Abstract
Molten fluorides were initially developed for use in
the nuclear industry as the high-temperature fluid fuel
for the Molten Salt Reactor (MSR). The U.S. Department
of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy is exploring the use
of molten salts as primary and secondary coolants in a
new generation of solid-fueled, thermal-spectrum, hightemperature
reactors. This paper provides a review of
relevant properties for use in evaluation and ranking of
salt coolants for high-temperature reactors. Nuclear, physical,
and chemical properties were reviewed, and metrics
for evaluation are recommended. Chemical properties of
the salt were examined to identify factors that affect materials
compatibility (i.e., corrosion). Some preliminary
consideration of economic factors for the candidate salts
is also presented.