Between 1967 and 1989, 27 different experimental thorium reactors were designed and built to research the potential of thorium for nuclear fuel. These test reactors were built in Canada, Germany, India, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdoms, the United States. Here are some examples of thorium reactors.
The thorium fuel cycle is based on the use of the common isotope Th-232 as what is called the fertile material in the reactor. Natural thorium is not fissile meaning that it cannot create self-sustaining reactor. The Th-232 must be transmuted into the fissile material, U-233, via neutron capture. The U-233 is the actual nuclear fuel for the reactor.
Thorium is the 36th most abundant element on Earth. It is four times more abundant than uramium. There has been no concerted international effort to exlplore for deposits thorium ores. Accurate estimates of world reserves of thorium are not available. Known thorium deposits could supply a major part of the Earth’s energy needs for hundreds of years. Some estimates are as high as 1000 years at current world energy use.
I have already written about thorium under the general subject of nuclear reactors. I have decided to cover thorium in more depth because of its possible use as a nuclear fuel.
Thorium is a radioactive element with the symbol Th and the atomic number 90. It was discovered in 1828 by the Swedish chemist Jons Jacob Berzelious. The element was named for Thor, the hammer wielding Norse god.
Polonium is a chemical element with the symbol Po and an atomic number of 84. It was discovered in 1898 by Marie and Pierre Curie and named after Poland where Marie was born. They removed uranium and thorium from pitchblende ore and discovered that the ore became more radioactive. Polonium was the first new radioactive element they discovered in the processed ore.
There are many arguments against the use of nuclear reactors to generate electrical power. A few of the major objections are listed below.
The debate over the benefits of nuclear power versus the problems of nuclear power has raged for decades. Some of the basic pros and concerns with them are listed below.
The human race has an insatiable appetite for energy. Since harnessing fire many thousands of years ago, humanity has developed new ways to power civilization. Fortunes have been made, wars have been fought and great harm has been done to the environment in the quest for energy.
Southern California Edison (SCE) owns and operates the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station one the Pacific Coast between Los Angeles and San Diego. The station is located next to the Cristianitos fault which is listed as inactive. Around 7.4 million people live within 50 miles of the plant.
The adverse effects of ionizing radiation on human health have been extensively studied. I have included information about what damage radiation can do in human bodies in other posts. Recent research indicates that there may be more biological damage caused by uranium than previous thought.
