Presenter: Crewse Petersen
Authors: Crewse Petersen
Faculty Advisor: Troy Munro
Institution: Brigham Young University
Molten salts are becoming progressively more integrated in the future of the energy economy, primarily in molten salt nuclear reactors (MSR). These nuclear reactors are safer, more efficient and more reliable than the current nuclear reactors in use today. One challenge with molten salts is the difficulty to determine thermal properties. In the past, various attempts have been made to catalogue molten salt thermal properties, but inconsistent data indicates the need for an improved measurement method. To properly record reliable data, a sensor is needed that can withstand elevated temperatures, corrosive environments and record precise material properties. The solution my research group took was to use a hot wire sensor, consisting of a diamond substrate implementing a custom wheatstone bridge circuit which cancels edge effects and records accurate thermal data. In my work as a research assistant I have been designing an apparatus to house the hot wire sensor to allow accurate data readings. This requires a sensor holder that insulates from outside interference, protects from environmental dangers due to nuclear radiation and corrosivity, and minimizes the amount of molten salt used in each test. This was achieved by manufacturing and designing a boron nitride sensor housing and coding and designing a lowering and raising mechanism. The design implements a modular design, minimizing stress on fragile parts and is user-friendly for the tester.