Molten Salts in Nuclear Technology Laboratory

The University of Manchester Dalton Nuclear Institute logo
UCL logo

 

 

 

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University of Sheffield logo

 

PI: Dr Clint Sharrad
The MSNTL aims to provide a molten salt R&D capability for studying fluoride salts in nuclear systems within the UK for the first time:
  • Enabling the UK’s expertise in chloride salts from pyroprocessing research to alternative salt systems in order to explore expanding research areas such as Molten Salt Reactor technologies.
  • Providing an interdisciplinary hub for molten salts research with radioactive materials. 
Image of Dalton Cumbrian Facility

Dalton Cumbrian Facility

© University of Manchester. Image courtesy of Dalton Nuclear Institute

Np(IV) in molten LiCl-KCl eutectic

Np(IV) in molten LiCl-KCl eutectic

Image courtesy of Hugues Lambert and Clint Sharrad
– University of Manchester

Equipment to include

  • Numerous materials corrosion test rigs
  • Gravity-fed molten salts flow loop
  • Molten salts irradiation test rig
  • High temperature column for dynamic ion exchange studies with molten salts
  • Bespoke gloveboxes and supporting infrastructure for handling molten salts with radioactive material
  • Supporting furnaces of various types
  • TGA/DSC coupled with GC-MS
  • High temperature rheometers
  • Potentiostats
  • Various existing spectroscopic and electrochemical kit

Network of locations

Contact

Dr Clint Sharrad, The University of Manchester, clint.a.sharrad@manchester.ac.uk.

 

Availability

The MSNTL will be closed from January to March 2023 in order to move into newly refurbished laboratory space at Manchester and commission our new gloveboxes and equipment capable of handling fluoride melts across both Edinburgh and Manchester hubs. We anticipate that the MSNTL will become fully operational with access to all rigs and equipment from ~ April 2023. Updates will be provided in due course.

We also recommend exploring available facilities at the Pyrochemical Research Laboratory, and the teams at both the MSNTL and PRL will work together to provide the best avenues to deliver your research needs. Please do reach out to the MSNTL team to discuss any requirements in anticipation of our reopening ~ April 2023.

 

 

NNUF funded user access scheme for MSNTL

As a first step, please email clint.a.sharrad@manchester.ac.uk to contact MSNTL for a discussion about the practical feasibility of your proposed research project in anticipation of our reopening from ~ April 2023.. Then, you will need to complete a simple NNUF application form. When doing so, please upload an email exchange between you and a member of staff at MSNTL, confirming the feasibility of your proposed research. Please see the access page of this website for more detail about the NNUF funded user access scheme.

© University of Manchester.