Energy from Thorium

[anon]

Thorium is a very abundant mineral in the earth's crust. The LFTR has a liquid fluoride salt core instead of the usual solid core. The liquid-salt type of reactor was developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory between 1950 and 1976. The LFTR would use thorium-232 rather than uranium as a basis of its fuel cycle. Thorium is subjected to neutron radiation inside the core of a reactor, and then undergoes a nuclear transformation that produces fissionable uranium-233. The LFTR is 200 to 300 times more fuel efficient than standard reactors. Given the abundance of Thorium and the efficiency of the LFTR, the combination offers abundant energy as long as people will want a massive energy source. Calculations, based on ORNL estimates from the 1970's, are that it will cost between $2.5 to $5 billion to develop LFTR technology to the point which where commercial prototypes can be built. Again based on ORNL cost estimates, plus known savings in the cost of labor, interest, and a standard calculation for the cost savings from the learning curve in serial production, the LFTRs will be between $1 and $2 per watt of generating capacity. The LFTR will be cheap enough to produce mid-load and peak power, And unlike the conventional reactors the LFTR can do dynamic load balancing for the grid. Why heck, the LFTR can even provide electrical backup for solar and wind, but why anyone would be so crazy as to install solar and wind generating facilities if they had LFTRs is beyond comprehension. The LFTR is very safe, can be designed to control itself without human intervention, produces little waste, and can destroy the waste from other reactors as it generates electricity. The LFTR can produce electricity for a cost that is lower than the cost of coal using carbon capture and storage, or the cost of wind and solar generated electricity.

Energy from Thorium (http://thoriumenergy.blogspot.com/)

[slikrapid]

Thorium is subjected to neutron radiation inside the core of a reactor, and then undergoes a nuclear transformation that produces fissionable uranium-233.

so we have an element with even more radiation capability than uranium, a step up in risk/benefit scenario, more toxic waste on the horizon :klatsch_3:
didn't read it all but the old estimates are confusing, how come it wasn't researched back then?

what happened to fusion, solar waves harvesting and such...


The LFTR is very safe, can be designed to control itself without human intervention

good try, but not possible, sounds like another perpetuum mobile

[Aurion]

This is considered a very useful leap ahead on the ongoing development of energy sourcing which will lead to a safer world,I believe.Recently,the United Nations conferences were discussing possible reasons & replacements to nuclear energy after nuclear arming became very dangerous for the whole world.

That's why,I think finding a newer & safer energy sources would be the most ideal solution to what we know today as nuclear energy have became.

[splicer]

Interesting. Though, we still have to wait for it to be implemented; hell, we still haven't even stopped using fossil fuels yet.

[Aurion]

And never will,I believe,and this because man likes cheap energy that would generate wealth,so why let it go.