Nuclear power can be the answer

Abstract

This paper reviews the development of fast molten salt nuclear reactors (MSRs) to close the nuclear fuel cycle by processing future and existing nuclear waste so that it can be returned safely to the environment. It follows two earlier papers outlining the overall use of a range of MSR types and an outline of future proposed marketing of a universal modular thermal MSR design for general purposes. It is suggested that the future MSR industry will probably evolve into three major competitive global corporations. The first one, serving the Far East, seems likely to become entirely MSR based, whereas the other two serving Europe/Western Russia and the Americas may use the alternative lead-cooled fast reactor for waste disposal, which is the closest competitor to the MSR system. Although construction of full-scale fast (MSR) reactors for closing the fuel cycle may not eventuate until some years into the future, it is concluded that this need not delay the introduction of the general purpose thermal MSR reactor envisaged earlier. This new nuclear technology is considered essential to maintain base-load electricity in a world where agricultural needs are expected to take precedence over space requirements for wind and solar farms. Using Thorium, in addition to Uranium, nuclear fuel is sufficient for the next 1000 years. Thus this energy resource can be considered pseudo-sustainable and give us the time to restore our world to a state of balance and true sustainability. Attention is also drawn to the present dangers of continuing to increase the storage of nuclear waste and the refurbishing of old-design nuclear plant, which are already 40 years old.

Approaching the Development of a Universal Molten Salt Fast Reactor for Worldwide Destruction of High-Level Nuclear Waste

“…Fig. 2 of Boothroyd [12] is a theoretical prediction but this would be found to agree closely with experimental measurements.…”

“…For example, conversion of the reactor in point (a) in Section 10.2.1 to use Thorium based fuel instead of Uranium based fuel would give us a cleaner-operating reactor. As an example of possible progress, there are some grounds to suspect that U 233 can be made from Thorium using a device similar (but much larger) to that reported in Boothroyd [12,Appendix III]. This would be an easy way to avoid the Protactinium residence time problem.…”

“…Conversely, at higher neutron energy, nuclear reactions take place mainly in resonances. These resonances can be seen in Boothroyd [12,Fig. 2] where the dips in the spectra curves show the energy levels where the resonances occur.…”

Fundamental Energy-Physics and Planet Earth’s Platform for Life

“…The reasons for going back to nuclear fission as a stop-gap resource are argued along the following lines. The molten salt nuclear fission reactor in fast neutron form seems to meet this requirement [14]. It is a compact and very safe system.…”

Forward Planning for the Next Pandemic

“…if aircraft for short/medium haul trips could be just a bit slower perhaps they would not need their heavy turbofan engines but could be launched from suitable hillsides by an electric rail launcher. this form of launching is easy to power from solar or wind farm energy, perhaps even with nuclear power backup [29] thus eliminating our co 2 emissions if hydrogen fuel is used only to power a pair of much smaller turbofan engines. these smaller engines might be rated as operating on 70% of their maximum thrust to maintain level flight.…”