Physics |
December 2, 2012
The thorium fuel cycle claims several potential advantages over a uranium fuel cycle, including thorium’s greater abundance, superior physical and nuclear properties, better resistance to nuclear weapons proliferation, smaller reactors and reduced plutonium and actinide production – thereby less radioactive waste. It also reduce the risk of nuclear meltdown. Credit: NASA.

TED presents Kirk Sorensen, who shows us the liquid fuel thorium reactor — a way to produce energy that is safer, cleaner and more efficient than current nuclear power.

Kirk Sorensen stumbled across thorium while doing research on how to power a lunar community. Thorium is a cleaner, safer, and more abundant nuclear fuel — one that Kirk believes will revolutionize how we produce our energy. He began his work with thorium while working as an aerospace engineer at NASA. In 2010, he left NASA to work as the chief nuclear technologist at Teledyne Brown Engineering. In 2011, he founded Flibe, a company focused on developing modular thorium reactors.

India is a forerunner in the use of Thorium, being abundant in India, it is a cheaper and cleaner alternative meeting Indias growing need for more electricity.

 

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