Why are thorium reactors not used?

Thorium cannot in itself power a reactor; unlike natural uranium, it does not contain enough fissile material to initiate a nuclear chain reaction. As a result it must first be bombarded with neutrons to produce the highly radioactive isotope uranium-233 – ‘so these are really U-233 reactors,’ says Karamoskos.

Is thorium a good investment?

Investing in thorium can be tough, as it’s not yet used for nuclear power generation. Companies like Flibe Energy, which is focused on thorium reactors, are still private. But there are several companies working on thorium solutions that you can add to your portfolio…

Is China building a thorium reactor?

China built the thorium reactor in the Gobi Desert near the city of Wuwei in August, and now that construction has wrapped, it expects to begin testing the device before the end of September. If the prototype works as hoped, China already has plans to build a commercial version of the plant by 2030.

Why thorium is bad for the environment?

“Using thorium leads to highly radioactive nuclear waste and the risk of accidents will always be present.” The NRPA also asserts that thorium-based nuclear energy will produce long-lasting radioactive waste that will demand the same handling as highly radioactive waste from current nuclear reactors.

Is anyone building a thorium reactor?

A team from the Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group (NRG) the Netherlands has built the first molten salt reactor powered by thorium in decades. There are several basic facts of nuclear power that have made it a tough sell around the world. For one, the uranium needed for nuclear power plants is rare and expensive.

Is thorium the future?

Thorium reactors are a different way to generate electricity that could benefit the world. More efficient than their fossil fuel counterparts, safer than a conventional nuclear plant, and generating no carbon emissions as a byproduct, LFTRs are a viable solution for the future of our world’s energy needs.

Can you legally buy thorium?

Can you legally buy thorium? It’s not illegal to own a small amount of thorium metal and it can be obtained in certain processed forms – it used to be in gas lantern mantles for example – but you will require a license if the amounts are large enough or if you plan to make anything out of it.

How long does thorium last in a reactor?

Thorium nuclear waste only stays radioactive for 500 years, instead of 10,000, and there is 1,000 to 10,000 times less of it to start with. Researchers have studied thorium-based fuel cycles for 50 years, but India leads the pack when it comes to commercialization.

Do thorium reactors need uranium?

Almost all thorium is fertile Th-232, compared to uranium that is composed of 99.3% fertile U-238 and 0.7% more valuable fissile U-235. Non-breeding reactors, on the other hand, require additional fissile material, such as uranium-235 or plutonium to sustain the reaction.

Do thorium reactors exist?

There are at least seven types of reactors that can use thorium as a nuclear fuel, five of which have entered into operation at some point. Several were abandoned not for technical reasons but because of a lack of interest or research funding (blame the Cold War again).

What is wrong with thorium reactors?

Irradiated Thorium is more dangerously radioactive in the short term. The Th-U cycle invariably produces some U-232, which decays to Tl-208, which has a 2.6 MeV gamma ray decay mode. Bi-212 also causes problems. These gamma rays are very hard to shield, requiring more expensive spent fuel handling and/or reprocessing.

Will we run out of thorium?

This means that even in our extreme scenario, the combined uranium and thorium of the United States would be enough to power the world for about 100.000 years.