Dr. Kazuo Furukawa passed away on the 14th December, 2011, after fighting against cancer. He devoted his life to the concept of THORIMS-NES (THORIum Molten-Salt Nuclear Energy Synegetic system), after he had designed and developed the sodium (Na) coolant system for Joyo and Monju as FBR (Fast Breader Reactor). He made many lectures on Thorium Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) especially after the incident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in March 2011, because MSR is much safer than light water reactors (BWR and PWR) in saveral aspects. He had been seeking to realize MSR more than 50 years. The quest for the better energy (or ethical energy ?) based on MSR will be extended by his colleagues and us. I believe that it will be realized in the near future. Some comments from his friends can be read here.
New Sustainable Secure Nuclear Industry Based on Thorium Molten-Salt
Nuclear Energy Synergetics (THORIMS-NES) [intech]
[local-copy]
Kazuo Furukawa et al.
This is a chapter of THORIMS-NES in an open access book which was published in 2011. 38 pages.
A road map for the realization of global-scale thorium breeding fuel cycle
by single molten-fluoride flow [sciencedirect]
[local-copy]
Kazuo Furukawa et al.
This was presented in ICENES'2007, 13th International Conference on Emerging Nuclear Energy Systems, June 3-8, 2007, Istanbul, Turkiye. 17 pages.
50 Years of Searching for Means of Energy Technology Revolution
- Thorium Molten-Salt Reactors without Nuclear Proliferation -
(Japanese) [tokai-univ]
[local-copy]
Kazuo Furukawa.
This is a Japanese article based on his lecture at Tokai University in 2009. 10 pages.
Practical proposal towards nuclear non-proliferation (Japanese) [unu]
[local-copy]
Kazuo Furukawa.
This is a Japanese article that was awarded the first place "Award of Excellence" of 22nd Eisaku Sato Memorial Prize in 2005, 15 pages.
Searching for an Idealistic Nuclear Energy System :
The Thorium Molten-Salt Nuclear Energy Synergetic System (Japanese) [j-stage]
[local-copy]
Kazuo Furukawa and Yoshio Kato.
An article in Vol.57 of The Physical Society of Japan (JPS) in 2002, 9 pages.
You can find many more articles by the word "K. Furukawa" and "JAERI", "Tokai University", "ITMSF", "Mosten Salt", etc.
1-hour talk in Energy Policy Forum on Sep.21.2011.
Nuclear Reactor Safety Revolution : Road to Thorium Molten Salt Reactor. (Japanese)
45-minute program in Channel Sakura on Aug.31.2011.
Japanese book : Safety Revolution of Nuclear Power Plants [amazon] [gunkyo] [ebook]
A textbook that explains how small reactors with liquid fuel of thorium would save our world.
Kazuo Furukawa led several organizations in the past. Two active organizations were inherited by new leaders.
International Thorium Molten-Salt Forum (NPO)
Present president: Motoyasu Kinoshita.
Thorium Tech Solutions Inc.
Present president: Masaaki Furukawa.
The quest that had been pursued by Kazuo should be continued by the people in the new generation helping each other.