Norway starts thorium reactor test

Thorium is a much stronger gamma source than uranium or plutonium. Gamma is much more penetrating than the alpha or beta emitting uranium and plutonium fuel elements and wastes, Storage of thorium fuel elements and contaminated wastes creates problematic shielding knuts.

Rap

Only problem is, you turkeys have some sort of an overwhelming reason for hating every energy source which ever comes down the road other than burning cow pies.

Actually, Norway isn't starting a thorium reactor test.

But a privately held Norwegian company will start burning thorium fuel in a conventional test reactor. (Thor Energy is testing the thorium fuel in a conventional test reactor at Halden.)

GunjaSnaKKKE you never seem to stop demonstrating that your arrogance is only exceeded by your ignorance. I, for one am not one of those 'turkeys, you accuse me of being.

As an Engineer with degrees in Chemical and Nuclear Engineering its a little hard not to be a proponent of any exploitable energy source (including burning cow pies). What I am saying is that experience with thorium is that unlike uranium and plutonium thorium is a hot gamma source and gamma is penetrating radiation. Consequently, handling thorium requires lots of shielding. Lots of it.

That is the simple physics of the situation. That has nothing to do with cow pies.

Rap

... and that's why they stopped it elsewhere (we had had one [ a really working reactor, not a test reactor] here, in my neighbourhood).

We use thorium in lamp mantles, but they aren't hot enough to glow without the gas flame.

Ever put a counter on a Coleman lantern mantle?

Granted not much thorium there, but enough to get a significant count, and because it is gamma it is a good demonstration of the penetration of gamma rays.

BTW this is a great demonstration of gamma rays used in high school physics lessons.

Rap

Never did, as a matter of fact. Probably a good thing the weave is too coarse to use as a condom.