Mini-Nuke Plants for Homes?
Discussion
Makes sense to cite the nuke plant close to where the powers needed. Means you can do combined heat and power and make use of the waste heat.
I would imagine that the 'size of a hot tub' spiel off their website refers only to the reactor itself and not to the associate electricity generating gubbins.
I wish I could find some more technical details of the reactor design. Their patent application suggests it uses lightly enriched Uranium Hydride as an all in one fuel and moderator. This is a very interesting approach but I'm pretty sure they haven't built a working prototype yet. They claim to be using old technology, based on the TRIGA design (hence the 'safely operated by students line'). This is, bluntly, not true. Their reactor will be significantly different from TRIGA if does what they says it does; different to the extent that it will require a lot of complicated engineering and extensive experimental testing.
The concept is sound but their press releases paint a VERY optimistic picture. Can't blame them, they seem to be a small company fishing for funding.
I would imagine that the 'size of a hot tub' spiel off their website refers only to the reactor itself and not to the associate electricity generating gubbins.
I wish I could find some more technical details of the reactor design. Their patent application suggests it uses lightly enriched Uranium Hydride as an all in one fuel and moderator. This is a very interesting approach but I'm pretty sure they haven't built a working prototype yet. They claim to be using old technology, based on the TRIGA design (hence the 'safely operated by students line'). This is, bluntly, not true. Their reactor will be significantly different from TRIGA if does what they says it does; different to the extent that it will require a lot of complicated engineering and extensive experimental testing.
The concept is sound but their press releases paint a VERY optimistic picture. Can't blame them, they seem to be a small company fishing for funding.
Jimbeaux said:
If I am not mistaken, the religion known as "Green" has now switched its dogma to now deem nuke power as a good thing.
You give them too much credit. Greenpeace et al are still as rabidly anti nuclear as they ever were. We are apparently going to be able to meet our electricity needs through efficiency gains and 'renewables' only...hairykrishna said:
Greenpeace et al are still as rabidly anti nuclear as they ever were. We are apparently going to be able to meet our electricity needs through efficiency gains and 'renewables' only...
Where by "efficiency gains" they mean "seriously reducing our standard of living".
We're still better off with one hoofing great power station than loads of little ones. (IMO)
If you ask me if I would rather have one of those in my area vs going without power, then it's the reactor every time.
TBH, I think I would probably opt for the third way, knock down my garage and replace it with a nice old engine house, with a decent boiler and a triple expansion engine.
You'd be able to sell the spare electricity to your neighbors.
If you ask me if I would rather have one of those in my area vs going without power, then it's the reactor every time.
TBH, I think I would probably opt for the third way, knock down my garage and replace it with a nice old engine house, with a decent boiler and a triple expansion engine.
You'd be able to sell the spare electricity to your neighbors.
Edited by dilbert on Tuesday 11th November 04:43
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