Nuclear power has long tugged at the heartstrings of military enthusiasts, especially with the upcoming sea trials of the Fujian ship, this sense of anticipation has been pushed to a climax again. It is worth noting that Jiangnan Shipyard recently announced the successful development of a molten salt nuclear reactor, and has successfully applied this advanced technology to a 240,000-ton giant ship. So, what are the significant advantages of this molten salt nuclear reactor, which is known as the best molten salt nuclear reactor?Now that we have giant ships with nuclear reactor technology, will a real nuclear-powered aircraft carrier still be far away?
Jiangnan Shipyard recently unveiled a container ship design using cutting-edge first-class reactor molten salt reactor technology, marking China's internationally leading achievement in this field. At a recent international maritime technology conference and exhibition, China officially announced the design of the world's first 240,000-ton nuclear-powered container ship and received a certificate of approval-in-principle, CCTV reported. This model offers a number of outstanding advantages, the first of which is its high level of safety. Reactors operating at high temperatures and pressures greatly reduce the risk of core meltdown. Even in the event of a serious accident, the radioactive material released can be effectively controlled within safe limits.
In addition, the power plant of this model is strategically placed in the safe area of the vessel, and the all-electric power system with double-sided redundancy provides a double guarantee of power supply security. Secondly, the ship has a lot of power, fast speed and good maneuverability. It adopts the design of supercritical carbon dioxide generator set and dual-motor dual-shaft slurry and dual rudder, coupled with a compact and modular power system layout, which greatly improves energy utilization, so as to achieve higher power output and faster speed.
Finally, this type of ship also has significant advantages in terms of environmental protection. The "battery swap" design means that the battery can be replaced every 15 to 20 years, which greatly reduces the dependence on traditional fuels and achieves "zero emissions", which fully reflects the green design concept.
However, there is much more to a molten salt reactor than that. In contrast to conventional high-pressure water heat carriers, molten salt reactors use high-temperature molten liquid salt as a heat carrier and are able to withstand temperatures of up to 800 degrees. Even in the event of a malfunction, the radioactive material inside can be safely transferred immediately. This technological breakthrough allowed nuclear power to be applied to civilian vessels for the first time, no longer limited to military ships, which is unprecedented on a global scale.
In particular, it is worth mentioning that China has achieved a technological overtake of the United States in the research and development of first-class reactor-type molten salt reactors. Although the United States began the research and development of thorium-based molten salt nuclear power during World War II and tried to apply it to nuclear-powered bombers, due to various reasons, the program was eventually shelved, and the related core technology failed to achieve a breakthrough. China, on the other hand, recognized the great potential of thorium over uranium and restarted the research and development project, which had been shelved for more than 70 years, and finally achieved a major breakthrough.
Now, with the completion of the hydrostatic ejection test and the entry into the mooring experiment stage, people's expectations for the future nuclear-powered aircraft carrier have been ignited again. **The breakthrough in the core technology of the reactor-type molten salt reactor not only means that the power of civil ships will be revolutionized in the future, but also means that the construction of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers is just around the corner. Although it is not yet known whether the aircraft carriers after the Fujian will be nuclear-powered, it is certain that the construction of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers is only a matter of time.
This series of breakthroughs and developments fully embodies China's spirit of "self-reliance". In the face of frequent provocations by the United States, which relies on its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier superiority in China's neighborhood, China is strengthening its national defense capabilities through its own efforts and innovations to ensure national security and maritime rights. This was especially evident when the United States restarted its nuclear reactor program using molten salt as a coolant after more than 50 years.
With the recent sea trials of the Fujian ship and the breakthrough in nuclear reactor technology at the Jiangnan shipyard, China has taken a solid step on the road to the development of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. This technological progress is not only limited to improving military power, but also shows broad application prospects in the field of civilian ships. The design of the 240,000-ton nuclear-powered container ship, with its unique safety, efficiency and environmental protection, heralds the arrival of a new era of future maritime transportation.
As a representative of advanced nuclear technology, molten salt nuclear reactor has significant advantages in safety and economy due to its characteristics of high temperature, low pressure and high efficiency. Not only does this mean that nuclear-powered ships can significantly reduce operating costs by eliminating the need to change fuels for longer periods, but their "zero-emission" nature also provides a new solution to global climate change.
However, with technological progress comes new challenges and responsibilities. While nuclear power brings great energy efficiency, the requirements for nuclear safety management and radiation protection have also increased. Ensuring the highest safety standards at every stage of ship design, construction and operation will be the focus of future research and development.
In addition, the construction and operation of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers is not only a technical, but also a strategic one. It is not only related to national defense and security, but also to international law and international relations. The existence of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers will, to a certain extent, change the regional and even global balance of maritime power. Therefore, while developing nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, China also needs to make full preparations in terms of strategic layout and international cooperation.
Looking to the future, with the continuous development and improvement of nuclear technology, we have reason to believe that nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and other nuclear-powered ships will play an increasingly important role in China's and the world's naval and merchant fleets. This will not only strengthen China's maritime defense capabilities, but also promote the development of a safer, more efficient and greener global maritime transportation industry.
Finally, we must recognize that the development of technology needs to be accompanied by an increase in responsibility. Nuclear power brings great possibilities, but it also poses risks that cannot be ignored. Therefore, how to develop and utilize nuclear power on the premise of ensuring safety will be a question that we must seriously consider and answer. Only in this way can we ensure that the power of science and technology is used to promote peace and development for humanity and to create a better world for us and future generations.