Power Generation Using Molten Salt Reactor and Supercritical CO 2 Cycle for Lunar Operation

Le résumé fourni par la source

Power cycles utilizing molten salt as a heat source have garnered significant interest due to their compatibility with next-generation molten salt reactors (MSRs), which provide inherent safety and compact design advantages compared to traditional light-water reactors. With the initiation of projects aimed at deploying a nuclear power plant on the Moon, a molten salt reactor paired with a supercritical CO2 (sCO2) Brayton cycle emerges as a promising solution for continuous and scalable power generation in extreme environments. This study explores a thermodynamic model of an MSR-sCO2 system that incorporates thermal energy storage using lunar regolith. Employing a Lithium Fluoride Thorium Reactor, a numerical model simulates power generation through the sCO2 Brayton cycle, considering heat rejection performance throughout the lunar day-night cycles. The model accounts for habitat heating demands and aims to utilize both the cycle’s heat rejection capabilities and thermal energy storage to ensure thermal comfort and survival during the lunar night.

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