According to The Independent, Chinese researchers have created the world’s first nuclear power plant that can withstand meltdowns.
Nuclear power is one clean alternative to filthy energy sources like gas, oil, and coal, all of which emit large volumes of climate-warming air pollution. However, public fear of catastrophic nuclear meltdowns, such as those at Chernobyl and Fukushima, has delayed the building of more nuclear power facilities.
While such mishaps are uncommon, they remain a legitimate risk, making China‘s new meltdown-proof plant potentially exciting for the future of clean energy.
Tsinghua University researchers developed the plant using numerous novel approaches, including a “pebble-bed reactor” that almost eliminates the chance of a meltdown.
Helium is used to cool the reactor instead of water, and highly heat-resistant billiard-ball-sized graphite spheres loaded with microscopic uranium fuel particles replace massive fuel rods.
While the pebble-bed concept cannot be used retroactively to new nuclear power stations, the experts believe it could serve as a model for future reactors.
While wind and solar are often highlighted as clean energy alternatives, nuclear power also plays a significant role. One of the primary challenges of replacing dirty energy is producing enough clean energy to fulfil demand, so diversifying and relying on a wider range of sources makes a lot of sense.
Another nuclear power plant is being developed in Wyoming on the site of a former coal plant; this one claims to be completely meltdown-proof because it uses liquid sodium as a coolant rather than water.
In addition, researchers developed a means to make nuclear power plants safer by causing water to boil off and evaporate at a lower temperature. Although nuclear power is already safer than many people imagine, recent discoveries and developments are making it even safer for future generations.
