Molten salts have gained significant attention as a potential medium for heat transfer or energy storage and as liquid nuclear fuel, owing to their superior thermal properties. Various fluoride- and chloride-based salts are being explored as potential liquid fuels for several types of molten salt reactors (MSRs). Among these, chloride-based salts have recently received attention in MSR development due to their high solubility in actinides, which has the potential to increase fuel burnup and reduce nuclear water production. Accurate knowledge of the thermal physical properties of molten salts, such as density, viscosity, thermal conductivity, and heat capacity, is critical for the design, licensing, and operation of MSRs. Various experimental techniques have been used to determine the thermal properties of molten salts, and more recently, computational methods such as molecular dynamics simulations have also been utilized to predict these properties. However, information on the thermal physical properties of salts containing actinides is still limited and unreliable. In this study, we analyzed the available thermal physical property database of chloride salts to develop accurate models and simulations that can predict the behavior of molten salts under various operating conditions. Furthermore, we conducted experiments to improve our understanding of the behavior of molten salts. The results of this study are expected to contribute to the development of safer and more efficient MSRs.

• Tae-Hyeong Kim(Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI))
• Chan-Yong Jung(Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI))
• Eunkyeom Lee(University of Science and Technology (UST))
• Sang Ho Lim(Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), University of Science and Technology (UST))
• Jong-Yun Kim(Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), University of Science and Technology (UST)) Corresponding author