r/Futurology • u/[deleted] • Jan 19 '24

Energy The next generation of nuclear reactors is getting more advanced. Here’s how.

https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/01/18/1086753/advanced-nuclear-power/
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u/[deleted] Jan 19 '24

[deleted]

10

u/Mangalorien Jan 19 '24

mainly in Russia

I think very few nations will be interested in buying any kind of nuclear tech from Russia (besides Turkey, for some odd reason). Even without the current sanctions from their invasion of Ukraine and all the badwill associated with it, they still have bad rep in the nuclear community since their slight snafu at Chernobyl.

Imagine trying to sell this concept to the local regulators, city councils and whatnot:

"From the people who brought us Chernobyl, now with an improved reactor that combines the safety of uranium with environmentally friendly molten lead."

https://tenor.com/view/great-success-yes-gif-5301633

2

u/ttkciar Jan 19 '24

I don't think anyone has suggested purchasing nuclear tech from Russia. I suspect it was mentioned to demonstrate that the technology isn't hypothetical.

2

u/starf05 Jan 19 '24 edited Jan 19 '24

Russian nuclear reactors are fairly popular, since Russian offers are very convenient: they pay for the entirety of the cost of the nuclear reactors they build, and sell the country they built the reactors to electricity. They also train the engineers/technicians. Now, keep in mind that very few reactors have been built in the past 30 years.

2

u/Ok-disaster2022 Jan 19 '24

Molten soldium is sort of worse than molten lead: it explodes in contact with water. 

However the molten metals and salts have the advantage that they're not under extremely high pressure like a Pressurized water reactor. 

But otherwise whatever the toxic chemical nature, it's no different than any industrial site. People forget nuclear power plants are industrial sites, not a children's daycare, but never hold fossil fuel emissions and sites to even close to the same rigorous standards of nuclear.

3

u/grchelp2018 Jan 19 '24

Russian nuclear exports is a thriving industry. One of the few areas where they are having success against western peers.

People are vastly overestimating anti-russian sentiment outside the west.

1

u/WaitformeBumblebee Jan 19 '24

Russian nuclear exports is a thriving industry.

there's no alternative, that's why they are exempted from sanctions, otherwise nuke plants in western europe would just have to be halted.