Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: annie123 on 16/09/2012 22:30:05

Title: what do you think of thorium?
Post by: annie123 on 16/09/2012 22:30:05

I heard Richard Martin talking about thorium as the panacea for future fuel needs without the hazards of uranium in nuclear power plants. Any cons to give balance to his overwhelming 'pros' out there among the nuclear power intelligentsia?

Title: Re: what do you think of thorium?
Post by: myself on 20/09/2012 04:59:08

I have heard the same from the physicists who know the subject well, and they basically agree that the thorium cycle has advantages such as recycling waste products, automatic shutdown, no leakage, etc.  The problem seems to be cost and whether they could be built soon enough to prevent AGW from wiping out human civilization.

Title: Re: what do you think of thorium?
Post by: yor_on on 22/09/2012 00:28:13

It's interesting, and will make bombs more difficult, but not impossible, to build. It's in a way more in line with the idea of energy consumption for us humans. But it leave waste products too and you need U-235 or Pu-239 to start the reaction for those plants. And although the radioactive waste products they leave are more short lived, as maybe 4-5 centuries, there will still be new waste produced each day by such plants, until we find something better preferably not leaving radioactive waste at all. But they are still a better idea than what we use producing our electricity today.

But, five hundred years, and a lot of thorium plants, more than we have today, may become a problem for the future.

Title: Re: what do you think of thorium?
Post by: annie123 on 27/09/2012 19:24:43

Thanks.
My library is ordering the book I mentioned above so I hope to find out details.

Title: Re: what do you think of thorium?
Post by: syhprum on 17/10/2012 12:59:02

I fear that as soon as the first one gets going there will be a sodium spillage that will put nuclear power back for another twenty years much like the seven mile island incident.