Molten-Salt Lubricated Bearings (NEUP Project) by Minghui Chen of UNM @ TEAC11

Molten-Salt Lubricated Bearings and Molten Salt Research at the UNM (University of New Mexico) Advanced Thermal-Hydraulics Laboratory was presented by Minghui Chen at Thorium Energy Alliance Conference #11. Department of Nuclear Engineering The University of New Mexico: Research Interests… Radiation Transport Reactor Physics Criticality Safety Material Behavior in Extreme Environments Thermal-Hydraulics and Safety Analysis of Nuclear Reactors Space Nuclear Power and Thermal Propulsion Radiation Detection and Detector Development for Nuclear Safeguards and Nonproliferation Advanced Nuclear Reactors Teaching and Research Facilities… AGN-201M Nuclear Training Reactor Institute for Space & Nuclear Power Studies Advanced Thermal-Hydraulics Laboratory Fission Fragment Spectrometer Research Laboratory Sandia-UNM Academic Alliance gives faculty access to Sandia facilities NEUP Project = Development and Demonstration of Scalable Fluoride Salt Pump Bearings and Seals for Molten Salt Reactors Fluoride-Salt-Lubricated Journal Bearings Fluoride salt: FLiBe and FLiNaK Temperature: 1200 °F Journal bearing designs: Different sizes and length over diameter ratio. Different textures (axial and helical grooves, dimples diameters and depths). Bearing materials: Lubricant compatibility, shaft speed, load, operating temperature, and mechanical properties. SiC, diamond, SS, ceramic, graphite, C-C composites. Static and dynamic force performance: Friction coefficients to reduce power losses. Bearing properties to reduce the applied load.