Posted on 11/01/2013 1:47:34 PM PDT by Innovative
Nuclear scientists are being urged by the former UN weapons inspector Hans Blix to develop thorium as a new fuel.
Mr Blix says that the radioactive element may prove much safer in reactors than uranium.
His enthusiasm is shared by some in the British nuclear establishment. Scientists at the UK’s National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) have been encouraged by the government to help research on an Indian thorium-based reactor, and on a test programme in Norway.
China is going for a revolutionary approach, devising a next-generation reactor which its supporters say will enable thorium to be used much more safely than uranium.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
Thorium ping.
Noticed you have been posting information on thorium.
And it would NOT contribute to real or imaginary global warming or climate change.
Unlimited?
I don’t think so.................
Pretty much unlimited.
Agreed. Why we aren’t doing this is insanity.
CERN says India, China evincing keen interest in thorium technologies
China and India are actively supporting several initiatives in the use of thorium, instead of uranium, in nuclear facilities and are cultivating more thorium resources, said CERN on the sidelines of the Thorium Energy Conference being held from Oct.27 to 31, 2013.
Even the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, South Korea, and Norway are also evaluating this technology, it said in a statement.
CERN’s Thorium Energy Conference 2013 (ThEC13) is focusing on the scientific and technical advances offered by thorium in alternative nuclear technologies for energy production and for the destruction of nuclear waste. The ThEC13 conference is being attended by scientists of 32 countries, to discuss the status of the field and define common project.
Thorium is four times more abundant than uranium in the Earth’s crust and its potential as nuclear fuel offers an alternative for safer and cleaner nuclear energy production, reducing the volume and lifetime of existing nuclear waste.
I just read “Super Fuel”
Interesting but thru the entire book, I kept waiting for someone to talk to someone other than from Oak Ridge.
Technical issues of U232 Gamma emissions glossed over.
Breeder reactor description seemed overly simplistic.
In many ways it reminded me of a .com startup business plan.
“Agreed. Why we aren’t doing this is insanity.”
We are not building new uranium plants. No way would a utility venture into a new plant design.
Sounds great. Let’s do it. What’s holding us back?
“Sounds great. Let’s do it. What’s holding us back?”
Licensing, money, unknown risks and public negativity.
It is true that there isn’t anything that is unlimited, in a sense, but with Thorium, it is a lot more available (than Uranium, at least) produces its own U233 which can be reused, and generates a lot less waste that is a lot less radioactive (or at least is radioactive for a shorter period of time, I think I remember seeing 10 half lives in 300 years for the longest lived isotope, but don’t hold me to that)
On its face, it can’t be weaponized, and while there are some thorium decay isotopes that can be separated that decay directly into weapons grade uranium, the half life is short enough to make it impractical for that purpose, or so I am told.
From what I know of it, it seems like a winner to me.
‘What’s holding us back?”
The word “nuclear”. People ignore reality, and just react based on emotion. AND that many aren’t really interested in safe, environmentally friendly, and abundant energy, their interest is more to cripple the industrial nations in the name of “protecting the environment” and phrases like “global warming”.
It is interesting that Hans Blix, a liberal former UN weapons inspector is even starting to see the light.
That is because of liberalism and environmentalists. The technology itself is good.
Additionally, the reactor doesn’t have to operate under high pressure, so it is far safer.
It is too bad the anti-nuclear zealots have infiltrated government and media at the highest levels.
We should be building these.
“From what I know of it, it seems like a winner to me.”
Definitely — safe, cheap, abundant energy and we could be truly energy independent, not have to depend on the oil producing nations.
what is the half life of the expended fuel?
What happens when all the thorium is used up?.............
That is because of liberalism and environmentalists. The technology itself is good.
Additionally, the reactor doesn’t have to operate under high pressure, so it is far safer.
It is too bad the anti-nuclear zealots have infiltrated government and media at the highest levels.
We should be building these.
China will, and we will be buying from them...
Karl denninger has been wondering why we do not move to thorium for years...
In the meantime...
“The world reportedly “invested” $1 billion a day last year to fight global warming. What a waste. Properly invested, a billion a day would yield productive results.”
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