While nuclear energy offers a more sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, it has some drawbacks, including the potential for atomic waste and meltdowns. 

However, researchers in China have recently tested a system with the potential to make the country's radioactive waste-recycling nuclear plants less prone to accidents and more efficient, capable of extracting 100 times more energy.

According to Interesting Engineering, the China Institute of Atomic Energy successfully ran its initial assessment of a brand-new type of passive residual heat removal technology, "which uses a fast neutron spectrum, liquid metal (sodium) cooling, and metallic fuel to achieve inherent safety." 

Designed for fast nuclear reactors, the technology could represent a significant leap forward in creating more nuclear plants with closed-loop fuel cycles.

Fast nuclear reactors utilize high-energy neutrons and nuclear fission (the splitting of atoms to create energy) and offer better fuel efficiency than traditional reactors. They can also reuse fuel, potentially enabling fission energy to provide cleaner, more affordable energy for communities.

Additionally, nuclear energy of this type can generate significant amounts of low-carbon electricity, supporting energy security while complementing existing renewable energy sources.

Viable concerns about nuclear energy — which span broadly, from steep upfront costs to the potential for weapons proliferation — are part of why developments like this system are crucial for creating a safer nuclear future.

Nuclear waste in particular poses a significant concern, as it must be carefully handled; if any groundwater comes into contact with it, the water can become contaminated with radioactive isotopes. 

Because fast reactors can often reprocess spent fuel, continuous recycling could reduce the amount of nuclear waste by up to 90%. Residual heat removal systems are used to dispose of the decay heat that reactors produce, helping to stop fuel from overheating and causing a meltdown. 

While these heat removal systems are sometimes active, they can also be passive, meaning they rely on gravity or natural heat transfer to dissipate heat. Moreover, passive systems can maintain functionality even in the event of a total power loss.

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To test their passive residual heat removal system, researchers in China utilized experimental simulation technology to study the effectiveness of the removal system. 

With this simulation technology, they successfully created an integrated fast-reactor simulation test facility capable of reproducing a fast reactor's journey from operation to heat removal after shutdown and utilized it to test the newly developed passive system.

"It serves as a crucial platform for understanding the operating principles of the novel passive residual heat removal system for integral fast reactors and is expected to play a key role in the design and development of other fast reactors," the CIAE explained, per the South China Morning Post.

With the improved residual heat removal potential in this system, the world could be one step closer to a cleaner source of energy. In turn, this advances the global sustainability goal of diversifying cleaner energy sources and helping to curb atmospheric pollution, which scientists have linked to a range of health issues in our communities.

While work still needs to be done to make fission energy safer, this innovation is a step in the right direction.

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