TEDxYYC
Kirk Sorensen: Thorium, an alternative nuclear fuel
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Kirk Sorensen shows us the liquid fuel thorium reactor -- a way to produce energy that is safer, cleaner and more efficient than current nuclear power.
(Filmed at TEDxYYC.)
Kirk Sorensen - Engineer, nuclear technologist
Kirk Sorensen stumbled across thorium while doing research on how to power a lunar community. Thorium is a cleaner, safer, and more abundant nuclear fuel -- one that Kirk believes will revolutionize how we produce our energy. Full bio
Kirk Sorensen stumbled across thorium while doing research on how to power a lunar community. Thorium is a cleaner, safer, and more abundant nuclear fuel -- one that Kirk believes will revolutionize how we produce our energy. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:06
Nearly everyone in the world
is part of some community,
is part of some community,
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幾乎世界上的每一個人
都是某個社區的一份子，
都是某個社區的一份子，
00:09
whether large or small.
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不論是大社區或小社區。
00:11
And all of these communities
have similar needs.
have similar needs.
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所有這些社區都有很類似的需求。
00:14
They need light,
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他們都需要光，
需要熱，
00:15
they need heat
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需要冷氣空調。
00:16
they need air-conditioning.
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在太熱或太冷的情況下，
人無法運作得很好。
人無法運作得很好。
00:18
People can't function very well
when it's too hot or too cold.
when it's too hot or too cold.
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00:21
They need food to be grown or provided,
distributed and stored safely.
distributed and stored safely.
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他們需要有人種植、提供、
分發和安全儲存食物。
分發和安全儲存食物。
00:25
They need waste products to be collected,
removed and processed.
removed and processed.
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他們需要將廢產品
收集、丟棄，並進行處理。
收集、丟棄，並進行處理。
00:30
People in the community need to be able
to get from one place to another
to get from one place to another
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社區中的人需要
從一個地方到另一個地方，
從一個地方到另一個地方，
且越快越好。
00:33
as quickly as possible.
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上述所有這些活動的基礎
就是能源供應。
就是能源供應。
00:34
And a supply of energy is the basis
for all of these activities.
for all of these activities.
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00:38
Energy in the form of electricity
provides light and air-conditioning.
provides light and air-conditioning.
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能源以電的形式提供了光和冷氣。
00:41
Energy in the form of heat keeps us warm.
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能源的熱形式則能幫我們保暖。
00:43
And energy in chemical
form provides fertilizer;
form provides fertilizer;
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能源的化學形式能提供肥料、
00:46
it drives farm machinery
and transportation energy.
and transportation energy.
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驅動農場機械和交通能源。
00:49
Now, I spent 10 years working at NASA.
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我在美國太空總署工作了十年，
00:51
In the beginning of my time there in 2000,
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2000 年我剛到那裡時，
00:54
I was very interested in communities.
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我對社區非常感興趣。
00:56
But this is the kind of community
I was thinking of --
I was thinking of --
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但我在想的是這種社區——
00:58
a lunar community
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月球社區，
01:00
It had all of the same needs
as a community on Earth would have,
as a community on Earth would have,
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它和地球上的社區
有完全一樣的需求，
有完全一樣的需求，
01:03
but it had some very unique constraints.
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但它有一些很獨特的限制。
01:05
And we had to think about
how we would provide energy
how we would provide energy
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我們必須要思考
如何為這個獨特的社區提供能源。
01:08
for this very unique community.
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01:09
There’s no coal on the Moon.
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因為月球上沒有煤，
01:11
There's no petroleum.
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沒有石油，
01:12
There’s no natural gas.
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也沒有天然氣。
01:14
There's no atmosphere.
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沒有大氣，
01:15
There’s no wind, either.
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也沒有風。
01:17
And solar power had a real problem:
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太陽能有一個真正的問題：
01:19
the Moon orbits the Earth once a month.
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月球每個月會繞地球轉一圈。
01:21
For two weeks, the sun goes down,
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有兩個星期是沒有太陽的，
01:23
and your solar panels
don't make any energy.
don't make any energy.
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你的太陽能板
就不會產生任何能源。
就不會產生任何能源。
01:25
If you want to try to store
enough energy in batteries for two weeks,
enough energy in batteries for two weeks,
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想在電池中儲存
夠兩星期使用的能源，
夠兩星期使用的能源，
是很不實際的。
01:29
it just simply isn't practical.
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所以，核能真的是唯一的選擇。
01:30
So nuclear energy
was really the only choice.
was really the only choice.
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01:32
Now, back in 2000, I didn't really know
too much about nuclear power,
too much about nuclear power,
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在 2000 年時，
我對核能的了解不多，
我對核能的了解不多，
01:36
so I started trying to learn.
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所以我開始學習。
01:37
Almost all of the nuclear power
we use on Earth today uses water
we use on Earth today uses water
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幾乎我們在地球上所使用的核能
都用水來當作基本的冷卻劑。
01:41
as a basic coolant.
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這有好處，但也有很多壞處。
01:42
This has some advantages,
but it has a lot of disadvantages.
but it has a lot of disadvantages.
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01:45
If you want to generate electricity,
you have to get the water a lot hotter
you have to get the water a lot hotter
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如果你想要發電，
你得要把水加溫到
比一般能達到的溫度高很多。
比一般能達到的溫度高很多。
01:49
than you normally can.
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01:50
At normal pressures, water will boil
at 100 degrees Celsius.
at 100 degrees Celsius.
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在一般的壓力下，
水的沸點是攝氏一百度。
水的沸點是攝氏一百度。
01:53
This isn't nearly hot enough
to generate electricity effectively.
to generate electricity effectively.
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這不夠熱，無法
有效地產生出電力。
有效地產生出電力。
所以，水冷卻的反應爐
01:57
So water-cooled reactors have to run
at much higher pressures
at much higher pressures
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必須在比大氣壓力
高出許多的壓力下運作。
高出許多的壓力下運作。
02:00
than atmospheric pressure.
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02:02
Some water-cooled reactors run
at over 70 atmospheres of pressure,
at over 70 atmospheres of pressure,
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有些水冷卻反應爐在超過
七十個大氣壓的壓力下運作，
七十個大氣壓的壓力下運作，
02:06
and others have to run at as much as
150 atmospheres of pressure.
150 atmospheres of pressure.
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其他的則要到一百五十個大氣壓。
02:10
There's no getting around this;
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這點無法避免；
02:11
it's simply what you have to do
if you want to generate electricity
if you want to generate electricity
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如果你想用水冷卻反應爐來發電，
就一定得這麼做。
02:14
using a water-cooled reactor.
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02:16
This means you have to build
a water-cooled reactor
a water-cooled reactor
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這意味著你得要把水冷卻反應爐
打造成一個壓力容器，
02:18
as a pressure vessel,
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02:20
with steel walls
over 20 centimeters thick.
over 20 centimeters thick.
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其鋼壁厚度要超過二十公分。
02:22
If that sounds heavy,
that's because it is.
that's because it is.
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如果這聽起來很重，
是因為的確如此。
是因為的確如此。
02:24
Things get a lot worse
if you have an accident
if you have an accident
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更糟糕的是發生意外時，
02:26
where you lose pressure
inside the reactor.
inside the reactor.
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會造成反應爐中的壓力下降。
02:29
If you have liquid water
at 300 degrees Celsius
at 300 degrees Celsius
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如果你有攝氏三百度的液態水，
02:31
and suddenly you depressurize it,
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突然間將它們降壓，
02:33
it doesn't stay liquid for very long;
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它們不會維持液態太久；
02:35
it flashes into steam.
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會馬上變成蒸汽。
02:36
So water-cooled reactors are built
inside of big, thick concrete buildings
inside of big, thick concrete buildings
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所以，水冷卻反應爐都會建置在
大型厚混凝土的
建築物中，叫圍阻體，
建築物中，叫圍阻體，
02:40
called containment buildings,
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02:42
which are meant to hold all of the steam
that would come out of the reactor
that would come out of the reactor
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萬一發生意外造成失壓，
它能夠防止反應爐
產生的蒸汽外漏。
產生的蒸汽外漏。
02:45
if you had an accident
where you lost pressure.
where you lost pressure.
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02:47
Steam takes up about 1,000 times
more volume than liquid water,
more volume than liquid water,
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蒸汽的體積是液態水的一千倍，
02:51
so the containment building
ends up being very large,
ends up being very large,
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所以，相對於反應爐的大小，
圍阻體要建得非常大。
02:54
relative to the size of the reactor.
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萬一失壓且水瞬間變成蒸汽，
02:55
Another bad thing happens
if you lose pressure
if you lose pressure
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還會發生另一件壞事，
02:58
and your water flashes to steam.
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如果不將緊急冷卻劑
送到反應爐的燃料那邊，
送到反應爐的燃料那邊，
02:59
If you don't get emergency coolant
to the fuel in the reactor,
to the fuel in the reactor,
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03:02
it can overheat and melt.
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反應爐可能會過熱熔化。
03:04
The reactors we have today
use uranium oxide as a fuel.
use uranium oxide as a fuel.
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現今，我們的反應爐
用氧化鈾來當燃料。
用氧化鈾來當燃料。
03:07
It's a ceramic material
similar in performance
similar in performance
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那是一種陶瓷材料，
03:10
to the ceramics we use to make
coffee cups or cookware
coffee cups or cookware
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特性很類似我們做咖啡杯
或廚房用具所用的陶瓷，
或廚房用具所用的陶瓷，
03:13
or the bricks we use to line fireplaces.
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或是我們用在壁爐上的磚塊。
03:15
They're chemically stable,
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在化學上，它們是穩定的，
03:16
but they're not very good
at transferring heat.
at transferring heat.
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但不太能導熱。
如果反應爐失壓，失去了水，
03:18
If you lose pressure, you lose your water,
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很快，你的燃料就會熔化，
03:20
and soon your fuel will melt down
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03:22
and release the radioactive
fission products within it.
fission products within it.
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且釋放出放射性分裂產物。
製造固態的核燃料
是複雜且昂貴的過程。
是複雜且昂貴的過程。
03:25
Making solid nuclear fuel
is a complicated and expensive process.
is a complicated and expensive process.
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03:28
And we extract less than one percent
of the energy for the nuclear fuel
of the energy for the nuclear fuel
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在核燃料除役前，
我們對核燃料的
能源利用率還不到 1%。
能源利用率還不到 1%。
03:31
before it can no longer
remain in the reactor.
remain in the reactor.
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03:34
Water-cooled reactors have
another additional challenge:
another additional challenge:
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水冷卻反應爐
還有另一項額外的挑戰：
還有另一項額外的挑戰：
03:36
they need to be near
large bodies of water,
large bodies of water,
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它們必須要鄰近大型水體，
03:39
where the steam they generate
can be cooled and condensed.
can be cooled and condensed.
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這樣它們產生出來的蒸汽
才能被冷卻成液體。
才能被冷卻成液體。
03:41
Otherwise, they can't generate
electrical power.
electrical power.
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要不然，它們就無法產生電力。
03:44
Now, there's no lakes
or rivers on the Moon,
or rivers on the Moon,
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在月球上沒有湖泊或河流，
所以，如果你覺得水冷卻反應爐
03:46
so if all of this makes it sound
like water-cooled reactors
like water-cooled reactors
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聽起來並不適用月球社區，
03:49
aren't such a good fit
for a lunar community,
for a lunar community,
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我會傾向同意你的觀點。
03:51
I would tend to agree with you.
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（笑聲）
03:52
(Laughter)
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03:53
I had the good fortune to learn about
a different form of nuclear power
a different form of nuclear power
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幸運的是，我學到了
一種不同形式的核能，
一種不同形式的核能，
03:57
that doesn't have all these problems,
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它沒有這些問題，
原因很簡單：
03:59
for a very simple reason:
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它不是以水冷卻為基礎，
且它不用固態燃料。
且它不用固態燃料。
04:00
it's not based on water-cooling,
and it doesn't use solid fuel.
and it doesn't use solid fuel.
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04:03
Surprisingly, it's based on salt.
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讓人驚訝的是，它的基礎是鹽。
04:05
One day, I was at a friend's
office at work,
office at work,
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有一天，我在朋友的辦公室裡，
我注意到書架上有一本書
《流體燃料反應爐》。
《流體燃料反應爐》。
04:07
and I noticed this book on the shelf,
"Fluid Fuel Reactors."
"Fluid Fuel Reactors."
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我很感興趣，問他能不能把書借我。
04:10
I was interested
and asked him if I could borrow it.
and asked him if I could borrow it.
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從這本書裡，我得知了
04:13
Inside that book, I learned
about research in the United States
about research in the United States
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美國在五○年代所做的研究，
04:16
back in the 1950s,
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研究的是一種
不靠固體燃料的反應爐，
不靠固體燃料的反應爐，
04:17
into a kind of reactor
that wasn't based on solid fuel
that wasn't based on solid fuel
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也不用水冷卻。
04:20
or on water-cooling.
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它沒有水冷卻反應爐的問題，
04:21
It didn't have the problems
of the water-cooled reactor,
of the water-cooled reactor,
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背後的理由很讚。
04:23
and the reason why was pretty neat.
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04:25
It used a mixture of fluoride salts
as a nuclear fuel,
as a nuclear fuel,
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它使用氟鹽混合物當核燃料，
04:28
specifically, the fluorides of lithium,
beryllium, uranium and thorium.
beryllium, uranium and thorium.
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明確來說，是氟化鋰、
氟化鈹、氟化鈾和氟化釷。
氟化鈹、氟化鈾和氟化釷。
04:32
Fluoride salts are remarkably
chemically stable.
chemically stable.
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氟化鹽的化學穩定性非常高。
04:34
They do not react with air and water.
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它們和空氣及水都不會有反應。
04:37
You have to heat them up
to about 400 degrees Celsius
to about 400 degrees Celsius
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將它們加溫到攝氏四百度，
才能讓它們熔化。
04:39
to get them to melt.
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04:41
But that's actually perfect
for trying to generate power
for trying to generate power
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但那其實很完美，
很適合在核反應爐當中發電。
04:43
in a nuclear reactor.
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真正的魔法是：
04:44
Here's the real magic:
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04:46
they don't have to operate
at high pressure.
at high pressure.
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它們不需要高壓也能運作。
04:48
And that makes the biggest
difference of all.
difference of all.
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這一點會造成最大的不同。
這表示它們不需要被放在
又厚又重的壓力鋼容器中，
又厚又重的壓力鋼容器中，
04:50
This means they don't have to be
in heavy, thick steel pressure vessels,
in heavy, thick steel pressure vessels,
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04:54
they don't have to use water for coolant
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它們不需要用水當冷卻劑，
04:56
and there's nothing in the reactor
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反應爐中也沒有像水一樣
04:57
that's going to make
a big change in density, like water.
a big change in density, like water.
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密度會發生大改變的東西。
所以反應爐周圍的圍阻體小很多，
05:00
So the containment building
around the reactor
around the reactor
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幾乎「合身」即可。
05:02
can be much smaller and close-fitting.
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不像固態的燃料那樣，
若停止冷卻它們會熔化，
若停止冷卻它們會熔化，
05:04
Unlike the solid fuels that can melt down
if you stop cooling them,
if you stop cooling them,
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這些液態的氟化燃料已經熔化了，
05:07
these liquid fluoride fuels
are already melted,
are already melted,
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且熔化的溫度低很多很多。
05:09
at a much, much lower temperature.
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在一般運作的情況下，
05:11
In normal operation,
you have a little plug here
you have a little plug here
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在反應爐容器的底端有個塞子。
05:13
at the bottom of the reactor vessel.
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05:15
This plug is made
out of a piece of frozen salt
out of a piece of frozen salt
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這個塞子是用冰凍的鹽做成的，
05:18
that you've kept frozen
by blowing cool gas
by blowing cool gas
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需不斷用冰冷氣體去吹管子外部，
讓塞子保持冷凍狀態。
05:20
over the outside of the pipe.
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如果發生緊急狀況，
05:21
If there's an emergency
and you lose all the power
and you lose all the power
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核電廠失去所有電力，
05:24
to your nuclear power plant,
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吹冷風的裝置停止運作，
05:25
the little blower stops blowing,
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05:27
the frozen plug of salt melts,
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冰凍的鹽製塞子會熔化，
05:29
and the liquid fluoride fuel
inside the reactor
inside the reactor
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反應爐中的液態氟燃料
05:31
drains out of the vessel, through the line
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會流出容器，通過管線，
05:33
and into another vessel
called a drain tank.
called a drain tank.
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流入另一個叫做
「排洩槽」的容器。
「排洩槽」的容器。
05:35
Inside the drain tank, it's all configured
to maximize the transfer of heat,
to maximize the transfer of heat,
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排洩槽內部已裝配成
將熱傳導最大化，
將熱傳導最大化，
能在鹽的熱負荷隨時間下降時，
05:39
so as to keep the salt passively cooled
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05:42
as its heat load drops over time.
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讓鹽可以被動冷卻。
05:44
In water-cooled reactors,
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若用水冷卻反應爐，
05:45
you generally have to provide
power to the plant
power to the plant
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一般來說，必須給電廠提供電力，
05:47
to keep the water circulating
and to prevent a meltdown,
and to prevent a meltdown,
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維持水循環流動以防止熔化，
像日本的熔化事件那樣。
05:50
as we saw in Japan.
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05:52
But in this reactor,
if you lose the power to the reactor,
if you lose the power to the reactor,
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但用這個反應爐的情況下，
若失去供應給反應爐的電力，
若失去供應給反應爐的電力，
05:55
it shuts itself down all by itself,
without human intervention,
without human intervention,
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它完全會靠自己關閉，
不用人類介入，
不用人類介入，
05:58
and puts itself in a safe
and controlled configuration.
and controlled configuration.
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且會把它自己安置在安全、
受控制的結構中。
受控制的結構中。
06:01
Now, this was sounding pretty good to me,
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我覺得這聽起來很棒，
想到有可能用液態氟反應爐
來供電給月球上的社區，
來供電給月球上的社區，
06:03
and I was excited about the potential
of using a liquid fluoride reactor
of using a liquid fluoride reactor
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我興奮不已。
06:06
to power a lunar community.
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06:08
But then I learned about thorium,
and the story got even better.
and the story got even better.
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但，接著，我得知了釷，
故事變得更精采了。
故事變得更精采了。
釷是天然產生的核燃料，
06:11
Thorium is a naturally
occurring nuclear fuel
occurring nuclear fuel
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在地球的地殼中，
比鈾還要常見四倍。
比鈾還要常見四倍。
06:13
that is four times more common
in the Earth's crust than uranium.
in the Earth's crust than uranium.
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06:16
It can be used in liquid fluoride
thorium reactors
thorium reactors
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可以把它用在
液態氟化釷反應爐上，
液態氟化釷反應爐上，
06:18
to produce electrical energy, heat
and other valuable products.
and other valuable products.
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以產生電、熱，
以及其他珍貴的產物。
以及其他珍貴的產物。
06:22
It's so energy-dense that you could hold
a lifetime supply of thorium energy
a lifetime supply of thorium energy
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它的能源密度非常高，
一個手掌的釷能源
一個手掌的釷能源
就足以供應你一生的需求。
06:26
in the palm of your hand.
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06:27
Thorium is also common on the Moon
and easy to find.
and easy to find.
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在月球上，釷很常見，也容易找到。
06:30
Here's an actual map of where
the lunar thorium is located.
the lunar thorium is located.
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這是一張標明月球上
釷所在位置的真實地圖。
釷所在位置的真實地圖。
06:33
Thorium has an electromagnetic signature
that makes it easy to find,
that makes it easy to find,
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釷有一種電磁的特徵，
從太空船上都很容易找到它。
06:36
even from a spacecraft.
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有了液態氟化釷反應爐產生的能源，
06:37
With the energy generated
from a liquid fluoride thorium reactor,
from a liquid fluoride thorium reactor,
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在月球社區內
06:40
we could recycle all of the air,
water and waste products
water and waste products
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我們就可以回收
所有的空氣、水和廢棄物。
所有的空氣、水和廢棄物。
06:43
within the lunar community.
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事實上，若要成功，
就一定得要這麼做。
就一定得要這麼做。
06:44
In fact, doing so would be
an absolute requirement for success.
an absolute requirement for success.
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06:47
We could grow the crops needed
to feed the members of the community
to feed the members of the community
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我們可以種植足夠的作物
供社區成員食用
供社區成員食用
只需歷時兩週的月夜，
06:50
even during the two-week lunar night,
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而且使用反應爐產生
的光和電就能做到。
的光和電就能做到。
06:52
using light and power from the reactor.
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06:54
It seemed like the liquid fluoride
thorium reactor, or LFTR,
thorium reactor, or LFTR,
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液態氟化釷反應爐（簡稱 LFTR），
06:57
could be the power source that could make
a self-sustainable lunar colony
a self-sustainable lunar colony
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這種能源可讓自給自足的
月球殖民夢成真。
07:01
a reality.
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但我有一個簡單的問題：
07:02
But I had a simple question:
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如果對於月球社區來說，
它是這麼棒的東西，
它是這麼棒的東西，
07:03
If it was such a great thing
for a community on the Moon,
for a community on the Moon,
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為什麼不把它用在
地球上，一個未來社區，
地球上，一個未來社區，
07:06
why not a community on the Earth,
a community of the future,
a community of the future,
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07:09
self-sustaining and energy-independent?
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讓它能自給自足、能源沒有依賴性？
07:11
The same energy generation
and recycling techniques
and recycling techniques
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對月球上生存產生強大影響的
07:14
that could have a powerful impact
on surviving on the Moon
on surviving on the Moon
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態源產生和回收技術，
07:17
could also have a powerful impact
on surviving on the Earth.
on surviving on the Earth.
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對於地球上的生存也有強大的影響。
07:20
Right now, we're burning fossil fuels
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現在，我們燃燒化石燃料，
07:22
because they're easy to find
and because we can.
and because we can.
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因為很容易取得，且我們懂得運用。
07:24
Unfortunately, they're making some parts
of our planet look like the Moon.
of our planet look like the Moon.
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不幸的是，它們正將地球的
某些部分變得像月球一樣。
某些部分變得像月球一樣。
07:28
Using fossil fuels
entangles us in conflict
entangles us in conflict
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使用化石燃料，
讓我們捲入世界上
不穩定地區的衝突當中，
不穩定地區的衝突當中，
07:30
in unstable regions of the world
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1608
07:32
and costs money and lives.
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付出金錢和人命的代價。
07:34
Things could be very different
if we were using thorium.
if we were using thorium.
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如果我們使用釷，
情況可能會非常不同。
情況可能會非常不同。
07:37
You see, in a LFTR, we could use thorium
about 200 times more efficiently
about 200 times more efficiently
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在 LFTR 中，我們若使用釷，
和目前使用鈾相比，
使用效率提升兩百倍。
使用效率提升兩百倍。
07:40
than we're using uranium now.
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1441
07:42
And because the LFTR is capable
of almost completely releasing
of almost completely releasing
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因為 LFTR 能夠
幾乎完全釋放出釷中的能源，
07:45
the energy in thorium,
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這能將鈾所造成的浪費減少數百倍，
07:46
this reduces the waste generated
over uranium by factors of hundreds,
over uranium by factors of hundreds,
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07:50
and by factors of millions
over fossil fuels.
over fossil fuels.
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減少化石燃料的浪費數百萬倍。
07:53
We're still going to need liquid fuels
for vehicles and machinery,
for vehicles and machinery,
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我們的汽車和機械設備
仍然會需要液態燃料，
仍然會需要液態燃料，
07:56
but we could generate these liquid fuels
from the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
from the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
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但我們可以從大氣
以及水中的二氧化碳
以及水中的二氧化碳
來產生這些液態燃料，
類似大自然的做法。
類似大自然的做法。
08:00
and from water, much like nature does.
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08:02
We could generate hydrogen
by splitting water
by splitting water
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我們可以將水分解得到氫，
08:04
and combining it with carbon
harvested from CO2 in the atmosphere,
harvested from CO2 in the atmosphere,
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再與從大氣二氧化碳中
提取的碳相結合，
提取的碳相結合，
08:07
making fuels like methanol,
ammonia, and dimethyl ether,
ammonia, and dimethyl ether,
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製造出像甲醇、氨、甲醚的燃料，
08:11
which could be a direct replacement
for diesel fuels.
for diesel fuels.
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它們都可以直接取代柴油。
08:13
Imagine carbon-neutral
gasoline and diesel,
gasoline and diesel,
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想像一下碳中和的汽油和柴油，
08:16
sustainable and self-produced.
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它們既永續又能自行生成。
我們有足夠的釷嗎？
08:19
Do we have enough thorium?
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是的，我們有。
08:20
Yes, we do.
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1155
事實上，在美國，
我們有超過 3200 公噸的釷，
我們有超過 3200 公噸的釷，
08:22
In fact, in the United States, we have
over 3,200 metric tons of thorium
over 3,200 metric tons of thorium
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08:25
that was stockpiled 50 years ago
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五十年前就貯存起來的，
08:27
and is currently buried
in a shallow trench in Nevada.
in a shallow trench in Nevada.
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目前掩埋在內華達州淺溝中。
08:30
This thorium, if used in LFTRs,
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如果把這些釷用在 LFTR 中，
08:32
could produce almost as much energy
as the United States uses in three years.
as the United States uses in three years.
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能產生的能源足夠美國用三年。
08:36
And thorium is not
a rare substance, either.
a rare substance, either.
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釷也不是稀有的物質。
08:38
There are many sites
like this one in Idaho,
like this one in Idaho,
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在愛達荷州還有許多像這樣的地點，
08:40
where an area the size of a football field
would produce enough thorium each year
would produce enough thorium each year
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一個足球場面積一年所產出的釷，
就足以供應全世界的電力。
08:44
to power the entire world.
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08:45
Using liquid fluoride thorium technology,
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519347
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使用液態氟化釷技術，
我們可以遠離目前昂貴、困難重重、
08:47
we could move away from
expensive and difficult aspects
expensive and difficult aspects
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用水冷卻、採用固態燃料的鈾核能。
08:50
of current water-cooled, solid-fueled
uranium nuclear power.
uranium nuclear power.
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08:53
We wouldn't need large,
high-pressure nuclear reactors
high-pressure nuclear reactors
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我們就不再需要高壓核反應爐，
08:56
and big containment buildings
that they go in.
that they go in.
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也不用建造存放它們的大型圍阻體。
08:58
We wouldn't need large,
low-efficiency steam turbines.
low-efficiency steam turbines.
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我們不再需要大型、
低效率的蒸汽渦輪。
低效率的蒸汽渦輪。
09:01
We wouldn't need to have
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我們就不用這麼多
09:02
as many long-distance power
transmission infrastructure,
transmission infrastructure,
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長距離輸送電力的基礎設備，
因為釷是可攜式的能源來源，
09:05
because thorium is
a very portable energy source
a very portable energy source
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09:07
that can be located
near to where it is needed.
near to where it is needed.
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可以放置在需要它的地方附近。
09:10
A liquid fluoride thorium reactor
would be a compact facility,
would be a compact facility,
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3215
液態氟化釷反應爐會是
一個小型的設施，
一個小型的設施，
09:13
very energy-efficient and safe,
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有很高的能源效益且很安全，
09:15
that would produce the energy
we need day and night,
we need day and night,
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能夠產生出我們日夜需要的能源，
09:17
and without respect to weather conditions.
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且不用擔心氣候條件。
2007 年，我們用了 50 億噸的煤、
09:19
In 2007, we used
five billion tons of coal,
five billion tons of coal,
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09:22
31 billion barrels of oil
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310 億桶的油、
09:24
and five trillion cubic meters
of natural gas,
of natural gas,
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五兆立方公尺的天然氣、
09:26
along with 65,000 tons of uranium
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還有六萬五千噸的鈾，
09:29
to produce the world's energy.
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來產生出世界需要的能源。
09:31
With thorium, we could do the same thing
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1939
若用釷，要達到同樣的效果，
09:33
with 7,000 tons of thorium
that could be mined at a single site.
that could be mined at a single site.
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只要在單一地點挖出
七千噸的釷就可以做到。
七千噸的釷就可以做到。
09:37
If all this sounds interesting to you,
I invite you to visit our website,
I invite you to visit our website,
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如果你覺得這些很有意思，
我想請你上我們的網站，
我想請你上我們的網站，
在那裡，一個由提倡釷的人
組成的線上社群正在成長，
組成的線上社群正在成長，
09:40
where a growing and enthusiastic
online community of thorium advocates
online community of thorium advocates
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09:43
is working to tell the world
about how we can realize a clean, safe
about how we can realize a clean, safe
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3684
透過網站致力於告訴世界，
我們要如何以釷的能源為基礎，
我們要如何以釷的能源為基礎，
來實現使用乾淨、安全、
永續能源的未來。
永續能源的未來。
09:47
and sustainable energy future,
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09:49
based on the energies of thorium.
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09:51
Thank you very much.
(Applause)
(Applause)
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非常謝謝。（掌聲）
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Kirk Sorensen - Engineer, nuclear technologistKirk Sorensen stumbled across thorium while doing research on how to power a lunar community. Thorium is a cleaner, safer, and more abundant nuclear fuel -- one that Kirk believes will revolutionize how we produce our energy.
Why you should listen
Kirk Sorensen began his work with thorium while working as an aerospace engineer at NASA. In 2010, he left NASA to work as the chief nuclear technologist at Teledyne Brown Engineering. In 2011, he founded Flibe, a company focused on developing modular thorium reactors.
Kirk Sorensen | Speaker | TED.com