China created world’s first Nuclear Reactor that can’t meltdown
Ryan Milton
Nov 19, 2024
China Has Created The World’s First Nuclear Reactor That Can’t Melt Down:
China has successfully tested a groundbreaking nuclear reactor that eliminates the risk of meltdown, a major leap forward in nuclear safety.
Located at the Shidao Bay Nuclear Plant, the HTR-PM reactor uses a pebble bed design with TRISO fuel—tiny, ceramic-coated uranium particles designed to contain fission products even under extreme temperatures.
Unlike traditional reactors that rely on water cooling, the HTR-PM can naturally dissipate heat through conduction, radiation, and convection, allowing it to remain stable without power.
In two full-scale tests conducted in 2023, the reactor demonstrated its ability to safely shut down and dissipate heat during complete power loss. Temperatures peaked at just 870°C, far below the catastrophic levels seen in disasters like Fukushima, where temperatures soared to 2800°C.
The HTR-PM’s self-cooling capability ensures it can avoid the kind of catastrophic failures that have historically undermined public trust in nuclear energy.
This innovation is part of a larger global push for safer, more sustainable nuclear power. The reactor generates 200 MW, positioning it as a promising alternative for clean energy. Its success could pave the way for broader adoption of advanced reactor designs, providing a critical boost for nuclear energy during the transition to a greener future.
https://x.com/1860rm/status/1859024227338232202
Ryan Milton
Nov 19, 2024
The magic is in the TRISO pebbles
TRISO stands for TRi-structural ISOtropic particle fuel.
Each TRISO particle is made up of a uranium, carbon and oxygen fuel kernel. The kernel is encapsulated by three layers of carbon- and ceramic-based materials that prevent the release of radioactive fission products.
Pebbles can be as small as a poppyseed.
They can be fabricated into cylindrical pellets or billiard ball-sized spheres called “pebbles” for use in either high temperature gas or molten salt-cooled reactors.
TRISO fuels are structurally more resistant to neutron irradiation, corrosion, oxidation and high temperatures (the factors that most impact fuel performance) than traditional reactor fuels.
Each particle acts as its own containment system thanks to its triple-coated layers. This allows them to retain fission products under all reactor conditions.
Simply put, TRISO particles cannot melt in a commercial high-temperature reactor and can withstand extreme temperatures that are well beyond the threshold of current nuclear fuels
https://x.com/1860rm/status/1859109666292199808
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