Energy From Thorium

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Techne

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Are there any engineers out there that are somewhat familiar with the idea of generating electrical energy from Thorium e.g. in Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactors?

Is it feasible? Are there groups of engineers in SA working on this (private or academia)?

These couple of videos and from what I have read appear to make a good case for it.
Links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=AHs2Ugxo7-8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK367T7h6ZY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkC8kItzdZI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2vzotsvvkw (TED talk)

http://energyfromthorium.com/google-tech-talks/

China blazes trail for 'clean' nuclear power from thorium

Wiki

Any thoughts?
 
I represented an investor in a supposed SA company researching heavily into LFTR who made all sorts of claims.

It sounds wonderful and a solution to everyone's problems, but I dunno, just didn't seem kosher.

After requesting AFS etc, my investor decided to exit.
 
I know i need 2 000 000 units of Thorium to upgrade my Mega Tanks to lvl 10, and 200 000 units to upgrade a defense platform to lvl 4, but you do get 10 mill XP points for each tower.
 
Return on investment plus knowledge are the two issues here. Thorium is not a fissile material and so U-233 (uranium) is needed. Nuclear technology is expensive, so people are reluctant to invest. I'm unaware of any south african engineers looking into this, at least not at a serious stage.
 
I think at Stellenbosch they are doing some research into designing better turbines that use air and not steam for some coal plants. I think these can be used in LTFR.
Pity that investment appears to be a problem for getting people interested, in the West anyway. Apparently in China there are something like 1000 PhD programs to get it going.

For the engineers out there that studied in SA, which departments do you think are the best? UCT, Tukkies, Stellenbosch, other?
 
Investing in the Future of Thorium
...

Investing

Investing in thorium can be tough, as it’s not yet used for nuclear power generation. Companies like Flibe Energy, which is focused on thorium reactors, are still private.

But there are several companies working on thorium solutions that you can add to your portfolio...

Lightbridge Corp. (NASDAQ: LTBR)

Lightbridge is working on thorium-based seed & blanket fuel assembly for new and existing reactors. This technology, which Lightbridge has developed to be compatible with light water reactors, uses “thorium-uranium oxide pelletized fuel rods similar to that of conventional fuel rods presently used in commercial light water reactors.”

The difference, the company explains, is that the thorium-uranium oxide will replace the more conventional uranium oxide.

The company is one of the few publicly traded nuclear fuel technologies companies working with thorium technology -- which is at its heart, not a proven profit-driver. Investment in this company relies on a very long view and a belief in the technology.

In the beginning of 2014, the company received a patent (#8,654,917) for its multi-lobed metallic fuel rod design and fuel assemblies. Intellectual property like this adds tangible value to companies dealing with future technologies.

Uranium Mining Companies

Several uranium miners, like Cameco Corp. (NYSE: CCJ) and Unity Energy Corp. (TSX-V: UTY), are mining uranium in areas that also have concentrations of thorium.

Though neither company has reported on significant mining of thorium, both are well-positioned to profit should the demand for the metal skyrocket.

As thorium reactor testing continues in nations like Norway and India, and major investors like Bill Gates (whose company TerraPower has also begun testing thorium reactors) get involved, attention to the metal will only grow...

Research on these reactors will lead to implementation, and that will lead to profits for the well-positioned investor.

Thorium is the nuclear fuel of the future. Keep a close eye on this one.
Click to expand...
 
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