It marks the first long-term, stable operation of the technology, putting China at the forefront of a global race to harness thorium – considered a safer and more abundant alternative to uranium – for nuclear power.
The experimental reactor, located in the Gobi Desert in China’s west, uses molten salt as the fuel carrier and coolant, and thorium – a radioactive element abundant in the Earth’s crust – as the fuel source. The reactor is reportedly designed to sustainably generate 2 megawatts of thermal power.
Thorium reactors also have an off switch, unlike Uranium reactors. Neutrinos start the Uranium reaction but the reaction cannot be stopped once started. The reactor just cools the uranium to control the reaction. Lose the cooling system and get a meltdown. Thorium reactors also require neutrinos but if the flow of neutrinos stops, so does the nuklear reaction.
Mathematics of wonton burrito meals, got it.
You do realize you’re on the internet, right? You can look things up first instead of spouting bullshit.
Literally nothing you just said is correct.
Is it wrong that Thorium reactions stop on their own?
It depends how they are designed. Same as regular uranium reactors. Thorium isn’t a reactor fuel after all, it’s what you use to breed more fuel. The actual fuel is still uranium. Thorium turns into uranium-233 then that is the fuel. Normal reactors use uranium-235. Both isotopes can be made to be passively safe.
Neutrons?
My mistake. It’s been a few years since I read about this topic.
No, neutrinos.
Neutrinos almost don’t interact with other matter. You use neutrons to start fission