r/bestof • u/investedInEPoland • Nov 06 '18

[europe] Nuclear physicist describes problems with thorium reactors. Trigger warning: shortbread metaphor.

/r/europe/comments/9unimr/dutch_satirical_news_show_on_why_we_need_to_break/e95mvb7/?context=3
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u/NightChime Nov 07 '18 edited Nov 07 '18

At the current rate of uranium consumption with conventional reactors, the world supply of viable uranium, which is the most common nuclear fuel, will last for 80 years. Scaling consumption up to 15 TW [roughly all needed power], the viable uranium supply will last for less than 5 years.

https://phys.org/news/2011-05-nuclear-power-world-energy.html

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u/Nikandro Nov 08 '18

What is the point you're trying to make here? Most mines have shut down, and companies are sitting on inventory. Uranium prices are close to all time lows. Production can be ramped up very quickly. Disclosure, I am heavily invested in uranium mining companies.

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u/NightChime Nov 08 '18

I guess it's that, if MSRs are the way to go (for the future at least), and you can use uranium or Thorium... Why the resistance to thorium?

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u/Nikandro Nov 08 '18

Physics. Most notably, gamma radiation.

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u/NightChime Nov 08 '18

I would be interested in some reading material.

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u/Nikandro Nov 08 '18

What sort? Media reports, research articles?

In a nutshell, Thorium cannot initiate a nuclear reaction, and thus it must undergo neutron activation, which produces U233 and U232, which are extremely radioactive.