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ThorCon: innovative nuclear power plant in a molten salt
Underground nuclear reactor ThorCon Nuclear Island i>
ThorCon - simple reactor molten salt (Molten reactor), in which fuel is stored in liquid form. The project authors believe that this is the safest and most reliable source of nuclear energy.
Nuclear facility would be placed at a depth of 30 meters under the ground. Between the surface of the fuel storage and four gas impermeable barrier is located, three of which - at a depth of 25 meters. In contrast, almost all of the existing reactors, ThorCon operates at a pressure which does not differ substantially from atmospheric pressure. When you break the main circuit power dissipation occurs. Just spilled fuel flows into the drain tank, where it is cooled.
The most problematic cleavage products - Strontium-90, and Cesium-137 - are chemically bound to a salt, and with it the discharge flow into the tanks.
If for some reason carried overheating, it automatically turns off ThorCon, drain fuel from the main circuit and passively absorbs heat from the decay. No need for operator intervention. Moreover, the operator can not in any way hinder the process of draining the fuel and cooling that provides "foolproof».
The developers emphasize that in ThorCon not apply any experimental and new technologies all have been studied. ThorCon - it's just an enlarged copy of a trusted and well proven reactor Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) . Since the pilot project was successful, it would be logical to test the design in full. The authors believe that in the next four years can be put into operation at the 250 MWe prototype and there is no reason why it did not work.
Verification of the prototype will be completed in the next few years, and after regulatory approval will be possible construction of a new type of nuclear power plants in the United States.
Modular Reactor involves rapid assembly.
Excavation, equipment installation and start-up of the reactor 1 GWe will take less than a year. To install the needed area of 10 hectares.
The cost of clean electricity in ThorCon estimated at about 3.5 cents per kWh, depending on the power of the reactor.
Source: geektimes.ru/post/244242/
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