Chinese researchers have announced the design of the commercial hot-melted salt nuclear reactor, expected to be the world's first nuclear reactor that does not use water for cooling.
According to the Hoa Nam Buoi Post (SCMP), because the reactor does not need water, it can be deployed in desert areas, allowing miners to take advantage of deserted spaces to provide energy for a large population.
The hot salt reactor runs on liquid thorium instead of uranium. Hot salt reactors are said to be safer than traditional uranium nuclear reactors, as thories cool and freeze quickly outdoors, meaning that theoretically, leakage will lead to less radiation pollution to the surrounding environment.
China plans to build its first commercial hot-water reactors by 2030, and the Chinese government has a long-term plan to build several reactors in the deserts in the Central and Western regions of the country.
China's new system works by allowing thorium to flow through the reactor, creating a nuclear chain reaction before transferring heat to the outside of the steam generator. Thorium is then returned to the reactor and repeat cycles.
The concept of a liquid-salt nuclear reactor instead of uranium was first introduced in the 1940s. However, early experiments struggled to find solutions to problems including the corrosion and cracking of pipelines used to transport hot salt.
Recent advances have made hot- salinity reactors more feasible, and China plans to build the first such a reactor. The project was developed by Professor Yan Rui and his colleagues at the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics.
China's new reactor is expected to generate 100MW, lower than a typical uranium reactor. However, it is still capable of supplying electricity to an area of 100,000 people.
The reactor itself will be only 3m high and 2.5m wide, but the plant will be larger because it combines other equipment including steam turbines.
Next-generation hot-water reactor technology is being developed by a number of companies and countries around the world, including Natrium backed by Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. The same technology will also be used to power an ambitious 300m long nuclear superyacht project, which could blur the line between luxury vacations and science adventures.
In addition to new reactors, China is also building massive hydroelectric dams to meet energy needs. In early July, China started the Bach Hac Than dam - the world's second largest hydroelectric plant after the Three Gorges Dam - home to the world's largest hydroelectric turbines, at 1 gigawatt per turbine. China's Three Gorges Dam is the world's largest hydroelectric plant in terms of installed capacity.
Nuclear power has been revived recently because it could be an important pillar in the fight against climate change. New hot-water reactors are considered an important technology to help China achieve the goal of carbon neutrality by 2060 - this country currently accounts for 28% of global carbon emissions.
