All New! Flatula Backfire

huh?

 

They dismiss nuclear without a thought. If you've got a couple of free hours, this is an interesting watch. I'm pretty much 99% clueless about the topic, but it's fascinating to watch.

 

I've seen Thorium in the news for years, particularly in India. So far, much of what I've read has been from Pro groups selling stuff, and a ton of anti groups disputing their claims. The anti groups come from a wide variety of interests, from Greenpeace all the way up. It's been a long, long time since anyone's actually done anything with it.

 

what did they ever do with it?

 

My take from the video I linked, not much has happened, so far.

The thorium reactor is extolled as safer and more efficient. The main explanation given for its failure to catch on is a reluctance the nuclear establishment to adopt new technology.

They also say that the companies currently involved in more conventional reactor design, build and support are largely involved in the support component now, mostly selling (solid) fuel. A completely different reactor type would kill the fuel selling component.

That may or may not be true, or maybe partially true. What I liked is that this is one very bright and visionary guy, it's an interesting watch.

 

this stuff usually comes out of universities, tough for an entrepreneur to sway an entire industry.

 

Yes. Kinda reminds me of the movie "The Man In the White Suit".

 

Can I build my own Thorium reactor to power stuff at home? I don't want to pay ComEd $$$ when I get my electric car.

 

I almost built my own cyclotron some years ago, but that would have freaked out my wife. American Science and Surplus is just down the road, and almost next to FermiLab, so supplies and knowledge is quite available for such things around here.

 

Long term test of Thorium-Plutonium fuel started | PriusChat

The test is about half way through. The long term goal of the group is to make fuel rods that can be dropped into existing plants with minor modification.

What I see as a plus is the use of plutonium in a 1:9 ratio to thorium from spent fuel rods, which helps with what to do do with the nuclear waste equation that we have right now. It's a minus in the US because regulations prevent the reprocessing of old fuel rods, and maybe using plutonium for power. Thus why it is happening in other countries.

 

The protagonist of my posted video, Kirk Sorenson (finally looked up the name) says there's high demand for the plutonium waste end product, mentions NASA for one. I really don't remember the numbers cited in the video, but it's something along the lines of: initial reaction starts with 1000 kg Thorium, yields finally 15 kg Plutonium.

 

Didn't get a chance to watch the videos yet, so I don't know what exact process they are referring too. The test run in the other thread requires plutonium in the fuel rod as a neutron donator. This allows the use of unprocessed thorium. Otherwise you have the concentrate the more active thorium isotopes as is done with uranium.

The US government has always been leery of letting the concentrating of plutonium be done outside its own facilities.

In the case of NASA, the waste plutonium may not work for them. NASA Struggles over Deep-Space Plutonium Power - Scientific American They need a specific isotope Pu-238. Most of what they used before was waste product of nuclear weapons production.

 

Something about fluoride thorium salts? Definitely not solid fuel.

Thanks for sharing. I never made it past grade school chemistry and physics; 90% of this is over my head. But interesting.