this post was submitted on 18 Apr 2025
841 points (97.2% liked)
Technology
69098 readers
3036 users here now
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
Our Rules
- Follow the lemmy.world rules.
- Only tech related news or articles.
- Be excellent to each other!
- Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
- Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
- Politics threads may be removed.
- No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
- Only approved bots from the list below, this includes using AI responses and summaries. To ask if your bot can be added please contact a mod.
- Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed
- Accounts 7 days and younger will have their posts automatically removed.
Approved Bots
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
Thorium reactors also have an off switch, unlike Uranium reactors. A neutron stream starts 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 a neutron stream but if the flow of neutrons stops, so does the nuclear reaction.
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.
You do realize you're on the internet, right? You can look things up first instead of spouting bullshit.
Neutrons?
My mistake. It's been a few years since I read about this topic.
Neutrinos almost don't interact with other matter. You use neutrons to start fission
Mathematics of wonton burrito meals, got it.
You're confusing subcritical reactors with thorium power