As the nuclear energy sector advances toward safer and more efficient reactor designs, molten salt reactors (MSRs) have emerged as a promising solution—offering passive safety, continuous fuel circulation, and carbon-free electricity generation. But these reactors come with their own challenges.
Operating at extremely high temperatures and under dynamic chemical conditions, MSRs demand real-time insight into fuel composition, reaction byproducts, and off-gas emissions. Conventional diagnostic tools struggle to keep up.
In this application note, we highlight a groundbreaking study at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where researchers used Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) combined with Avantes multichannel spectrometers to tackle this problem head-on.
The integrated system enabled:
- Broadband elemental detection across MSR off-gas flows
- Hydrogen isotope analysis, critical for monitoring tritium and other radiolytic species
- Real-time, high-temperature diagnostics using compact, modular equipment
By capturing a detailed chemical fingerprint of the reactor’s off-gas in real time, the system provided insights into fuel performance, reactor stability, and gas evolution behavior, without interrupting operation.
This work not only demonstrates the capabilities of LIBS and Avantes technology in harsh environments—it also sets the stage for reliable, inline monitoring in future commercial reactors. As MSR technology advances, so will the need for spectroscopy systems to keep pace with it.
Download the full application note to see how broadband LIBS and Avantes spectrometers are shaping the future of clean, safe energy.
Application Note Molten Salt Reactor
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