Total scale of 3 billion KRW, performing nuclear fuel manufacturing and material corrosion evaluation

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute announced on the 4th that it has signed a technology export contract worth 3 billion KRW for 'Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) nuclear fuel manufacturing and material corrosion evaluation technology' with the Danish nuclear energy company 'Saltpulse' (Note: Seaborg).

Through this contract, KAERI will perform tasks over the next two years for the fluoride-based MSR currently under development by Saltpulse, including fluoride molten salt pretreatment, nuclear fuel manufacturing and characteristic evaluation, construction and operation of a natural circulation molten salt test loop, and evaluation of corrosion characteristics of candidate structural materials for the reactor.

An MSR is a next-generation reactor that uses 'molten salt', which is salt dissolved at high temperatures. Fluoride-based molten salt containing fluorine or molten salt containing chlorine is used in MSRs.

KAERI has secured core source technologies during the development of 'MARINA', a domestic chloride-based next-generation marine MSR developed alongside domestic industries, academia, and research institutes. These include MSR nuclear fuel manufacturing and purification, molten salt chemical and physical property evaluation, and material corrosion evaluation in high-temperature molten salt environments.

KAERI explained that this contract is significant in that the technical value and excellence of MSR technology developed domestically have been recognized by an overseas private company.

Acting President Lim In-chul stated, "This contract is aimed at expanding and applying domestic chloride-based MSR technology to suit the characteristics of fluoride-based MSRs," adding, "Using this export as a stepping stone, we plan to expand international cooperation in the fields of MSR nuclear fuel materials and related test evaluations, and actively pursue additional overseas technology exports and commercialization of MSR source technologies developed domestically."