The Molten Salt Reactor, the answer to peak oil ?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A molten salt reactor (MSR) is a type of nuclear fission reactor where the primary coolant is a molten salt mixture, which can run at high temperatures (for higher thermodynamic efficiency) while staying at low vapor pressure for reduced mechanical stress and increased safety, and is less reactive than molten sodium coolant. The nuclear fuel may be solid fuel rods, or dissolved in the coolant itself, which eliminates fuel fabrication, simplifies reactor structure, equalizes burnup, and allows online reprocessing. MSR is also known as a liquid fluoride thorium reactor (LFTR), and pronounced “lifter”. The improved neutron economy makes neutrons available so that the thorium-232 can breed into uranium-233. Thus, the compact core makes the molten salt design particularly suitable for the thorium fuel cycle.

Technological advantages