-of-the-art heat exchanger fabrication. Once the material performance has been met, new heat exchanger architecture for improved heat transfer performance molten salt and supercritical carbon dioxide systems will be designed and evaluated. Coupons and creep-fatigue bars will be built by additive manufacturing. The corrosion and mechanical properties will be tested through salt pot, pressurized reactor, and creep fatigue evaluations. It will also be determined if the surface finish affects the mechanical and corrosion performance. Material validation will enable designs for state-of-the-art heat exchangers and commercial outreach / program alignment with next generation nuclear reactors and waste heat systems. This activity will demonstrate new material and manufacturing method for next-generation heat exchanger designs. These heat exchangers can be utilized over a wide sector of industries including supercritical carbon dioxide power systems, molten salt reactors, concentrated solar power, light water reactors, etců.