China Plans To Debut First ‘Clean’ Commercial Nuclear Power Plant In 2030
Photo 3323743 ©️ Craig Hanson | Dreamstime.com
Nuclear energy is low-carbon and has the potential to reduce current emission levels greatly, but previous incidents and disasters like Chernobyl and Fukushima have dampened the name. Nevertheless, China looks to be experimenting with the world’s first “clean” commercial nuclear reactor.
This plans to use liquid thorium instead of uranium, and molten salt instead of fuel rods. It also won’t require water for cooling. Yan Rui, a physics professor, writes in a paper about the project that smaller reactors will have “significant advantages in terms of efficiency, flexibility and economy.” They’re also deemed to “play a key role in the future transition to clean energy.”
First reported by Live Science, Uranium-235, the traditional chemical used, remains highly radioactive for up to 10,000 years, along with it is plutonium-239, used in nuclear weapons. As a result, traditional nuclear waste is required to be housed in lead containers and isolated with high security, as any of it falling into the wrong hands could easily be a disaster. In the event of spills or leaks, the aftereffects are catastrophic: see Chernobyl.
In a refreshing contrast to this, a thorium nuclear reaction produces uranium-233, which is safe enough to be recycled in other reactions. The other byproducts also have an average half-life (the time taken for it to reduce into non-radioactivity) of only 500 years.
If there’s a leak, molten salt will seal the thorium in before anything irreversible occurs. And since the technology doesn’t require water, the reactors can be built in the desert, away from large populations, for extra safeguarding.
The first prototype is planned for this August, and first tests to be done in September, Engadget reports. China’s first reactor is planned for Wuwei, in the Gansu province. By the time 2030 rolls around, we might have a full-scale one ready to go.
[via Engadget, cover image via photo 3323743 ©️ Craig Hanson | Dreamstime.com]
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