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Post by marchesarosa on Jan 31, 2011 2:16:39 GMT 1
The People’s Republic of China has initiated a research and development project in thorium molten-salt reactor technology, it was announced in the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) annual conference on Tuesday, January 25. An article in the Wenhui News followed on Wednesday (Google English translation). Chinese researchers also announced this development on the Energy from Thorium Discussion Forum. energyfromthorium.com/------ This will be more useful than windmills. |
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Post by Progenitor A on Jan 31, 2011 8:36:15 GMT 1
The People’s Republic of China has initiated a research and development project in thorium molten-salt reactor technology, it was announced in the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) annual conference on Tuesday, January 25. An article in the Wenhui News followed on Wednesday (Google English translation). Chinese researchers also announced this development on the Energy from Thorium Discussion Forum. energyfromthorium.com/------ This will be more useful than windmills. Hmmmm... I wonder what the advantage of this thorium-fuelled nuclear reaction is apart from the one advantage cited that it is unsuitable for use in nuclear weapons (and hence Iran could use th etechnolgy without being acused of making nuclear weapons)? |
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Post by marchesarosa on Jan 31, 2011 9:45:57 GMT 1
I have read that thorium is the nuclear fuel that should have been pursued if it weren't for the arms/military lobby in favour of uranium/plutunium. In other words, the arms use of the waste product wagged the dog when the choice was made although thorium was the better, safer alternative.
We'll see. It's good to see someone embarking on a research programme into this source of electricity generation.
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Post by Progenitor A on Jan 31, 2011 10:04:19 GMT 1
Now although I am a fervent supporter of Nuclear power as the only possible large-scale economical producer of electricity, there does remain the very real problem of storage of waste. I found MRs article on leakage of stored CO2 in subterranean areas quite alarming. If that occured with nuclear waste it would be disastrous.
But that is a probelm that should be easily solvable by engineers with money
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Post by principled on Jan 31, 2011 19:29:35 GMT 1
Naymissus
I also share your concerns about storage, but in the case of thorium we are dumping most of it anyway as a by-product of rare minerals extraction. It would seem logical therefore to use such a material in an enriched form for nuclear power.
As I understand it, only thorium mixed with uranium has been successfully used as a fuel to date. But this quote from Wiki-if true- would seem to indicate a "win,win" situation.
"According to Australian science writer Tim Dean, "thorium promises what uranium never delivered: abundant, safe and clean energy - and a way to burn up old radioactive waste."[16] With a thorium nuclear reactor, Dean stresses a number of added benefits: there is no possibility of a meltdown, it generates power inexpensively, it does not produce weapons-grade by-products, and will burn up existing high-level waste as well as nuclear weapon stockpiles.[16] Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, of the British Telegraph daily, suggests that "Obama could kill fossil fuels overnight with a nuclear dash for thorium," and could put "an end to our dependence on fossil fuels within three to five years."[14]
The Thorium Energy Alliance (TEA), an educational advocacy organization, emphasizes that "there is enough thorium in the United States alone to power the country at its current energy level for over 1,000 years." [17] Reducing coal as an energy source, according to science expert Lester R. Brown of The Earth Policy Institute in Washington DC, would significantly reduce medical costs from breathing coal pollutants. Brown estimates that coal-related deaths and diseases are currently costing the U.S. up to $160 billion annually."[18]"
See:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorium
P
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Post by rsmith7 on Jan 31, 2011 19:44:06 GMT 1
Apparently uranium is ten times more abundant than gold with thorium being ten times more abundant than uranium. The lefties will find a problem with it no doubt. Can't have a cheap clean energy source! What would that do for their plans for economic meltdown and ensuing revolution resulting in a socialist utopia? Much better to build windmills - eh comrade?  |
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