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I'm not sure if this is a real possibility given our current understanding of nuclear physics and reactor design. We have enough knowledge to fully understand h
by hexane360 9y ago
I'm not sure if this is a real possibility given our current understanding of nuclear physics and reactor design. We have enough knowledge to fully understand how a reactor like this would function. Past incidents have been caused by design flaws that were known at the time. It's not a matter of lack of knowledge so much as a lack of good management and regulations.
- SubiculumCode 9y agoTo be clear the worry was not about a meltdown, but that Thorium can be used to create Plutonium 233, per the article I cited.
- acidburnNSA 9y agoRight. A Thorium-232 atom that absorbs a neutron becomes Protactinium-233 which decays to Uranium-233, a fissile nuclide like U-235 and Plutonium-239. This is how the controlled chain reactor works but like any fissile material it also has potential weapons uses. Thus, Thorium reactors require safeguards and monitoring just like any other peaceful nuclear reactor.