The design of the molten salt pump

    In the design and through testing, we evaluated the pump for its structural integrity, thermal expansion of major pump components, vibration limits, the ability of the bearings to run dry for a short period of time at startup, the ability of the yoke assemblies to be self draining to prevent freeze up of the bearings during long idle periods, and the estimated life cycle between rebuilds.

    The mechanical design of a pump fifteen meters long needs to minimize the number of replacement parts, provide easy accessibility to these parts and simplify the mechanical assembly in order to insure a cost-effective maintenance program when the pump needs to be rebuilt. Accessibility to these parts is critical for the disassembly and replacement of wear parts that have been exposed to molten salt for long periods of operation.