Investigation on the Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor (LFTR) design features

Abstract

World’s first nuclear reactor was built in 1942 after uranium was discovered. With the discovery of uranium and years of experiments to built nuclear reactors, fission process was discovered later where it would lead to excessive release of energy in uranium nuclei, as there is additional neutrons produce during energy released. As years goes by, the nuclear reactors are improved and implemented generations by generations and currently with the experiment of generation-IV reactors going on. Nuclear reactors are further improved with advanced safety features and small modularized design features that use abundant materials to generate nuclear electricity. As part of Molten Salt Reactor design, Liquid fluoride thorium reactor is one of the many reactors under the generation-IV reactors designs but the only rector that will be making a change in the fuel material where thorium-232 will be used to breed uranium-233 elements for fuel usage in the reactor. Many factors have been considered and implemented into the design of Liquid Fluoride Thorium reactor to generate and produce nuclear power with a much safer, lesser environmental impact and much lesser waste production.