Sonu Baba

Roll No: 52
S7 .EEE
 CONTENTS
• Introduction
• About Thorium
• Historical Background
• Properties of Thorium
• Thorium as Nuclear Fuel
• Thorium Reactor
• Generation iv Technology
• Advantages
• Disadvantages
• Challenges & Strategies
• Conclusion
 INTRODUCTION
• A Nuclear power station uses nuclear energy for
generating electrical energy.

• This power station is generally located far from

populated areas.

• This kind of power station can be used to produce

large amounts of electrical energy.

• Now a days fuel used in nuclear power plant is

Uranium, but it has lots and lots of
disadvantages.

What can be a remedy to all these

concerns?
 THORIUM
World Thorium Resources
Country Reserves(Tonn
Australia es)
300000
India 290000
Norway 170000
USA 160000
Canada 100000
South Africa 35000
Brazil 16000
Other Countries 95000
World Total 1200000
“Jons Jakob Berzelius”
Discoverer of Thorium
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

• During the early years of nuclear energy, from 1950s to mid

1970s, there was considerable interest worldwide to develop
Thorium fuels and cycles in order to supplement Uranium
reserves.

• In mid 1960s and 80s, several experimental and prototype

power reactors were successfully operated using Thorium fuels.
 PROPERTIES OF THORIUM
• More abundant in nature
• It can be used as a nuclear fuel
through breeding to uranium-233.
• Slightly radioactive metal.
• Th-232 decays very slower than
uranium isotopes.
• Powered thorium metal will often
ignite spontaneously in air & should
be handled carefully.
THORIUM AS A NUCLEAR FUEL
• longer fuel cycles.
• Increased proliferation resistance.
• Less waste.
• Slightly radioactive
• High burnup and improved waste form
characteristics.
• They have many physical & chemical
properties which improve reactor
performance.
• Available resources.
 FACT
INDIA’S 30% THORIUM RESOURCE BASE CAN
FUEL FOR NEXT 2500 YEARS OF ELECTRICITY.
THORIUM REACTOR
1. reactor block
2. cooling tower
3. reactor
4. control rod
5. support for pressure
6. steam generator
7. fuel element
8. turbine
9. generator
10. transformer
11. condenser
12. gaseous
13. liquid
14. air
15. air (humid)
16. river
17. cooling-water circulation
18. primary circuit
19. secondary circuit
20. water vapor
21. pump
“GENERATION IV TECHNOLOGY”

The “Generation IV” technologies

have set demanding sustainability
goals, including more efficient use of
fuel, less waste and better economic
performance, as well as improved
safety and reliability, and enhanced
proliferation resistance and physical
protection…
MOLTEN SALT REACTOR

One Of Six International Generation For Designs

 ADVANTAGES
• No pressure vessel required
• Liquid fuel requires no expensive fuel
fabrication and qualification
• Smaller power conversion system
• Factory built-modular construction
• Smaller containment building needed
• Simpler operation
- No re-fueling shut down
- Significantly lower maintenance
- Significantly smaller staff
 ADVANTAGES (Contd…)

• Significantly lower capital costs

• Lower regulatory burden
• No grid interfacing costs:
• Minimum line losses
 DISADVANTAGES

• Production of long lived nuclear waste.

• Safety issues and possibilities of nuclear
accidents.
• Unavoidable production of fissile material
(239 Pu), which can be diverted to military
applications.
• Some aspects of thorium cycle require
specific design and operation features for
the reactor and fuel cycle facilities (reactor
operation, fuel processing.
 CHALLENGES & STRATEGIES
•A country of the size of India cannot afford to plan its
economy on the basis of large scale import of energy
resources or energy technology

• Indigenous development of energy technologies based

on domestic fuel resources should be a priority for us.

• Nuclear power must contribute about a quarter of the total

electric power required 50 years from now, in order to limit
energy import dependence in percentage terms at about the
current level.
 CONCLUSION

Future generations will want to

depend more on this type of
electricity generating powerstation
due to fast increasing depletion of
fuels such as coal. There are a
number of construction projects
currently underway for this kind of
powerstation arround the world.
THANK YOU

Sonu Baba
Roll No: 52
S7 .EEE