Part 6/12:
One of the most compelling aspects of MSRs lies in their passive safety features. When the reactor’s circulation pumps fail, the liquid fuel—salt—immediately drains into safes tanks below by gravity, naturally ending the chain reaction without intervention. This design eliminates risk of meltdowns and reduces the need for complex active cooling systems, which are a principal vulnerability in conventional reactors.
The hot core operates around 600°C, shielded by multi-meter-thick walls of steel, water, and concrete to block radiation. The safety profiles of MSRs might ultimately be safer than existing systems, which depend heavily on active safety protocols and active cooling.