• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to footer
  • About
  • Career
  • Alumni
  • News

Fung Institute for Engineering LeadershipFung Institute for Engineering LeadershipFung Institute for Engineering Leadership

  • Master of Engineering
    • Master of Engineering Program
      • Engineering Departments
      • Leadership Development
      • Capstone Experience
      • Program Design
      • Learn More
      • How to Apply
  • Fung Fellowship
    • Fung Fellowship

      The Fung Fellowship is shaping a new generation of entrepreneurial leaders focused on transforming health and wellness.

      • Program Overview
    • The Fung Fellowship
    • Executive & Professional Education
  • Partners
    • Partners
    • Become a Partner
    • Propose a Project
    • Recruit a Student
  • Apply
  • About
  • Career
  • Alumni
  • News
Creating a Stable Supply of Rare Elements for Medical and Industrial Applications Using a Molten Salt Nuclear Reactor

Creating a Stable Supply of Rare Elements for Medical and Industrial Applications Using a Molten Salt Nuclear Reactor

November 15, 2020 by

Team: Stu Burgess (ME), Mubasheer Chombakkadath (NE), Yong Mok Kim (NE), Juhi Nandwani (NE), Richy Rocha (NE), Tatiana Siaraferas (NE), Madeleine Waller (NE)

Advisor: Massimiliano Fratoni (NE)

Nuclear fission creates many rare elements that are not normally found in nature and are discarded in traditional reactor fuels. These rare elements are useful for many industrial and medical processes, such as thickness gauging and cancer treatments. Our team is designing a new generation molten salt nuclear reactor with a sole focus on continuous production and extraction of these elements without the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation. We aim to provide an innovative and safe approach to meet current US demands at or below market pricing.

Reactor:

The reactor uses low enriched uranium fuel with a graphite moderator, boron control rods, and a Hastelloy-N vessel.

Model Validation:

The model to the right was used with SERPENT Code to model the core neutronics.

Transfer of Heat:

The reactor will run at 250 kW and the resulting heat will be rejected to the atmosphere with a series of heat exchangers like the one below. The system will be driven by natural circulation.

Product Extraction:

  1. Helium is bubbled through fuel in a section of pipe
  2. Volatile fission products are freed and sent to be fluorinated
  3. Once the contents are in their highest ionized state, they are filtered for particulate matter
  4. They are then directed to a halide trap, where they are split to a distillation and additional traps
  5. The distillation process separated wastes, molybdenum-99, and iodine products
  6. The additional traps separate hydrogen isotopes, oxygen, and noble gasses including the helium used to free the products

Project Brief


← View all Capstone Projects

Fung Institute For Engineering Leadership
2451 Ridge Road Berkeley, CA 94709
(510) 642-0633
funginstitute@berkeley.edu

Explore

  • Programs
  • Partners
  • Apply

Experience

  • About
  • Career
  • Alumni
  • News
  • Donate

Connect

Copyright © 2021 • Privacy • Sitemap

berkeley_engineering

uc-berkeley

Copyright © 2021 • Privacy • Sitemap

berkeley_engineering

uc-berkeley

Prospective MEng Students

Sign up for our mailing list to receive program news and updates including information sessions, class visits and opportunities to connect with an admissions advisor.