Alternate Thorium Based Nuclear Fuel Cycle?
Posted by robgambrill 9 years, 1 month ago to Science
Someone recently mentioned in passing that there are several nuclear engineers here in the gulch, so I hope you don't mind me posting this question.
I remember reading that there was a different nuclear fuel cycle based on thorium that could be used to produce nuclear energy, but it did not produce material that could be used in weapons so it was never implemented. I think it also had the benefit of producing waste with much shorter half-lives than conventional reactors.
Is this some pie in the sky urban legend or could the thorium fuel cycle actually work?
The reasons I think this is topical, are both the Iran deal and the global warming (non)issue. Is this idea unworkable, not cost effective, or simply yet to be tried?
I remember reading that there was a different nuclear fuel cycle based on thorium that could be used to produce nuclear energy, but it did not produce material that could be used in weapons so it was never implemented. I think it also had the benefit of producing waste with much shorter half-lives than conventional reactors.
Is this some pie in the sky urban legend or could the thorium fuel cycle actually work?
The reasons I think this is topical, are both the Iran deal and the global warming (non)issue. Is this idea unworkable, not cost effective, or simply yet to be tried?
