The Molten-Salt Reactor Experiment

This film was produced in 1969 by Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the United States Atomic Energy Commission to inform the public regarding the history, technology, and milestones of the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE). Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Molten Salt Reactor Experiment was designed to assess the viability of liquid fuel reactor technologies for use in commercial power generation. It operated from January 1965 through December 1969, logging more than 13,000 hours at full power during its four-year run. The MSRE was designated a nuclear historic landmark in 1994.
Thanks to Y-12 for the collection, preservation and digitization of this and other historic films.

[@Sipezinga]

These old documentaries are great because the information isn't dumbed down like in the newer documentaries. Straight up informative and almost tutorial-like films you could build your own salt reactors based on.

[@andrews582]

I am quite certain that copies of these documentaries have been obtained by the Chinese, together with copies of all American research papers concerning the Thorium salt reactor. The United States needs another Manhattan Project.

[@HaqqAttak]

T.V. needs to finally die. Those F*ckers make 5 minutes of content and stretch it out to 45 min.

[@SuperTime2Change]

@@HaqqAttak haven't had television service in over 20 years. Don't miss it one bit.

[@drewcipher896]

@@andrews582 the researchers made their discoveries open source and freely provided it to anyone who wanted it, because the US thought nuclear weapons were more important than safe nuclear power at the time.

[@UnseenThreat07]

Exactly right! Nothing better than these old documentaries.. unfortunately they recently banned this one because it offends those who sexually identify as salt reactors.. weakest generation by far

[@jeremystewart2180]

Anyone else humbled by the incredible quality of components and the meticulous assembly that was required? What a beautiful contraption!

[@SuperReznative]

Jeremy Stewart ,,yes a completely different generation ( disciplines) back then,,( until "good" gov. intervention..)

[@deanjahnz9546]

As a machinist, yes. Especially considering the difficulty in working with high nickel exotic alloys such as Hastelloy.

[@tetrabromobisphenol]

@Eddie Hitler They did have NC "toys" back then. Numerically controlled (NC), just didn't have interpolation, hence not "continuous". Programmed with paper tapes typically.

[@boggy7665]

Because of the exotic materials & assembly (rare/scarce elements and processing required) and the exacting operating & maintenance requirements... I am skeptical humankind can make this work at scale without (many) major mishaps.

[@SkypowerwithKarl]

Keep in mind folks, this was figured out with slide rule and drafting tables....just like the SR 71. AMAZING!

[@piotrd.4850]

Wooden ships and iron men, huh ? :)

[@bigrockets]

how do you know? did one of them call you up and give you the"scoop?" lol

[@SmartassEyebrows]

@@bigrockets Because that's all they had back then.

[@johnrickard8512]

Correction, it was figured out with slide rules, drafting tables, and the giant mainframe in the basement.

[@johnwang9914]

There's a lot that can be done with slide rulers but the main benefit is that slide rulers are logarithmic tables and knowing how to use logarithms means a better understanding of the problem. Yes, manual calculations come with the risk of errors but if a spreadsheet or app has a mistake within, would people using the spreadsheet or app even know their results are wrong?

[@shrikedecil]

15:42 "Another feature of the MSRE is its high-speed digital computer." Priceless.

[@johnkern7075]

We use that computer to do our payroll here at work. 😆

[@BrilliantDesignOnline]

"NOW with 4-digit analog display! But WAIT! There's more! Teletype included for a small extra charge!"

[@user-fb2hv9cy7y]

@@BrilliantDesignOnlinedon't forget the paper tape reader

[@jakezg3016]

Did a radiological survey up there, Boeing did an amazing job of clearing the sector, and I only found one fragment that had anything above background. It was incomplete, but I felt fairly safe just 300 feet from the old reactor.

[@piotrd.4850]

Love YT for such comments.

[@williamwaugh8670]

This film has quite a lot of engineering detail!

[@kenlee5509]

The things said almost in passing ... all the prep steps! Just amazing.

[@openscholar9908]

Even included pipe dia.

[@VRtechman]

Yeah!!! I'm sure the Chinese Nuclear Engineers Designing Next Generation MSR's for the global market, went over this video a couple Thousand times!

[@blurglide]

I love it- not dumbed down at all. It reminds me of the "Turbo Encabulator" video though. In fact, I think it's the same guy doing the voice. :P kzbin.info/www/bejne/d5SaeGquhKxld8k&pbjreload=10

[@FixItStupid]

@@VRtechman then they would know it didn't work and Its still there .....and not cleaned up jerk....

[@freakshow1997]

extraordinary that only five years were required from first concepts on paper (may 1960) to first criticality (june 1 1965), keeping in mind the absence of computer modelling and design, the small team and the completely new materials that had to be designed and invented. It remains strange that humanity has not really seen a nuclear age except in the negative sense of the word.

[@CTimmerman]

Technically, almost all elements come from stars. Oil and coal are stored solar fusion energy, polluted by random toxins and Earth's warming thorium.

[@b.griffin317]

FDS: the tech is pretty simple and straighforward, the basic science was already established and people weren't as ensnared by red tape as they'd later become. think of the saturn v.

[@TechNed]

I landed here after watching the Nuclear Aeroplane episode of, "Planes that never flew" ('scuse the pun). Evidently, they inherited some of the research and facilities of that failed programme.

[@b.griffin317]

it says in the beginning of the video they took over the labs/grounds at ORNL from it.

[@simplesurvival2066]

FDS i

[@redsquirrelftw]

I love these old style documentaries, there is something oddly nostalgic about the music and even the voice even though it's way before my time. Wonder why we don't use these reactors today, seems they are pretty efficient.

[@edgeeffect]

You're not the only one to wonder why.

[@heknows5418]

@@edgeeffect because you can’t enrich salt to make nuclear weapons

[@blackhawks81H]

@@heknows5418 That's one big reason. Another is good old capitalism and big companies that owned the designs for other types of reactors. Also some clowns saying "hey, I know we had to cut some corners and make some compromises in order to make these real small reactors to fit on navy ships and submarines, but why don't we just scale them back up a whole bunch of times, with the compromises still in place as is, and use them to make power in the civilian world?"

[@Existinginthespace]

Wow, you said exactly what i was thinking! Entertaining and nostalgic! It's only a matter of time before some content creator capitalizes on this style of education

[@BrainDamagedBob]

One reason is that fuel manufacturers would be obsolete with the nuclear fuel dissolved in salt. Something nefarious is behind the PR suppression of designs like that of Elysium Industries. Another vested interest that may be behind the suppression of developing molten salt reactors is the Fusion R&D monster. There is enough waste Uranium in the world to supply all energy needs for 15k years. Once we consume all the spent fuel, we could go back to mining Uranium or switch to all the Thorium that's already mined and sitting in piles. That would last a few million years without any mining. Fusion is unnecessary pie-in-the-sky.

[@BrainDamagedBob]

When the narrator says that the reactor was "stable at all power levels," that is something that is mind blowing. These reactors load follow and are intrinsically self-regulating! Meltdowns would be impossible.

[@JaenEngineering]

Meltdowns aren't impossible, they're critical. Can't have a molten salt reactor without melting down first! 😉

[@jamieingels1190]

​@@JaenEngineering Hahaha!!! Very clever, but you know what he meant😏

[@chrisbusenkell]

They would be, except they have to have humans involved at some point...and introducing the origin of all the problems

[@egay86292]

"impossible." certainty is the enemy of intellect.

[@darkgalaxy5548]

Strictly speaking, Chernobyl didn't melt down, it exploded.

[@gordonmcdowell]

ORNL thank you thank you thank you... thank you for digging this up and posting it.

[@GrayShark09]

We are all grateful for this, Gordon!

[@louisbowman3899]

gordonmcdowell a

[@jblob5764]

@Fred C. Scroll so coal is better?

[@hellstromcarbunkle8857]

@@jblob5764 Yes. The deaths stop from any given exposure in 1 decade. Can't say that of nuclear waste

[@andrews582]

@Fred C. Scroll Solar and wind will never be able to produce sufficient power to satisfy any conceivable modern civilization. The Thorium cycle with liquid salt can save the world from the predicted CO2 we hear so much about.

[@jameseglavin4]

This is so rad! I love that it's original and classically resembles educational films of the era, and obviously that it simply and fully explains the working of the MSRE. I hope we get many, many of these reactors up and running sooner than later to replace coal for our baseline electricity needs. Thank you so much ORNL!

[@PeterWolfe2012]

I saw what you did; even no one else said anything.

[@gangleweed]

Maybe a startup crowd funding can get it to the starting line for private usage.......private enterprise won't be wanting to make nuclear weapons of massive destruction.

[@marcelus85er]

"high speed digital computer" [wheels start turning] LOL

[@EndingSummerwithRalph]

Yes with the handwritten label #3 teletype.

[@kenlee5509]

1 1/2 inch digital tape reels actually, early R.A.M.

[@vonshroom2068]

They meant RPM and they were online for long distance calculations in 1966!

[@Hoffmanpack]

Lol Is on If yes then go If no then no

[@petercampi2840]

Not to burst your bubble, but digital is: (of signals or data) expressed as series of the digits 0 and 1, typically represented by values of a physical quantity such as voltage or magnetic polarization. The "zeroes and ones" are representative of the voltages 0.5 and 1 respectively.

[@roywhiteo5]

I was digging through my dads storage unit and found a text book called nuclear reactor engineering from 1962. There is a page dedicated to the MSRE at oak ridge. My dad was considering a career in nuclear energy in the early 60 but decided to focus on electroplating

[@pauleohl]

Both nuclear engineering and electroplating expose the workers to health risks. Was your father's health negatively affected by his work?

[@GrayShark09]

Forget Watergate! Canceling this, is the biggest mistake Nixon made!

[@mostowl9543]

Bruh, this is the best type.

[@Jianju69]

That & sending our manufacturing to a Communist country.

[@terriecotham1567]

You have to remember in DC power is money in the bank and money is power to buy votes or help change laws from what a DEA agent can do to laws that help control the world we live and die in. One can look at people like Nixon and those after him and wonder just how much true power they have or are they like some store managers who have it good but have no real power Nixon may have made a mistake from the infomation gave to him by those control by othere or told to shut it down by those who control him.

[@terriecotham1567]

@Goy Terrorist Your words may have sold ground too stand on after all our leaders gave the US no knock Warrents were police are on eadge and for good reason And I dont thank I heard of any new Building codea coming from DC to see that some nut case can not walk into any building like the Trumps and drop it in just a few hours from fires like a hot knife through warm butter like building 7 that day at one time in history the KKK put the fear of God into people out of hate and use the law to put poor blacks and whites into prison work camps At times we all get it wrong and thiere are those in all races who attack any one not like them in all parts of the world. At times its hard to know the truth and all we can do is work for a better world for those to come after all Trump said over and over how he was going to appoint someone in the Justics system to look into H-C and to this day I don't thank I have one word in the news abount it. DR King and JFK both lost there life fighting for what was right and I thank I remember the news storys of this new deal, Tax brake or Tax inciteve to help all the busness leave the US and how this was going to jump start other nations were the people could buy US goods. What the US got was busness leaveing the US for cheep labor that did not help those people or nations for the most part and US towns that have become 3 word places when it comes to some services. Wall mark has spread across the US and giveing the US people cheep goods and closeing stores in the small towns and it semmes 99% of the produc's come from other nation's - is that good for the US I dont know and do shop at wm but all so shop at other local stores Take the LP gas tanks you can swap out at WM and other places around tround I don't thank you get a full tank' I go to other places and get a full tank at less that WM price. at one time people came to the us to become part of the US and so many have come and its hard to change over night after all take the father who killed his daughter witch was total leagle in his home nation when she started takeing on US ways. at times its hard to know the truth or what is right and I am sure thiere are those setting some place who thank they know what good for us and this has been going on for a long time just look at the KKK Hope you can read this with out spell check or grammer My work can be hard to understand at times thanks

[@fl00fydragon]

This, the original purpose and design of the space shuttle, his bullshit economic model, his war on drugs(which is now revealed that it was a way to target populations of political opposition in an attempt to control the outcome of elections), etc.

[@khanrhy]

after watching Gordon's other videos with Kirk Sorenson for the thousanth time in the last few months. now here is this gem.

[@jerrymctee5996]

two crackpots.

[@jomiar309]

I love this reactor, and I am working with other folks to make this a reality today.

[@3rdvoidmen594]

What happened?

[@CarlosAM1]

@mark robertson we already are with current electricity. This would save millions of people and BILLIONS of animals.

[@jannesmerkx6626]

@mark robertson study statistics..

[@ryanbrown1835]

Which company?

[@randomname4726]

@mark robertson You are the idiot.

[@adamthethird4753]

I get so depressed when I think of all the damage that could have been prevented if this was developed. We cannot change the past, but we can fix the present for a better future.

[@petercampi2840]

It was successfully developed at this point in time, but Nixon and Congress killed this project the following year in 1969 when they couldn't figure out how to weaponized the non-reactive liquid fuel source.

[@hgbugalou]

If you ask anyone with knowledge of the matter, there are still some pretty huge obstacles.

[@jamesrindley6215]

You wouldn't say that if one had been built and it had blown its top like Chernobyl and Fukushima.

[@Philip02K]

Adam the Third Taylor Wilson the wondetkid

[@REDTTURTLE]

Fukushima, Chernbyl, and soon... DIABLO CANYON (California)

[@cthorm]

Holy moly, the diagram at 19:26 is almost exactly the same as the one presented for the 2000 GenIV forum, 40 years later.

[@operator8014]

It was ahead of it's time, and there has been massive pushback against development of this technology by petroleum companies and their pet politicians.

[@edgeeffect]

That's because no one else has done any research since.

[@westkomer5570]

We need to bring this back on line.

[@sadesurbex2816]

we certainly need more molten salt reactors.

[@olveaustlid4383]

I have to say this was one of the best documentaries I've seen! Packed with very well conveyed information, all original content, no tedious repetitions and an interesting topic. Every second was worth watching!

[@partofthething]

Awesome video! Thanks for preserving it and putting it up. It's great to see Alvin Weinberg smiling in there.

[@motorhead6763]

partofthething Dr Radkowsky also. Shalom

[@dansierrasam79]

I want to read Weinberg's biography after watching a number of these MSRE documentaries! This is so awesome! We actually have a Thorium reactor in India.

[@JoelKreider]

The intern's shoulders slumped as tasks were delegated. Off to empty another room of archives for potential server space. Then, eyes brightening, an exclamation "What, ho?! Film reels!! Molten Salt!! Stand back ye fiend of age, all shall be made light. Though dark and weary deals have seized thine visage, and memory lost to time... To the interweb-o-nets with ye. Post Haste!!" We're all grateful, whoever you are.

[@-BuddyGuy]

You need to go hit a bar or watch a sports game or something

[@holton345]

Joel, this is Officer Friendly. Back away from the fedora and stop saying creepy Incel things like "m'lady".

[@thesentientneuron6550]

@Joel Kreider I really like what you've written in this comment!

[@haliax8149]

@@-BuddyGuy retards are always the first to respond to these types of OP

[@mikep1361]

I honestly love these old informational videos, if not only for the music.

[@peccatumDei]

This came up as a suggestion after I watched a couple of videos on Taylor Wilson. This certainly sheds some light on the technical details of building a molten salt reactor.

[@CavanStone]

This is such a great find for posterity!

[@Lottoboi100]

To think they had this sitting in a basement Gathering dust on a Shelf glad to see it finally getting it recognition it deserves better late than never

[@MojaveDan]

Technically it was a walk in closet where all this was stored, but still amazing all this research was essentially buried until recently.

[@walterrudich2175]

This video is a blatant lie. The molten salt reactor never made it to industrial use because it didn´t work properly.

[@MrTommyboy68]

@@walterrudich2175 No, Tricky Dick killed it after the person in charge basically torpedoed it BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MAKE AS MUCH PLUTONIUM.

[@walterrudich2175]

@@MrTommyboy68 This is absolute nonsense. Thorium can impossibly produce plutonium. All other US nuclear plants don't either.

[@MrTommyboy68]

@@walterrudich2175 The reason they went with what they did was to MAXIMIZE how much plutonium could be harvested. I remember the hub bub about being able to make more plutonium (which is only made in Washington and Oak ridge. They use the spent fuel and process it down and do some voo doo on it.

[@brianc7552]

I just learned that molten salt reactors were a thing by chance, saw this in my feed, Glad I watched it. Fascinating documentary.

[@OchoVera]

This is the stuff that inspires. Thanks to the Oakridge folks and their hard work, the future is looking promising.

[@DeeBee2013]

This was more than 40 years ago, it's the past not the future. As long as money is a key factor in people's lives we won't see it anytime soon .. the current way makes too much money for people with money.

[@BenJamin-rt7ui]

They weren't so stoopid back in the good 'ol days. Humbling for us over 50 years later. I think this film shows what a formidable task companies like Terrestrial Energy have got to even get a test bench reactor up and running.

[@landonhillyard]

This a really cool video. I wish national labs still put out videos like this that are just technical enough like this one.

[@zzasdfwas]

Oak Ridge is still putting out videos. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGaXhZxoj9F0Z7s

[@walterrudich2175]

This video is crap. It doesn´t say anything about the problems and the reason why the molten salt reactor was abandoned. It´s just bland propaganda by Union Carbide, the architects of the Bhopal disaster.

[@landonhillyard]

@@walterrudich2175 let's see the video you made.

[@walterrudich2175]

@@landonhillyard Let´s hear your scientific contribution to this subject.

[@landonhillyard]

@@walterrudich2175 what's the best way to post me small modular reactor thesis, my naval nuclear power school graduation, and proof I have operated real life reactors for the past 4 years?

[@acadman4322]

Super safe, and very cheap electrical energy. Wow! And then, along came Exxon and Mobil and Shell and Kerr-McGee and Chevron and BP and Gulf Oil - "Hello, President Nixon? About those campaign funds we've been sending you...listen we need to first talk to you about that salt reactor...yeah, that's right, the one that is likely to run us all out of business." And the rest was history.

[@SuperReznative]

ACADMan , Yup ,, tell 'em what they should know..& who " makes" our history..

[@acadman4322]

@@SuperReznative Just follow the money.

[@mojobiel]

Petroleum doesn't directly compete with nuclear. If you said there was a conspiracy of coal companies you may be correct. Your conspiracy is debunked, and you are stupid.

[@acadman4322]

@@mojobiel I do not think you have a full understanding of how big oil works and what they are into. Ever hear of natural gas-fired generating stations? No? Hmmm

[@rogueanuerz]

@spikedpsycho thank you, hard to find this answer .

[@mr1nyc]

Ah my favorite. This was why I got my degree in NE. Too bad the Superfenix was shut down after a leak. The system enclosure integrity was always a challenge, but the resulting enriched plutonium really put too much political pressure on most countries to continue to pursue FBRs for now. I was lucky enough to work at ORNL for a few years while an undergrad. Good memories.

[@gawayne1374]

OMG that digital computer is amazing! I need one

[@shawngarcia7120]

The information about the documented welds would be interesting to see.... Thank you for the video.

[@johngrisum]

Apparently the people that do it are quite well compensated too.

[@ducamuk]

Thank you for posting this. We need this.

[@Juvelqairth]

In case of earthquake, all you had to do just follow the steps. Step 1: Shut down the MSR. Step 2: Drain into the "Drain Tank", both fuel and coolant. Step 3: Inspect the MSR modules after "bad" events. Step 4: Repair the MSR. Step 5: Remelt the salt from the drain tank for testing. Step 6: Test the MSR before normal operation. If succeeds, you may go back to operation. But if fails (e.g. the pipe leaks), repeat to step 1. (Note: You need power backup for emergency power, and remelting the salt, both fuel and coolant.)

[@kenlee5509]

Build supported by a Monopod and earthquakes stop being an issue.

[@xaenon]

Don't say that too loudly in some areas. Residents around TMI and Fukishima might not agree. Even if those aren't/weren't Gen3 systems.

[@jamesrindley6215]

Kernels Yeah, they said that about all the generations of nuclear reactors including the ones that blew up and littered the countryside with radioactive toxic crap. Nobody can believe the nuclear liars.

[@neillhames3912]

xaenon I read some where that the Japanese should have built the reactor on the west coast where there aren’t as many earth quakes.

[@xaenon]

I feel it probably should have been built further inland. The reactor survived the quake; it was ultimately the massive wave of water that crippled it. Of course, the Japanese did provide a good deal of protection from the ocean; the problem was nobody ever foresaw a tsunami of that magnitude, which simply overwhelmed the sea barriers and inundated the facility.

[@ns129]

Love these films!

[@GregN456]

It’s incredible how this setup led to the development of the turboencabulator, a true modern marvel!

[@BrandonTahedl]

Like @Sipezinga mentioned, so informative. There are times I even find myself focusing on the music, it's relaxing! Love this! Thank you for uploading.

[@jarofranta153]

Excellent ! Any chance of posting something about the ART project ? ("Fireball" reactor) This was far more ambitious than MSRE, and was built almost to completion when it was cancelled. Nevertheless, historical documentation - even just a series of photographs - would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[@Evan_Bell]

Jaro Franta why hello there stranger. Fancy seeing you here.

[@antoninperbosc1532]

thanks for your post this first time i heard about ART project !

[@h.i.sjoevall4213]

Now i can continue building my own molten salt reactor. tnx

[@walterrudich2175]

Is it ready by now?

[@h.i.sjoevall4213]

@@walterrudich2175 I realised how expensive it would be to take care of all of the toxic waste - so i went for the much cheaper alternative of solar instead ;))

[@walterrudich2175]

@@h.i.sjoevall4213 that´s disappointing. At least for the conspiracy weirdoes here in the forum.

[@h.i.sjoevall4213]

Walter Rudich haha yeah i guess

[@beback_]

@@h.i.sjoevall4213 What do you do with all the rare earth metal waste and the unreliability?

[@Rick_Steel]

We need to build more nuclear reactors. To power the future, and also to embrace Reactor-Chan's beautiful G L O W

[@redfearnb]

This is absolutely incredible!!!!

[@34monkeygrits]

The resolve of mankind is absolutely fascinating sometimes. This is an incredible feat of engineering.

[@puirYorick]

Another excellent technology killed in infancy by lobbyists from rival industries. Pulp and paper industry killed hemp fiber farming with false propaganda about drug addiction. I'd mostly forgotten all about this molten salt and thorium stuff from back in my college days. The only reason we heard of it then was I had a quirky foreign-born professor with a colourful background who'd been around some historically interesting projects across the globe working with the IMF and the like.

[@kenlee5509]

Ad Hemp to the fuels production part of the system, carbon from waste hemp, _after_ all other hemp products have come off the plant, it can become gasoline, or whatever.

[@DanielSilva-jj2lz]

It was the textile industry that killed the hemp crop, hemp clothing has a durability 5x longer than cotton clothing, the cost of producing hemp is 2x cheaper than cotton, and hemp can be grown in semi-arid places and places. With the incidence of ice, but the advantage of hemp is in soil recovery, because its roots leave nitrogen in the soil, and cotton destroys the soil.

[@christophersleight19]

@Mike Marley , Dupont, was the destroyer of the proposed Hemp industry. Cloths Packaging Construction materials All made from Hemp. Unlimited supply, durable and biodigradable. The Oil/Pharmaceutical industry destroyed it. Only a small example of our greed and fallen nature missing the proper use of nature itself. John 14:6

[@MakerInMotion]

Crazy that we could build these 55 years ago and yet all of our reactors running today are light water reactors.

[@rhynosouris710]

Probably because MSRs don't offer many significant advantages over PWRs

[@anonymous.youtuber]

Plutonium, anyone ?

[@LordZontar]

The MSR concept was being entertained at a time when it was thought uranium supplies were far less than they were subsequently discovered to be. And for what advantages they offer, there were other problems that made them unattractive for commercial power generation. The second nuclear submarine, USS Seawolf (SSN-575) mounted a sodium-cooled plant but Hyman Rickover soon became dissatisfied with the complexity in maintenance for such a system and the hazard of the molten salt "freezing" within the reactor and circulation piping in the event circulation broke down, as well as the hazard from heavily-irradiated sodium which also complicated reactor maintenance with increased downtime until the levels decayed enough for the reactor spaces to be entered. Two years later, the Seawolf's S2G reactor was replaced with a conventional PWR design similar to that in the Nautilus. The other problem with trying to introduce the MSR into commercial usage is the matter of design and infrastructure inertia: the entire nuclear power generation industry is built around the PWR. It's a fully mature technology. One of the reasons why reactors are so expensive to build is the current lack of standardisation in reactor design as it is (except in France and Canada). To try to augment or replace the current fleet of PWRs with MSRs would complicate that picture by an order of magnitude. The MSR might better fit into the nuclear power landscape as a speciality reactor, to breed fuel and burn up actinide wastes and built at a few dedicated facilities around the country.

[@bp968]

Soo helpful during my personal backyard build! Thanks for posting for us DIY crowd!!

[@42lookc]

LOL! Go to it, David Hahn Jr.!

[@blackhawkorg]

Wild technology... great film. Thank you!

[@johnskunk609]

Last Summer I stopped by the Museum at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and asked questions about the MSRE. Several curators had no idea what I was talking about. I understand India and China have taken interest in this technology. I'm wondering if there is a cover-up to ignoring this process.

[@martinkral7222]

It was a political and military decision to go with the uranium LWR at that time. Budgets were also a deterrent.

[@roywhiteo5]

i thought they killed the msre to fund the sodium reactor

[@albertrogers8537]

They went with the uranium FNR, and a subteam with the still extant Charles Hill came up with the excellent IFR EBR2 that proved itself idiot proof and meltdown immune in April 1986, three weeks before the idiot-prone Chernobyl RBMK design melted down and even killed some people, although not nearly as many as the fossil carbon trade have made you to think.

[@tetrabromobisphenol]

I've found that most museum curators are just on a script, they are not SMEs with any kind of real background where they could discuss issues from a "first principles" standpoint.

[@tetrabromobisphenol]

@@albertrogers8537 : Yes, THAT particular fast breeder did well, but not all designs I've seen would be nearly as safe. My main concern with these reactors is the need to do PUREX style fuel reprocessing a la Hanford Works. With an MSRE you can reprocess in-situ and that has HUGE safety, logistical, operational, and nonproliferation advantages.

[@MaturePatriot]

MSRE, better know as "MISERY" was a pain to D&D. Have friends who worked that project. Yes it is a shame we abandoned the technology.

[@MostlyPennyCat]

Dungeons & Dragons? You shouldn't have been playing games while running a reactor! 😳😁😉

[@professorx7398]

@@MostlyPennyCat xD

[@CarlosAM1]

Actually this is an LFTR

[@BoostedMonkey05]

@@CarlosAM1 lftr is just a form of MSR

[@CarlosAM1]

@@BoostedMonkey05 a form of msre, Especifications.

[@archibaldtuttle8481]

So here we see that this is not a new idea, BUT SUCH A GOOD ONE!

[@typograf62]

Very interesting. Btw. music accompaniment on serious US movies is one of the greatest riddles left to man. ;-)

[@christianlibertarian5488]

I don't know where the background music came from, but it certainly reminds one of Ozzie and Harriet.

[@cleeboy5048]

The BG music and narration had a specific tone to that era! People spoke better back then too!

[@BRM101]

Thank you ORNL really enjoyed watching this, I’m no expert but I find the subject fascinating, and also baffling that this technology isn’t already wide spread given its safety.

[@IndustrialParrot2816]

Anti-nuclear lobbies and issues with the thorium fuel cycle being more complex than the uranium fuel cycle

[@johnruuu]

It was a sodium reactor experiment in the hills of Simi Valley California that MELTED 10 years prior to this National Lab implementation at Oak Ridge. The Santa Susana Field Laboratory is located just south of Simi Valley and is the site of a 1959 nuclear meltdown. The laboratory is also the subject of the documentary In the Dark of the Valley.

[@omnipitous4648]

This is an awesome video. It shows the strengths of the system in its simplicity and should be a starting point for modern LFTR reactors. I hope every scientist can see the potential here. The freeze plug is genius. Edit: I've known about this for years and so have many other people, I intend my remarks who haven't seen this. I am also hopeful for the Chinese and Indian productions of these types of reactors and I only wish the country which actually pioneered this should pursue it.

[@ytoffelitoffeltoff]

Brilliant! Still waiting for the day I turn on my TV and the power comes from molten salt fuel.

[@leerman22]

Probably when Half Life 3 comes out.

[@mattb6646]

Robin Kristoffer Stang hopefully the electricity will be emitted wirelessly via tesla coil.

[@b.griffin317]

telsa coils are a VERY inefficient transmission method, but I guess if it's "too cheap to meter" who cares?

[@SuperReznative]

Robin Kristoffer Stang Love your enthusiasm,, & yes "brilliant".. that generation was of a different academic discipline ( with respect to them),, but turning on the TV has dumbed down,the masses along with cultural snares,,- propagandas.. just ,a note towards awareness.. be brilliant too.. Shalom

[@JanicekTrnecka]

I was just going through youtube, watching HAL9000 quotes..and plop...molten salt reactor video popped inbetween those :-)

[@JanicekTrnecka]

Something sinister is hidden here :-)

[@SuperReznative]

JanicekTrnecka . Hmm ..interesting*.... very interesting..

[@Rameus]

I knew one of the engineers of this reactor. Jim Crowley. I use to talk to him about this and he would explain how it would work and would talk about it for hours.

[@Billy420-69]

We need these today more than ever.

[@MsSomeonenew]

That high speed digital computer though... wish I could get one of those.

[@ussbased-a7074]

MsSomeonenew Pfft, computers for home use?! That will never happen

[@Juvelqairth]

50 years later, you have a computer now

[@This0is0pointless]

uh yeah, that is the joke my friend

[@Bhatt_Hole]

This is Pointless.....don't explain it to him. Some people are genetically predisposed towards needing sarcasm, analogy, and even humor....spoon-fed to them. It just doesn't register.

[@thetruth7633]

Yeah, well still expected to run more reliable than all the phones and computers nowadays, and non hackable!

[@chre3144]

This design seems way better, since you dont have a ton of pressure in the core. then you can store the molten salt in a large reservoir and use to to power steal engines at your leisure. I guess the only downside it it will have to run hot or the salt will turn back to solid and your entire reactor will be jammed.

[@the_retag]

Yep. Its needs to be built in a way that it can be remolten. The soviets found that out on their metal cooled submarines

[@MrDanzano]

This needs to be shared!!!

[@DSAK55]

I love the music

[@chainedlupine]

2019 here. Still no working commercial molten-salt reactors. We're doing it with the same low-pressure boiling water stuff developed in the 60s. Oh, and we've burned so much hydrocarbons that the environment has started to collapse.

[@CrisisGuildWOW]

Then why are you burning more hydrocarbons just to tell us this?

[@larrydugan1441]

Imagine if the money wasted on solar and wind has been spent on improving the proven Thorium molten salt reactor.

[@cheechyba]

if only today we had the chance of such good docs

[@petelangford]

The answer has been staring at us for decades!

[@ragsdale9]

yeah and some ex nasa guy named kirk sorensen has been promoting a use case of it for a solid 5 years at least.

[@Bhatt_Hole]

Needs more Hastelloy-N.

[@gkarjala]

Wait, i thought it was Morton Salt Reactor.

[@SuperReznative]

gkarjala still good to see , a few of us " still " in the know", get it..Hmm wander if that too has been Mandella affected.?

[@RCAvhstape]

Trust the Morton Fisherman!

[@RCAvhstape]

Funny thing, too, is that Morton Thiokol built the solid rocket boosters for the Space Shuttle.

[@miken7382]

“When it rains it pours “

[@dlewis8405]

I love the computer. Collects info and feeds it to a typewriter.

[@MitzvosGolem1]

We need to revisit this technology.

[@eddualmeida5790]

"Safe and reliable energy production".... over 50 years ago. And we´re still stuck with coal plants and 1950´s pressure cookers! Imagine the world we could have if politicians would take the time to get their heads out of their A**ES. I cry evrytiem....

[@walterrudich2175]

The molten salt reactor is neither safe nor reliable. The video is just a description of the planned project and conceals the real findings. Why hasn´t Union Carbide built a power plant if this reactor is so cost efficient, reliable and safe?

[@eddualmeida5790]

@@walterrudich2175 Maybe because Nixon killed all the research funding back in the 70´s!? You do realize they managed to function for over 6000 hours of operation without a hitch dont you!? The reason why LWR´s were prefered over this is because of the plutonium they produced.

[@walterrudich2175]

@@eddualmeida5790 LOL! Bad Nixon! I feel deeply for you conspiracy theorists. You are always around to play the victim - even for billion Dollar companies like Union Carbide. Do you know how ridiculous you are?

[@gordonmcdowell]

ORNL, is there any chance you could have this film scanned for 1080P or even 4K resolution? It is FILM after all... maybe you guys rendered it down to 640x480 from a higher resolution capture? No matter what format you captured it in originally, KZbin can probably process it. KZbin can process just about anything. (And I'd guess ORNL has no bandwidth issues.)

[@dariusgoh5314]

gordonmcdowell for goodness sake this video was made in 1969 how do u expect them to have hd quality when the macintosh wasn't even invented yet

[@bavarianmonkey8326]

because FILM. Not video. FILM. Good oldschool chemical optical thingy. No electronics! :)

[@procactus9109]

omg, And what's a macintosh got to do with anything high quality. You say it like we would not have the fake 4K res if crApple never existed.

[@alanbrown397]

In most cases trying to scan these old 16mm films at higher resolution gains nothing. They weren't very high resolution in the first place. (I used to handle projectors at school. The films distributed through the educatoion systems were often worse resolution than VHS videos.)

[@orcoastgreenman]

EWE! - oak ridge’s MSR program was only a “failure” due to political decisions and the desire of those in power to “give work” to the solid fuel uranium PWR/BWR programs in California, which was supported by the interests who wanted reactors that would make plutonium for bombs, and interests against the MSR because it would have obviated the need for most fossil fuel usage.

[@ThomasLStanley]

Historical video. Real history from ORNL. Great video.

[@doug9785]

Why is this so enjoyable

[@TomisaburoRMizugawa]

Cheaper, more efficient and safer? No wonder it hasn't caught up ...

[@PreachingChief]

Because you cannot create nuclear weapons with it...

[@briansoberanes3705]

Thus is sadly true

[@justHANKful]

@@PreachingChief This MSRE was not a breeder reactor, but a breeder reactor would have produced fissile material suitable for weapons. It was lack of foresight and greed that ended this program.

[@walterrudich2175]

@@PreachingChief This is nothing but a stupid conspiracy theory. You can´t use fuel for a conventional nuclear power station as weapon material neither. The real reason why molten salt reactors never went industrial are the problems this video conceals: It didn´t work properly. They couldn´t solve the corrosion problems.

[@markharder3676]

@@justHANKful Now I'm really confused. They say that this was to be a Th cycle reactor, period. Then it became a U-cycle breeder reactor. Finally, they describe some sort of mixed Th- U- device. Hey guys, just what are we talking about here?

[@DeathDefiant]

"Molten salt".. Correction... SPICY SALT

[@nicholasgerrish6022]

The jolly background makes it all sound so darned safe! “It’s alright folks, none of this this will come back to bite you”……

[@patcypatcy2797]

Very interesting technology. Brilliant film with lots of data. But omg the computer!

[@TheSpenceFencer]

So which closet or attic did this gem get lost in? No really, was it another closet again?

[@kenlee5509]

Probably a child care center like the last batch. ... Oh, should we all search them all? They _are_ places that are never without work, very stable ... hmmm. Good repositories... especially where there are older buildings....

[@EvilAlchemist720]

@15:42 - My Grandfather !!!

[@peterzpictstube]

Great Find! I hope this technology gets perfected first for burning spent fuel rods from LWRs then leverage the engineering for the breeder.

[@leighbarton7064]

The thorium pile looks to be the most adaptable to a micro gravitational environment. And to a solid state reactor.

[@michaelrose93]

As soon as we proved that thorium was viable, we swept it all under the rug, for later, which tells me something; the Powers that Be are *not* that worried about climate change, otherwise we'd have been pursuing alternative power sources long ago.

[@SuperReznative]

michaelrose93 ...do say..not worried at all..just$$$ % carbon tax grab...be aware to what extent..we exhale CO2.. Agenda21 initiatives,.. now 2030

[@orcoastgreenman]

This video should be titled: Nuclear... you’ve been doing it WRONG, for 50+ years! There is no “meltdown” in a liquid fueled MSR... the fuel being “melted down” is a normal state of operation, and not a safety hazard. Combined with the inherent safety of operation at near-atmospheric pressure internally, and a 100% passive freeze-plug safety shutdown system, and the ability to reprocess fuel onsite and cleanly, to achieve 95+% efficiency in use of the fuel’s embodied nuclear energy(versus 0.5 to 0.7% for solid fuel), this could have ACTUALLY brought us the “totally safe, too cheap to meter” electricity and heat energy we should have had, instead of a fossil fuel powered world. And it still can...

[@derrickjohnston7181]

Would not doing under a vaccum make even more efficient?

[@amzarnacht6710]

Alas, the corporations have stepped in and quashed any such innovations. Could you imagine what would happen to big oil and coal if a few house-sized reactors were put into operation outside of a major metro area??? We could only wish.

[@everettduncan7543]

@@derrickjohnston7181 under vacuum however, you run the risk of the atmosphere suddenly purging into the container, causing a small scale disaster

[@derrickjohnston7181]

@@everettduncan7543 good to know ,as a teacher once said only stupid question one didn't ask..Thanks

[@bradleyferrier5118]

Well said, orcoastgreenman

[@kevinfreeman3098]

This guy friggin narrated just about every film in school back in the day...

[@Cycletron56]

Yes it's time to apply this technology NOW!

[@wallaroo1295]

"Capability of providing an infinite supply of electrical power, at low cost." - That, right there - that is (unfortunately), the problem.

[@albertrogers8537]

Eric Walla, I believe you are right. It does not suit the owners of expensive energy to have to compete with inexpensive stuff. So they contrive to frighten people into hampering it with protections against wildly exaggerated, unknowable dangers.

[@WadcaWymiaru]

Rally? lftrnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/2-billion-years1.jpg u mad?

[@CTimmerman]

Nice meme, but it should specify the date.

[@WadcaWymiaru]

There is Thorium on the Moon and Mars...

[@Bhatt_Hole]

Of course. Because given a choice between facts, and a wonderfully and deliciously sensationalistic conspiracy-theory answer, people will choose the more tasty option....EVERY TIME! No matter how unrelated to fact it is. As long as it scratches the itch, nothing else matters. EVERYTHING is a conspiracy!

[@TheRyanlax04]

61 people with hypertension disliked this.

[@randyfreeman396]

That's funny lmao

[@2idolon]

I second all the Thank you's ,,,, for posting this ,,,,, Thank You

[@misterx-pf6nl]

amazing documentary, thank you

[@TheDuckofDoom.]

And then the hippies convinced everybody to stop upgrading and now we are stuck with outdated, inefficient, unsafe designs that have caused several meltdowns.

[@thepope2412]

wolfedog99 don’t blame the hippies, blame the government regulations.

[@garylefevers]

@@thepope2412 which were Influenced by hippies. Sorry to disagree with you. Just how I see it.

[@thepope2412]

Gary LeFevers more like propaganda from the big oil corps. Nuclear is basically death to them since it’s so much cheaper.

[@blackpanther30n0]

LOL 69 hippies

[@user-zm3ji8uu2q]

It had more to do with making weapons as a side effect.

[@robertofgarcia6983]

I was just thinking: "let's go to the 1950's" Seems like back then sharing scientific discoveries was the thing.

[@CrisisGuildWOW]

lol good point. the collective hive mindset just paints the 50's and 60's as a racist barbarian cave dwelling haven sort of dark age. Nothing could be further from the truth.

[@RedRoosterParty]

This was the principle behind the aircraft nuclear propulsion system in development by Pratt & Whitney and their indirect cycle. The direct cycle was developed by General Electric. The aircraft program was shut down early in the 1960s because of the realization the problems were far more difficult to solve than the benefits could justify. Tie to the aircraft program is mentioned at 1:16

[@dougankrum3328]

I remember reading all about this stuff in Poplar Mechanics when I was in High School...early 1960's...along with 2-3 types of Solar Power...the same Solar stuff as today...!

[@1Klooch]

PM wrote about much good that never came about. Instead we got Viet Nam, AIDS and a dead President.

[@donm-tv8cm]

It's a tragedy, really, that we've substantially mothballed this line of research for 50 years now. We could be leading in this field, but now Russia, China and India are taking lead. Shame on our politicians!

[@CrisisGuildWOW]

Biden will get us up to speed, dont worry about that.

[@donm-tv8cm]

@@CrisisGuildWOW don't hold your breath. Dems hate nuclear power.

[@CrisisGuildWOW]

@@donm-tv8cm I was being sarcastic.

[@sassyhello]

@@donm-tv8cm what are you talking about, Obama was a huge nuclear advocate

[@staceysun5457]

this reactor is *salty*

[@chornobylreactor4]

To fission or fusion an molten salt reactor's blood will taste better the trick to keep fission or fusion from killing an nuclear reactor one can surely die from their injuries

[@adler830]

This reactor gives the quote "Let the salt flow..." a whole new meaning.

[@spidermcgavenport8767]

Outstanding!