Computer simulations of molten salts interactions with metallic materials

Small modular reactors have been identified by the Canadian government as a “source of safe, clean, affordable energy […] for Canada and Canadians”. Several of these reactor concepts rely on molten salt heat exchange loops, rather than traditional water-based heat exchangers. A key issue is that molten-salt driven corrosion is much less understood. This is of prime importance for the three main industry partners the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Ontario Power Generation, and Global First Power which are involved in the design, planning and construction of Canada’s small modular reactors. The Mitacs interns will investigate how molten salts can potentially degrade metallic structural materials, using state-of-the-art atom-scale computer simulations and machine learning techniques.

Faculty Supervisor:

Laurent Karim Béland

Student:

Partner:

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories;Global First Power;University Network of Excellence in Nuclear Engineering

Discipline:

Physics

Sector:

Education

University:

Queen's University

Program: