Search Results for: thorium

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There are three Superfuels – uranium, thorium and plutonium

ByRod Adams

…ries to reconsider their ambitious nuclear agendas. (Location 233 of 5225) Thorium thinkers, please let me clue you in. Uranium is not your enemy. Thorium does not work as a fuel without substantial quantities of either U-235 or Pu-239 to provide the neutron flux that turns your favorite element into an isotope that will fission to release almost exactly the same amount of heat per unit mass as fissioning either uranium or plutonium. Thorium, like…

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Reuters Breakout series focuses on China’s interest in thorium

ByRod Adams

…should be obvious to anyone that has been involved in any discussions with thorium advocates. It neglects the fact that uranium and thorium produce approximately the same mix of radioactive fission products. Systems using thorium need to pay just as much attention to decay heat removal as systems using uranium. The article partially blames Admiral Rickover for the nuclear industry’s initial focus on uranium, without ever mentioning that the single…

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Kirk Sorensen – Why didn’t molten salt thorium reactors succeed the first time?

ByRod Adams

…to produce heat, neutrons and more U-233 from a small additional amount of thorium. The amount of thorium required to provide all of the energy an American would need for her entire life can fit into the palm of her hand. Kirk gave a Google Tech talk on December 16, 2011 and shared an explanation of the politics associated with deciding to press forward with the sodium cooled fast breeder reactor as the only national program. That decision resulte…

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LFTR in Five Minutes – Is thorium better than a silver bullet energy solution?

ByRod Adams

…Steinhaus Andrew – Of the two natural fuels for nuclear power (uranium and thorium) only thorium can be completely consumed in a “thermal-spectrum” reactor. Uranium can only be completely consumed in a fast neutron reactor. All of our commercial reactors today are “thermal-spectrum” reactors, and they’re that way because they can be built in their most stable configuration and with the minimum amount of fuel. Note: I would prefer to not create har…

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Inspiring vision of hope for thorium powered future

ByRod Adams

…cumentation from the archives at Oak Ridge National Laboratory about using thorium in molten salt reactors. According to back of the envelope calculations by Alvin Weinberg, the leader of the effort, the thorium resources on earth could power a civilization of 7 billion people at a US level of energy use for approximately 30 billion years. It is a compelling story that should fill you full of hope as you start your working week. PS – My own belief…

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Power cheaper than coal – thorium AND uranium make it possible

ByRod Adams

…horium” reactor? Do they consider a solid fueled, light water reactor with thorium a “thorium” reactor? Do they realize it is still a “uranium” reactor? Brian Mays Yeah. I’d be curious to hear what they think of the THTR-300 (thorium high temperature reactor), which was located just across the border in Germany. George Carlin It is a losing argument with the die-hards because they will never agree that the NRC (or any regulatory body) is doing eno…

Thorium Power – Working Since 1992 To Develop An Improved Fuel For Light Water Reactors

ByRod Adams

…orensen, had added a comment on Leslie Allen’s article about Seth Grae and Thorium Power suggesting that using thorium in a solid fuel for light water reactors is probably not the best way to make use of its unique physical properties. As many of you know, Kirk is a strong advocate for using thorium dissolved in molten salts to overcome some of the challenges faced by Radkowsky. The molten core thorium-based reactors first developed at Oak Ridge a…

Thorium Energy Alliance Conference - 2014
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Thorium Energy Alliance Conference – May 29-30

ByRod Adams

…ser to commercial maturity than excellent (but still immature) molten salt Thorium technology. Solid Fuel Thorium Innovator Lightbridge Corporation has worked to bring to commercial reality a solid fuel Thorium technology based to considerable extent on work by Alvin Radkowsky who was a reactor designer, nuclear physicist, and chief scientist at U.S. Navy nuclear propulsion division. Lightbridge Corporation has designs for Thorium containing fuels…

The Atomic Show #040 – Thorium power – interview with Kirk Sorensen

ByRod Adams

…reactor? John What company/mine along the idaho border has this reserve of thorium? Perhaps “thorium power” will continue its relations beyond the “UEA” into the thorium rich India and someday gain the recognition that this thorium deserves. Rod Adams John: Sorry it has taken me a while to get around to responding – you can find the information that you want regarding the Lehmi Pass thorium deposit on the Thorium Energy web site. David Lewis Regar…

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The Atomic Show #185 – Is Thorium Superior to Uranium?

ByRod Adams

…company formed to “develop small modular reactors based on liquid-fluoride thorium reactor (LFTR) technology.” Kirk is also the founder of Energy from Thorium. Thought I did not think of phrasing it in this manner until I sat down to post the show, the initial question we discussed was “is thorium superior to uranium”? Even if Martin and Sorensen were able to win that argument, the more important question was determining whether the answer matters…

Thorium Energy Alliance First Meeting – Washington, DC – October 19 and 20, 2009

ByRod Adams

…d ordering a really cool tee shirt. Warning: if you do not know much about thorium, I suggest some homework at Energy from Thorium while you are waiting for the shirt to be delivered. If you wear a shirt like this to the gym, you just might have to answer any questions that arise. A friend of mine who listens to The Atomic Show noticed my recent coverage of thorium energy developments and suggested that I take a look at a recent blog post by Charl…

Thorium Energy Alliance Conference – October 19

ByRod Adams

…gurations and fluid fuel options that included a low enriched uranium plus thorium version, but my nearly 50 year old brain is simply not pulling out the name of the presenter. (I promise to fill it in later, but I left my notes in my day job office.) (Note: The presenter was David LeBlanc.) My major contribution to the conference was to remind the attendees that thorium is a wonderful fuel that works well in cooperation with uranium. In fact, it…

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