Ep 110: Lou Qualls - Molten Salt Reactors, Technical Director, Oak Ridge National Labs

Published: Nov. 1, 2018, 10 a.m.

In this episode we discuss...

  • Lou’s background in fusion and personal journey in the nuclear space
  • Lou’s work as the national technical director for molten salt reactors
  • Stellarator versus tokamak plasmas
  • The important roles of neutral beams and pellets
  • Challenges in nuclear fission
  • Uses of hydro reactors in scientific testing   
  • A deep dive into Project Prometheus and space power initiatives
  • The resurgence of interest in molten salt reactors
  • The Advanced Reactor Technology program within the U.S. Department of Energy
  • Common challenges among developers and ways in which we can overcome them
  • Interactions of fission products with salt
  • Designing for contingency versus replacement