3 ms·

I thought these were outlawed, per a LFTR video I saw once. To emphasize, I'm asking if that is the case, or was the LFTR video was engaging in misinformation,

I thought these were outlawed, per a LFTR video I saw once. To emphasize, I'm asking if that is the case, or was the LFTR video was engaging in misinformation, or if something changed in regulations.

mrunkel 4y ago
LFTR?
- jussion_zoonist 4y ago
  Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor but I believe this reactor is using uranium[1]. [1] https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML2024/ML20241A071.pdf https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML2024/ML20241A071.pdf
- acidburnNSA 4y ago
  LFTR is just a trade name from a guy named Kirk who tried to rebrand the Thorium fueled Molten Salt Reactor. So basically yes but like all thorium reactors it has to start with enriched uranium first.
philipkglass 4y ago
I believe that the video was misinformed or your recollection is a bit fuzzy. The closest true approximation I can muster is "there is no commercial molten salt reactor design yet approved by the NRC, and the NRC approval process may need updates to consider reactor designs that significantly deviate from the common water-moderated types."
Kalium 4y ago
I believe it's less outlawed and more not really approved for use due to insufficient research.
- PaulHoule 4y ago
  The process for licensing a LWR is well established. Commercial LMFBR (Fermi 1) and HTGR (Peach Bottom 1) reactors have been approved in the US but those were a very long time ago. Anybody who wants to license a new reactor type is going to work through an extensive process with the NRC to determine how exactly it is done. They built an MSR in Wuwei, China and just got approval to start it. https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Chinese-molten-salt-reactor-cleared-for-start-up https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Chinese-molten-s...
- nine_k 4y ago
  AFAICT materials research is a big part of it. At 800°C even water is pretty reactive; the salt is much more so. Even though an MSR does not need the high pressure of water-based reactors, you can't make all the piping from graphite or platinum.
peteradio 4y ago
Yes, they are illegal to build.

I thought these were outlawed, per a LFTR video I saw once. To emphasize, I'm asking if that is the case, or was the LFTR video was engaging in misinformation, or if something changed in regulations.

mrunkel 4y ago

LFTR?

jussion_zoonist 4y ago
Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor but I believe this reactor is using uranium[1]. [1] https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML2024/ML20241A071.pdf https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML2024/ML20241A071.pdf
acidburnNSA 4y ago
LFTR is just a trade name from a guy named Kirk who tried to rebrand the Thorium fueled Molten Salt Reactor. So basically yes but like all thorium reactors it has to start with enriched uranium first.

philipkglass 4y ago

I believe that the video was misinformed or your recollection is a bit fuzzy. The closest true approximation I can muster is "there is no commercial molten salt reactor design yet approved by the NRC, and the NRC approval process may need updates to consider reactor designs that significantly deviate from the common water-moderated types."

Kalium 4y ago

I believe it's less outlawed and more not really approved for use due to insufficient research.

PaulHoule 4y ago
The process for licensing a LWR is well established. Commercial LMFBR (Fermi 1) and HTGR (Peach Bottom 1) reactors have been approved in the US but those were a very long time ago. Anybody who wants to license a new reactor type is going to work through an extensive process with the NRC to determine how exactly it is done. They built an MSR in Wuwei, China and just got approval to start it. https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Chinese-molten-salt-reactor-cleared-for-start-up https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Chinese-molten-s...
nine_k 4y ago
AFAICT materials research is a big part of it. At 800°C even water is pretty reactive; the salt is much more so. Even though an MSR does not need the high pressure of water-based reactors, you can't make all the piping from graphite or platinum.

peteradio 4y ago

Yes, they are illegal to build.