RE: Should we recycle nuclear waste?
Thorium is everywhere. The US has a lot of it store from previous
research projects. Thorium Molten Salt Reactors are a US
invention that was abandoned in 1974 after about 20 years of
experiments under the direction of Alvin Weinberg. The benefits
of these rectors are just too many to ignore and guess what?
China is now planning to build them. The biggest difference is
that they don't need to be pressurized so they are inherently
safer and can be built much smaller. Also they can't be used to
make nuclear weapons. And economically they have a much
better performance because the fuel is cheap and energy dense.
The complete burn up of fuel (98%) is another feature. Current
solid fuel reactors only burn 5% and 95% has to be buried or
stored. Also waste fuel can be burned for more energy. Seems
incredible because it is.
