DEVELOPMENT AND VERIFICATION OF CUPID-MSR FOR MOLTEN SALT NUCLEAR REACTOR FLUID DESIGN

R. Stoga; Y.J. Cho; H.Y. Yoon

doi:10.6112/kscfe.2025.30.3.123

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2025 Vol.30, Issue 3 Preview Page Next Page

Original Article

DEVELOPMENT AND VERIFICATION OF CUPID-MSR FOR MOLTEN SALT NUCLEAR REACTOR FLUID DESIGN 용융염 원자로 유체 설계를 위한 CUPID-MSR 개발 및 검증

30 September 2025. pp. 123-135

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Abstract

CUPID-MSR is an extension of the thermal-hydraulic CFD code CUPID, with modifications for the simulation of Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs). The current CUPID-MSR supports two eutectic molten salt mixtures: uranium-potassium-chloride (U-K-Cl) and uranium-sodium-magnesium-chloride (U-Na-Mg-Cl) compounds. Code verification was performed using the widely recognized De Vahl Davis benchmark problem, which features a buoyancy-driven thermal cavity. The difference from the reference solution ranges from 0.12% to 8.34% for the U-K-Cl compound, and from 1.89% to 5.95% for the U-Na-Mg-Cl compound, with minimal differences between the two results (<2.5%), confirming the accuracy of the implementation. Additionally, CUPID-MSR was also applied to a conceptual fast neutron spectrum MSR design using a horizontal cylinder-type vessel. Nine configurations were investigated, combining reactor diameters of 35, 40, and 45 cm with inlet disks containing 0, 4, or 8 openings. Configurations with 8 openings showed stable flow and the lowest local temperatures (658°C-661°C), while cases without openings exhibited flow instability and the highest local temperatures (672°C-695°C). These results confirm the successful implementation of molten salt properties into CUPID-MSR and present its reliability as a simulation tool for new MSR fluid designs.

Keywords

Molten salt reactor, MSR

Computational fluid dynamics, CFD

CUPID-MSR

MSR fluid design

Flow distribution

키워드

용융염원자로

전산유체역학

큐피드 용융염원자로 버전

용융염원자로 유체설계

유동 분배

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Information

Publisher :Korean Society for Computational Fluids Engineering
Publisher(Ko) :한국전산유체공학회
Journal Title :Journal of Computational Fluids Engineering
Journal Title(Ko) :한국전산유체공학회지
Volume : 30
No :3
Pages :123-135
Received Date : 2025-06-16
Revised Date : 2025-07-08
Accepted Date : 2025-07-14
DOI :https://doi.org/10.6112/kscfe.2025.30.3.123

Journal of Computational Fluids Engineering ISSN:1598-6071(Print) 3022-6252(Online) 한국전산유체공학회지

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