Thorium is the new black!

Superhaze · Post by **Superhaze** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 2:46 pm

http://www.wired.com/magazine/2009/12/ff_new_nukes/

Nice article about the cancer of humanity we all love. Uranium is out, thorium is in. I support this move.

Thor Kaufman · Post by **Thor Kaufman** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:22 pm

I concur

Post by **King of Creation** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 12:58 pm

It's actually pretty interesting considering there's no waste or possibility for meltdown or weaponization. Clean fuel ftw

Post by **Retlaw83** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 7:43 pm

If powerplants are converted so you can't weaponize the spent fuel, where are world governments going to get depleted uranium weapons?

Frater Perdurabo · Post by **Frater Perdurabo** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 3:46 am

King of Creation wrote:It's actually pretty interesting considering there's no waste or possibility for meltdown or weaponization. Clean fuel ftw

However, Thorium needs to be treated before it can be used (nevertheless, once treated, it is something like 75% more efficient than Uranium, and about 1/3 of the price), and the process also requires additional elements.

There's a very interesting article in The Economist, a few issues back, I believe December 14 one or so (it's the one with Gordon Brown on it, dressed like a chav) about Generation IV nuclear power plants. Definitely worth a read if you're interested.
Essentially, a commission was made for a new design of nuclear power plants since the current ones are still pretty much unchanged since the 1950s. Out of about 100 or so designs that were submitted, 6 were picked to be viable, each having their own advantages and disadvantages.

Superhaze · Post by **Superhaze** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 8:53 pm

Is it possible to get the Economist back-issues online?

Frater Perdurabo · Post by **Frater Perdurabo** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 1:07 am

You can read the article here, for free:
http://www.economist.com/sciencetechnol ... d=15048703

It was in this Q's Technology Quarterly. Those are always an interesting read.

Redeye · Post by **Redeye** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 2:48 am

Who looks for treasure in a garbage pile? One way to hide a stockpile.

Lots of ways to pull rabbits out of hats:

Better living through algae

PBMR

How silly!

"microchannel technology is being applied to the two main reactor sections in a synthetic fuel process"

"In November 1963, an Army study submitted to the Department of Defense (DOD) proposed employing a military compact reactor (MCR) as the power source for a nuclear-powered energy depot, which was being considered as a means of producing synthetic fuels in a combat zone"

Fun with plasma

Redeye · Post by **Redeye** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 2:54 am

Why is this in the Wasteland?

Post by **King of Creation** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 6:38 am

It wasn't. I first saw it in the wasteland last week or something. Moved it to GD. Now it's back in the wasteland?? We may have a rogue agent on our hands.

Back to GD

Post by **Retlaw83** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 7:20 am

Probably Catzim being butthurt about a conversation he can't comprehend.

jetbaby · Post by **jetbaby** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 12:12 pm

Retlaw83 wrote:Probably Catzim being butthurt about a conversation he can't comprehend.

Truth. And a good read.

Caleb · Post by **Caleb** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 6:06 pm

Why can't we just switch to cobalt bombs

Goretheglowingone · Post by **Goretheglowingone** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 4:14 am

displace catzim with gore and never have this problem agian.

Pawns4Mons · Post by **Pawns4Mons** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 12:49 pm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massive_Or ... Blast_bomb

The MOAB is quite safe if you want a clean war with no mutations after

Ahh if only china let loose with these the wasteland would be a much better place.. Infact It wouldn't even be a wasteland >.<

Redeye · Post by **Redeye** » Fri Jan 29, 2010 2:34 am

Pawns4Mons wrote:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massive_Or ... Blast_bomb

The MOAB is quite safe if you want a clean war with no mutations after

Ahh if only china let loose with these the wasteland would be a much better place.. Infact It wouldn't even be a wasteland >.<

Those wouldn't fit into ICBMs; even if they did, they would have needed thousands to do any real damage on a national scale.

Pawns4Mons · Post by **Pawns4Mons** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 9:13 am

Redeye wrote:
Pawns4Mons wrote:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massive_Or ... Blast_bomb

The MOAB is quite safe if you want a clean war with no mutations after

Ahh if only china let loose with these the wasteland would be a much better place.. Infact It wouldn't even be a wasteland >.<
Those wouldn't fit into ICBMs; even if they did, they would have needed thousands to do any real damage on a national scale.

I am sure it's worth it for a clean good ol' fasion' war

Kashluk · Post by **Kashluk** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 9:59 am

Sounds pretty awesome. I found a Finnish article from early 2007 that was full of visions about the future use of thorium. Apparently Norway is quite interested in developing thorium-reactors, since 14 % of the world's thorium is situated within their borders.

There's some career advice for you, Nicolai. Nuclear physics

Redeye · Post by **Redeye** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 2:35 am

Retlaw83 wrote:If powerplants are converted so you can't weaponize the spent fuel, where are world governments going to get depleted uranium weapons?

There's plenty already made.

"SIAD is licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to receive, store, issue, renovate, and demilitarize (disassemble) depleted uranium rounds."

Official site.

cazsim83 · Post by **cazsim83** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 7:10 pm

edit - it appears I do, in fact still have "the powah".

but no, I did not do this of which you speak.