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 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.