Engaging molten salt aerosol-LIBS systems for future nuclear energy and technology

Using a new LIBS system, the measurement of salts within nuclear power systems can be easier than ever. Professor Phongikaroon of Virginia Commonwealth University discusses this new system and the potential it holds.

Imagine being able to peer into the system of an advanced nuclear reactor design and monitor the composition of the molten salt that fuels it in real-time. This isn’t science fiction – it’s a capability that laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) could bring to the nuclear industry.

LIBS is a powerful analytical technique. It uses a high-powered laser to blast a sample into a plasma, releasing a flash of light that acts as a fingerprint and reveals which elements are present. Scientists have already explored LIBS to analyse nuclear materials in molten salt. Still, there’s a catch: most of these studies required removing the salt from the reactor, a time-consuming process with a risk of contamination.

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