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China to Build Thorium Molten-Salt Reactor in 2025

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Re: China to Build Thorium Molten-Salt Reactor in 2025

#21

Post by HPsquared »

atomicnumber3 wrote: post #20
hangonhn wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

yeah I think that hypothesis has legs. China has been trying to diversify their energy portfolio for a long time now. They're also going full steam ahead on wind and solar and is the world leader in battery storage (lithium ion and other types too). Fossil fuel, other than coal, has always been a major weakness for China that can be choked off via the Straits of Malacca. I wonder if powering their reactor using thori…

"full steam ahead on wind and solar" the only two generation strategies that don't involve steam ;)

Closed-cycle gas turbine is possible with molten salt reactors!

Re: China to Build Thorium Molten-Salt Reactor in 2025

#23

Post by cedws »

kleton wrote: post #22
cynicalsecurity wrote: post #19

I don't understand why the West hesitates with nuclear power.

About one third of China's politburo, including Xi Jinping, have degrees in Engineering. The West's leadership is all attorneys or finance.

In the case of the US, the latest president is a failed businessman who is more concerned about trans people, abortion, and immigrants than progress.

According to media I’m supposed to hate China but I don’t hear Xi Jinping spouting nonsense like that.

Re: China to Build Thorium Molten-Salt Reactor in 2025

#24

Post by ramon156 »

cynicalsecurity wrote: post #19

I don't understand why the West hesitates with nuclear power.

I honestly have no idea either. I'm not deep into this topic at all, but I do remember there being some contracts with coal-based energy companies. They definitely have some agreement regarding nuclear power.

Re: China to Build Thorium Molten-Salt Reactor in 2025

#25

Post by [deleted] »

lokimedes wrote: post #7
ggm wrote: post #3

Commence, maybe. Given their lead in pebble bed, I wonder why? Probably competing teams and competing funding and goals. Thorium was in test decades ago in the USA and its applicability to large scale power with lower proliferation risk is given. I think the article's pointing out how much usable thorium China has as a side effect of rare earth mining may get to the heart of things: people with giant trash piles look…

China has a portfolio strategy when it comes to nuclear technology (and energy systems in general).

[deleted]

Re: China to Build Thorium Molten-Salt Reactor in 2025

#26

Post by makeitshine »

cedws wrote: post #23
kleton wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

About one third of China's politburo, including Xi Jinping, have degrees in Engineering. The West's leadership is all attorneys or finance.

In the case of the US, the latest president is a failed businessman who is more concerned about trans people, abortion, and immigrants than progress. According to media I’m supposed to hate China but I don’t hear Xi Jinping spouting nonsense like that.

You can hate the Chinese system for how it limits human rights, cracks down harshly on dissent, and stifles many creative outlets. Hating China or the Chinese people, which are like anywhere, generally lovely people, is silly.

There's plenty of nonsense coming from the mouth of the Party, but it doesn't make the US news, because it's not aimed at the US. There's also a lot less news overall which discusses and critiques the Party and what its representatives say, for obvious reasons.

Re: China to Build Thorium Molten-Salt Reactor in 2025

#27

Post by CharlesLau »

ggm wrote: post #6
grecy wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I wonder why? To learn. Do we need a better reason to try something new?

Nope. But I suspect it's beyond learning. The Chinese may understand nuclear power better than almost anyone else, France not withstanding. I could believe this is a strategic move, to diversify power input sources as well. Look I am not knocking learning, but I don't think thats the key drive here.

I believe this is mainly due to China's strong sense of crisis regarding energy supply. If it had as abundant fossil fuel resources as the United States and Russia, it likely wouldn't have invested so heavily in diversifying its energy sources. The development and support of new energy vehicles can also be largely attributed to this.

Re: China to Build Thorium Molten-Salt Reactor in 2025

#29

Post by cyberax »

ggm wrote: post #3

Commence, maybe. Given their lead in pebble bed, I wonder why? Probably competing teams and competing funding and goals. Thorium was in test decades ago in the USA and its applicability to large scale power with lower proliferation risk is given. I think the article's pointing out how much usable thorium China has as a side effect of rare earth mining may get to the heart of things: people with giant trash piles look…

> Commence, maybe. Given their lead in pebble bed, I wonder why?

Pebble bed reactors are also not a great idea. We've just had this discussion on HN...

Re: China to Build Thorium Molten-Salt Reactor in 2025

#30

Post by jiggawatts »

cedws wrote: post #23
kleton wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

About one third of China's politburo, including Xi Jinping, have degrees in Engineering. The West's leadership is all attorneys or finance.

In the case of the US, the latest president is a failed businessman who is more concerned about trans people, abortion, and immigrants than progress. According to media I’m supposed to hate China but I don’t hear Xi Jinping spouting nonsense like that.

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