A new nuclear option- exciting information

Editor: Using a proton beam to generate neutrons which excite Thorium to produce energy represents a quantum leap forwards in nuclear power generation: No more runaway nuclear reactions, minimal waste and the ability to burn up dirty nuclear fuel from other reactors. This video is an eyeopener to a new energy future.

This lecture in the 2010/11 Vice-Chancellor’s Lecture Series is given by Professor Robert Cywinski, Dean of Applied Sciences at the University of Huddersfield. Professor Cywinsky speaks on "Towards an Alternative Nuclear Future".

About Professor Cywinski:

Bob Cywinski graduated with a PhD from the University of Salford in 1976, and embarked upon a research career in neutron scattering and µSR studies of magnetic and superconducting alloys and compounds. In 1980, following research fellowships at Imperial College, London, and Monash University, Melbourne, he joined the small team that built ISIS, which for 20 years was the world’s most powerful neutron spallation source, at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratories. In 1985 Bob was appointed as Lecturer in Physics at the University of Reading, and in 1994 became Professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of St Andrews. From 2000 to 2008 Bob was Professor of Physics and Dean of Research for the Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences at the University of Leeds, before moving to the University of Huddersfield where he is Dean of Applied Sciences.

About the lecture:

Whilst it is clear that nuclear power has a crucial role to play in the global drive for cleaner energy, it is equally clear that there remain concerns about safety, sustainability, waste management and proliferation. In an attempt to address these issues we have explored the feasibility of power generation based upon an innovative subcritical nuclear reactor in which fission is controlled by a particle accelerator. This concept, sometimes known as the Energy Amplifier, has been around for a number of years, but recent developments in accelerator and spallation technology may now allow this alternative technology to be exploited. Perhaps more significantly, the Energy Amplifier provides the opportunity of using the fertile element thorium as a sustainable and proliferation resistant nuclear fuel. The tremendous environmental and socioeconomic opportunities presented by the Energy Amplifier and thorium fuel will be investigated in this lecture. Source of video and article here
Detailed information on the process described in the video is available here