rmay635703 wrote:MSR thorium developed and used in the 1950's and used through the 70's solved all nuclear issues.
Thor Energy in Norway is working to commercialize thorium. Their initial two products are being developed to work in 90% of the world's existing nuclear reactors. The have a three-step plan for rolling out thorium into the marketplace:
Step 1: Th.Add - Additive to the Uranium cycle
- 5-10 % Th in Uranium Oxide
- Can be used in today’s reactors
- To gain experience with Thorium
- To improve fuel performance
Step 2: Th.Mox - Supplement to the Uranium cycle
- 90 % Th /10 % Pu
- Replacing 238U (90 %) in conventional U-MOX
- Can be used in today’s reactors
- Increased safety
- Destruction of waste legacy
Step 3: Th.233U - Replacement of the Uranium cycle
- Only Th needed, 233U recycled
- Can be used in advanced new reactors
(ADS, MSR, A-LWR, etc.)
- Very little long lived waste
This solution does look very attractive. They claim there are no showstoppers. Hopefully that is true.