What does this research mean for the field?

Integrating a dual-tank nitrate salt thermal energy storage system into a molten salt reactor's intermediate loop increases net power block output by 20.1% without requiring an uprate in the reactor's thermal capacity. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate the operational flexibility and economic dispatch of a molten salt reactor coupled with dual-tank nitrate salt thermal energy storage under fluctuating electricity market conditions.

September 12, 2026Journal of energy resources technology.

Molten Salt Reactor Dispatch Optimization via Thermal Energy Storage: Coupled Thermodynamic Modeling and Rolling-Horizon Economic Analysis

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Authors

AMAugusto Delavald MarquesUniversity of Central Florida APAbhilash PrasadCenter for Independent Living SGShinjan GhoshUniversity of Central Florida

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Implication

Thermodynamic modeling demonstrates a 20.1% increase in net power block output for molten salt reactors with thermal energy storage, highlighting a pathway for flexible low-carbon power grids.

Key Points

To evaluate the operational flexibility and economic dispatch of a molten salt reactor coupled with dual-tank nitrate salt thermal energy storage under fluctuating electricity market conditions.
Coupled a thermodynamic model of a molten salt reactor and steam Rankine cycle—parameterized to the KP-FHR commercial reference design—with a rolling-horizon dispatch optimizer.
Simulated economic dispatch using 15-minute-resolution CAISO day-ahead locational marginal pricing and net load data for a summer operating day, holding reactor thermal output constant.
Coupling thermal energy storage into the intermediate molten-salt loop yielded a 20.1% increase in net power block output without increasing reactor thermal capacity.
Enabled load-following operation by storing thermal inventory during low demand and discharging during peak load, decoupling base-load reactor operation from power block dispatch.

Cite This Study

Marques et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6aa5542f327956e4761fa03c https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4072685

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Implication

Thermodynamic modeling demonstrates a 20.1% increase in net power block output for molten salt reactors with thermal energy storage, highlighting a pathway for flexible low-carbon power grids.

Molten Salt Reactor Dispatch Optimization via Thermal Energy Storage: Coupled Thermodynamic Modeling and Rolling-Horizon Economic Analysis

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Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Molten Salt Reactor Dispatch Optimization via Thermal Energy Storage: Coupled Thermodynamic Modeling and Rolling-Horizon Economic Analysis

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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