ADSR Thorium in UK: Is It a Viable Gen IV Solution?

[mcgi5sr2]

http://www.thorea.org/publications/ThoreaReportFinal.pdf
I am a MSc student in the UK and am looking into a PhD in Thorium reactor research. ADSRs seem great from this document and others I have been directed to. What do other people think? Viable Gen IV or waste of time?
yours
Stephen

 

[Catsworth]

Very interesting. I was wondering if anyone knows if there is active research on this technology here in the US? A google search and a search of this forum was unfruitful.

Catsworth

 

[mcgi5sr2]

I know of two in Europe so far MYRRHA http://www.sckcen.be/en/Our-Research/Research-domains/Advanced-nuclear-systems-GEN-IV-MYRRHA-ADS
and this one http://www.akersolutions.com/en/Global-menu/Products-and-Services/technology-segment/Energy-and-environmental/Nuclear/Novel-Thorium-Reactor/

I found reports at IAEA that the Chinese are plowing five year plan after five year plan into the tech too.

 

[RMartinTh90]

I'm a US journalist & analyst, working on a book on thorium to be published in spring of 2012 by Macmillan Science. I wrote the thorium story that ran in Wired a year ago:
http://www.wired.com/magazine/2009/12/ff_new_nukes/
Mcgi5sr2, I'd be most interested in communicating and hearing about your research. If we could exchange emails I'd be most grateful.

R. Martin

 

[mcgi5sr2]

Hi RMartinTh90,
as I mentioned I'm an MSc student, so my research is literally reading papers on Thorium and ADSRs. I will happily send you anything I find and help out where I can. I'm certainly not at a level to be a source though. I posted here to try and get advice on Thorium and ADSR tech. Love the article though.
yours
Stephen

 

[Tobias Anhalt]

http://energyfromthorium.com/

there you will find lots of documents regarding energy generation from thorium (especialy the LFTR concept) this site also have an active community with lots of experts that can help you.

Current research programs are located in:
- China (LFTR)
- India (AHWR)
- France (Various)
- Czech (LFTR)

The US stopped research on thorium in the sixties and further worked on a sodium fast breeder reactor.

 

[Astronuc]

http://energyfromthorium.com/

there you will find lots of documents regarding energy generation from thorium (especialy the LFTR concept) this site also have an active community with lots of experts that can help you.

Current research programs are located in:
- China (LFTR)
- India (AHWR)
- France (Various)
- Czech (LFTR)

The US stopped research on thorium in the sixties and further worked on a sodium fast breeder reactor.

Actually, research with thorium fuel was conducted into the 1980's and early 90's. The Shippingport reactor irradiated thorium August 1977 until Oct. 1982. There was subsequent PIE, and reports issued during the late 1980's.

http://www.atomicinsights.com/oct95/LWBR_oct95.html
http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/stargaze/Sthorium.htm

See Reference 2 here - http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf62.html#References

 

[Tobias Anhalt]

Actually, research with thorium fuel was conducted into the 1980's and early 90's. The Shippingport reactor irradiated thorium August 1977 until Oct. 1982. There was subsequent PIE, and reports issued during the late 1980's.

You are right.

The US stopped research on thorium in the sixties and further worked on a sodium fast breeder reactor.

Was regarding to the molten salt reactor experiment at Oak Ridge.