South African company Steenkampskraal Thorium Ltd. (STL)is attempting to promote the chemical compound thorium as a safe and reliable energy source with its TH-100 project.
The scheme is a Generation IV Reactor and associated fuel plant which can be built and commissioned within the next five to 10 years. Electricity is generated using a standard, off-the-shelf steam turbine generator which processes heat for use in chemical and petrochemical plants as well as paper mills. The steam generated from the heat can undergo a desalination process to provide clean, drinking water. It can power offshore oil platforms as well as other offgrid applications.
According to CEO Eben Mulder: “Steenkampskraal has developed a unique model to fund the thorium energy-based project.” The model is composed of three phases: concept design, basic design, and detailed design. “Steenkampskraal is seeking to obtain the necessary start-up capital to facilitate plant and equipment acquisition. The project is structured to award participants the opportunity to evaluate the outcome of every phase and to assess their own level of participation accordingly. Since every participating member would ideally also be a potential customer they will be in a position to acquire the first reactors and without having to pay a royalty fee,” added Mulder.
The company is looking to form a consortium that will help fund the project through its different design phases. The pilot plant is planned to be approximately 36 meters long, 34 meters high and 28 meters wide and can be fully submerged below ground should it be required. Safety systems will be located to avoid foreign penetration and destruction to the plant. Depending on practical consideration the demo plant can be constructed either locally or internationally.
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