atw - International Journal for Nuclear Power | 04.2022

atw Vol. 67 (2022) | Ausgabe 4 ı Juli
AT A GLANCE
36
consumes and thus requires 100 times less mining
than classic reactors.
Having thorium breeder reactors in the thermal
spectrum is a whole new category of nuclear
reactors. It is a promise that humans can invent
something, which is able to outperform any other
nuclear system, including fusion. It potentially
offers a whole new area of human capabilities. It
can bring several billion people out of poverty and
can reduce our reliance on fossil fuel. Something
which wind and solar are unable to promise.
Uranium based Gen1 – Gen4 reactors will always
be limited by the amount of U235, it needs mining
and enrichment and results in nuclear waste,
which is already causing a substantial problem for
the existing nuclear industry. Yes, some of the new
Gen4 - Gen6 reactors may generate less waste
than earlier generations, but they all produce
long-lived waste and require 100 times more
mining than thorium breeder reactors. Gen4 -
Gen6 reactors are not expected to evolve into
breeder reactors until after 2040 and even then
the MW output per kg fissile fuel will be ten times
inferior to CA reactors over their lifetime. Resulting
in a giant economic penalty for these other reactor
types.
Contrary to this, the Copenhagen Atomics waste
burner can burn nuclear waste from Gen1 - Gen6
reactors, resulting in fission products, which only
need to be stored for 300 years. Even the new EU
taxonomy says that you can only build new nuclear
reactors in Europe with government support, if
you show how to solve the waste problem.
Currently Copenhagen Atomics is the company in
Europe who has a credible reactor design, which
can solve this problem. – And CA has patented
their reactor design and several of their key
technologies.
Contact
www.copenhagenatomics.com
info@copenhagenatomics.com
@copenhagen-atomics
At a Glance
Copenhagen Atomics a Thorium Molten Salt Reactor with a Breeder Concept