Cooled headspace utilizing nitrogen-to-nitrogen heat exchanger

A forced convection heat removal system coupled to a molten salt reactor enclosure comprising:

• at least one gas-to-gas heat exchanger positioned within a headspace of the reactor enclosure;
• wherein the at least one gas-to-gas heat exchanger includes at least one fan, and a cooling coil configured to circulate a nitrogen gas of the headspace through the heat exchanger thereby cooling the nitrogen gas of the headspace;
• wherein the cooling coil includes nitrogen gas;
• a liquid-to-gas heat exchanger positioned outside the reactor enclosure;
• wherein the liquid-to-gas heat exchanger is configured to cool the nitrogen gas of the cooling coil;
• a chiller loop coupling the at least one gas-to-gas heat exchanger to the liquid-to-gas heat exchanger thereby facilitating removal of heat from the headspace.

A method of maintaining a temperature of a headspace of a molten salt reactor system comprising:

• operating the molten salt reactor system thereby heating a reactor enclosure;
• providing an inert environment in the headspace of the reactor enclosure;
• providing a forced convection heat removal system in the headspace of the reactor enclosure;
• and
• the forced convection heat removal system comprising at least one gas-to-gas heat exchanger positioned within the headspace and coupled, by a chiller loop, to a liquid-to-gas heat exchanger positioned outside the molten salt reactor system;
• the at least one gas-to-gas heat exchanger configured to remove heat from the headspace by transferring the heat to the liquid-to-gas heat exchanger;
• removing heat from the headspace by operating the forced convection heat removal system.