This is from an Australian email list. Does it seem sensible?
Chris
------- Forwarded message follows -------
Date sent: Fri, 26 Aug 2005 22:34:31 +1000
From: David Hart <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: India develops thorium breeder / plutonium
incinerator reactor
Here's a very interesting new nuclear reactor design from India which
has a unique reaction balance using plutonium (destroying it in the
process) to breed thorium (plentiful in India) into the
proliferation-safe but fissionable uranium-233 in a nearly closed cycle
(2 year fueling cycle at present). The reactor also generates 600 MW of
electricity.
http://in.rediff.com/news/2005/aug/25nuke.htm
I find fascinating the concept that novel reactor designs can transmute
deadly high-level nuclear waste into lower-level waste, and generate
electricity while doing so. Why would any other type of reactor ever be
built?? I wonder if anyone has run the numbers on the amount of energy
that could be generated by incinerating the world's high level nuclear
waste and nuclear weapon fissionable material stockpile... perhaps
enough energy to comfortably fill the gap to sustainability (weening us
off fossil fuel faster) while at the same time ridding the world of all
of its nastiest nuclear material. I also find very attractive the
built-in sunset clause, i.e. a phased approach such that we permanently
shut down nuclear reactors as the [waste and weapons] nuclear fuel is
used up, gradually switching to 100% renewable energy.
-dave
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