[epithermal]

“as much energy as 200 tons of uranium”

Does anyone know how they come up with this comparison. I don’t doubt it, I am just curious what the physics are.

[decimon]

“as much energy as 200 tons of uranium”

Does anyone know how they come up with this comparison.

I don't know. But it's a pleasant surprise, to me, to read that.

[hinckley buzzard]

Attributed to " Nobel pize winning physicist Carlo Rubbia." Sounds like a guy who might know what he's talking about.

[fso301]

Does anyone know how they come up with this comparison. I don’t doubt it, I am just curious what the physics are.

I too suspect apples are being compared to oranges. The efficiency cited in the article of a thorium reactor is roughly comparable to that of a breeder reactor versus conventional water reactor.

That thorium can be bred suggests the article is taking a highly efficient thorium based breeder reactor and comparing it to a conventional (inherently inefficient) water reactor. I don't have a problem with such comparison if that's what it takes to get beyond public phobias against uranium based nuclear power.

[PapaBear3625]

Does anyone know how they come up with this comparison. I don’t doubt it, I am just curious what the physics are.

Only the U-235 isotope of uranium is used for power. U235 is a tiny percentage of the total. Thorium's most common isotope is usable for fuel.

[NonValueAdded]

I suspect that is tons of ore they are talking about.

[Eepsy]

As I understand it, energy values would actually be quite similar if reprocessing of uranium were allowed....