"This publication summarizes the results of an IAEA coordinated research project focused on options for the deployment of thorium based nuclear energy. The enhanced capabilities of thorium based fuels for high conversion ratio fuel cycles, improved inherent safety characteristics, reduced minor actinide production are presented. The report highlights reactor systems for thorium deployment, thorium fuel cycle implementation scenarios, thermo-physical properties and irradiation performances of thorium based oxide fuels."--Publisher's description.
This publication summarizes the results of an IAEA coordinated research project focussed on options for the deployment of thorium based nuclear energy. The enhanced capabilities of thorium based fuels for high conversion ratio fuel cycles, improved inherent safety characteristics, reduced minor actinide production are presented. The report highlights reactor systems for thorium deployment, thorium fuel cycle implementation scenarios, thermo-physical properties and irradiation performances of thorium based oxide fuels.
The Thorium Energy Conference (ThEC13) gathered some of the world’s leading experts on thorium technologies to review the possibility of destroying nuclear waste in the short term, and replacing the uranium fuel cycle in nuclear systems with the thorium fuel cycle in the long term. The latter would provide abundant, reliable and safe energy with no CO2 production, no air pollution, and minimal waste production. The participants, representatives of 30 countries, included Carlo Rubbia, Nobel Prize Laureate in physics and inventor of the Energy Amplifier; Jack Steinberger, Nobel Prize Laureate in physics; Hans Blix, former Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Rolf Heuer, Director General of CERN; Pascal Couchepin, former President of the Swiss Confederation; and Claude Haegi, President of the FEDRE, to name just a few. The ThEC13 proceedings are a source of reference on the use of thorium for energy generation. They offer detailed technical reviews of the status of thorium energy technologies, from basic R&D to industrial developments. They also describe how thorium can be used in critical reactors and in subcritical accelerator-driven systems (ADS), answering the important questions: – Why is thorium so attractive and what is the role of innovation, in particular in the nuclear energy domain? – What are the national and international R&D programs on thorium technologies and how are they progressing? ThEC13 was organized jointly by the international Thorium Energy Committee (iThEC), an association based in Geneva, and the International Thorium Energy Organisation (IThEO). It was held in the Globe of Science and Innovation at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva, Switzerland, in October 2013.
This publication is the outcome of an IAEA coordinated research project on near term and promising long term options for deployment of thorium based nuclear energy. It is based on the compilation and analysis of available results on thorium tristructural isotropic (TRISO) coated particle fuel performance in manufacturing during irradiation and accident condition heating tests. As a result, the project participants concluded that the performance statistics for the high enriched thoria urania TRISO fuel system are in perfect concert with those state of the art requirements for present day high temperature reactor concepts.
Molten Salt Reactors and Thorium Energy, Second Edition is a fully updated comprehensive reference on the latest advances in MSR research and technology. Building on the successful first edition, Tom Dolan and the team of experts have fully updated the content to reflect the impressive advances from the last 5 years, ensuring this book continues to be the go-to reference on the topic. This new edition covers progress made in MSR design, details innovative experiments, and includes molten salt data, corrosion studies and deployment plans. The successful case studies section of the first edition have been removed, expanded, and fully updated, and are now published in a companion title called Global Case Studies on Molten Salt Reactors. Readers will gain a deep understanding of the advantages and challenges of MSR development and thorium fuel use, as well as step-by-step guidance on the latest in MSR reactor design. Each chapter provides a clear introduction, covers technical issues and includes examples and conclusions, while promoting the sustainability benefits throughout. A fully updated comprehensive handbook on Molten Salt Reactors and Thorium Energy, written by a team of global experts Covers MSR applications, technical issues, reactor types and reactor designs Includes 3 brand new chapters which reflect the latest advances in research and technology since the first edition published Presents case studies on molten salt reactors which aid in the transition to net zero by providing abundant clean, safe energy to complement wind and solar powe
This book comprises selected proceedings of the ThEC15 conference. The book presents research findings on various facets of thorium energy, including exploration and mining, thermo-physical and chemical properties of fuels, reactor physics, challenges in fuel fabrication, thorium fuel cycles, thermal hydraulics and safety, material challenges, irradiation experiences, and issues and challenges for the design of advanced thorium fueled reactors. Thorium is more abundant than uranium and has the potential to provide energy to the world for centuries if used in a closed fuel cycle. As such, technologies for using thorium for power generation in nuclear reactors are being developed worldwide. Since there is a strong global thrust towards designing nuclear reactors with thorium-based fuel, this book will be of particular interest to nuclear scientists, reactor designers, regulators, academics and policymakers.
Provides a critical review of the thorium fuel cycle: potential benefits and challenges in the thorium fuel cycle, mainly based on the latest developments at the front end of the fuel cycle, applying thorium fuel cycle options, and at the back end of the thorium fuel cycle.
"The investigation of the thorium fuel cycle (ThFC) is a collaborative INPRO (International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles) activity within its main area on global vision on sustainable nuclear energy for the 21st century. The current publication reports on the sustainability of nuclear power by re-examining the potential of thorium-based fuel cycles to support future large scale deployment of nuclear energy systems by increasing the availability of nuclear material. Special attention is paid to the thorium fuel cycle from the point of view of economics and proliferation resistance."--Publisher description.
The World Distribution of Thorium Deposits map, at a scale of 1:35 000 000, is intended to be a snapshot of the IAEA ThDEPO database showing the broad distribution of thorium resources worldwide. The map displays the Thorium deposit-type classification system and deposit size ranges, and includes interactive querying and layer capability in the Adobe PDF version
