What is a liquid fluoride thorium reactor? Is it a proven technology that has been tested and released to market or still in research and development (R&D) phase?

 A liquid fluoride thorium reactor (LFTR) is a type of nuclear reactor that uses thorium, a naturally occurring radioactive element, as fuel. It is designed to operate using liquid fluoride salts as both a coolant and a means of transferring heat to generate electricity.

LFTRs are a type of advanced nuclear reactor that is still in the research and development phase. While the concept of using thorium as fuel in a nuclear reactor has been around for several decades, the development of a practical and viable LFTR has not yet been achieved.

LFTRs have several potential advantages over traditional nuclear reactors, including the ability to operate at higher temperatures, a higher fuel utilization efficiency, and a reduced proliferation risk. However, there are also significant technical and economic challenges that need to be addressed before LFTRs can be deployed at a commercial scale.

As a result, LFTRs are currently in the R&D phase and have not yet been tested or released to the market. Further research and development is needed to determine whether LFTRs can be designed, built, and operated safely and effectively, and to assess their potential economic viability as a source of electricity.