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A New Spin on Nuclear? Thorium Reactors May be The Key to Future Nuclear Reactors

 By Joel H. Salinas


A New Spin on Nuclear? Thorium Reactors May be the Key to Future Nuclear Reactors


Nuclear Reactors have faced scrutiny since its inception and is widely regarded as a dangerous method of generating power compared to other renewable resources. Starting alongside traditional uranium reactors, thorium powered nuclear reactors were of interest from the 1950's until the 1970's, with a few in use today. Unable to be refined into fissile material for weapon potential like uranium233, thorium was quickly ignored by the United States at the time, but was never completely discarded due to being thee to four times more abundant. Additionally, thorium is capable of generating the same, or more energy than uranium, with the bonus of generating greenhouse gas emissions to that of solar and wind technologies. Not only that, but thorium is more stable than uranium, producing less radioactive materials with faster half-lives. Alongside safer conditions, thorium can also be used for molten salt reactors and fast breeder reactors, reactors that completely use the nuclear fuel, leaving no waste. Unfortunately, due to a technological lag in thorium reactor development, issues currently trouble the technology from removing waste materials not used in molten salt or fast breeder reactors, to designing and operating such reactors, preventing commercial usage until a later point in time with the help of organizations, such as CERN paving the way towards the future.



Article Source: Humphrey, U. E., & Khandaker, M. U. (2018). Viability of thorium-based nuclear fuel cycle for the next generation nuclear reactor: Issues and prospects. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 97, 259-275.

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  1. M MendezNovember 30, 2020 at 4:42 PM

    Well, thorium seems like a better option here. Shorter half-lives and the possibility that it could be used in reactors with no nuclear waste would definitely be a game changer.

    ReplyDelete

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