tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post6399430365816905255..comments2024-03-29T09:07:03.373-05:00Comments on Bayou Renaissance Man: Could nuclear power become cheaper than coal?Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-65116202761839430152014-10-01T06:18:26.131-05:002014-10-01T06:18:26.131-05:00Lockheed hired a MIT graduate whose phd thesis pro...Lockheed hired a MIT graduate whose phd thesis proposed a new way of fusion confinement. They claim all of the tests so far are good and that they are going to have a functioning prototype by 2017, with mass production of 100 MWe units by 2022.Y.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10829210511429371730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-53371244356627403212014-09-26T11:33:38.147-05:002014-09-26T11:33:38.147-05:00I pray that our children's children praise us ...I pray that our children's children praise us for our intelligence rather that curse us for our stupidity.<br /><br />I fear the later.<br /><br />I think thorium has a good potential to solve most of our energy needs well into the future.<br /><br />We have the distribution model for electricity in place. We do not have a viable natural gas delivery method in place.<br /><br />I would have to say power generation based on thorium should be followed as it will have a shorted implementation curve.<br /><br />But I am some poor red neck without any advance degrees or political desires so I sure I will be a lone voice in the wilderness.Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15708868713277676628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-52306374862634907522014-09-26T09:05:22.050-05:002014-09-26T09:05:22.050-05:00The biggest impediment to nukes is ambulance-chasi...The biggest impediment to nukes is ambulance-chasing lawyers who must be paid enough to buy a high government elected position from which they continue to extort campaign contributions in return for not legislating you out of business. <br /><br />Very profitable for them.Billllhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13913354887560267235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-88289351369918491152014-09-26T09:04:27.102-05:002014-09-26T09:04:27.102-05:00So, what...we wait until we exhaust fossil fuels b...So, what...we wait until we exhaust fossil fuels before we move on to something else? Seems like that's the only way the move to nuclear is ever going to happen. We won't get the push for research and training that we need until after we need it, it would appear. Nothing like not thinking/planning ahead. Dirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04353273036394049597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-8610159167848825242014-09-26T02:33:34.482-05:002014-09-26T02:33:34.482-05:00Peter,
A molten salt reactor operated there in TN...Peter,<br /><br />A molten salt reactor operated there in TN for several years. I toured the site, many years ago. Union Carbide was the operator, I think. <br /><br />It was not a successful operation.<br /><br />You may wish to go re-read Rickover comparison of a real reactor and a paper reactor. His rules apply now just as much as then. (http://ecolo.org/documents/documents_in_english/Rickover.pdf )<br /><br />The largest obstacle for the nuclear industry at present is a lack of component vendors.<br /><br />Such things as instrumentation, class 1E switch gear, and "N Stamp" mechanical components are produced in very limited numbers by a small number of suppliers. <br /><br />For construction and operation you have a very, very limited pool of qualified personnel. The number of US shipyards doing nuclear work has been greatly reduced, and only two yards are building nuclear powered ships. The USN's program has been the traditional training ground for for the US nuclear industry. No other source of trained technician is in place to supply these workers for any large construction program.<br /><br />The government promised (when I was in high school) waste storage site has not been built. I'm in my mid-50s now. <br /><br />The basic idea of nuclear energy continues to hold promise. Implementing that promise will always be enormously difficult and expensive.<br /><br />Given the current price and availability of natural gas, it is extremely unlikely that there is a practical way to fund nuclear development in the near future. <br /><br />Once one finishes with the engineering and financial issues, the regulatory burden is HUGE. To license a virgin site for nuclear plant would require more years than I have left in my lifetime. The more new technology included in the design, the more expensive the safety analysis becomes. <br /><br />Certainly development is possible, but it will be difficult and expensive. That saddens me, as nuclear energy was my chosen career.Glenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09826464928376433382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-23346438840085278732014-09-25T23:22:21.675-05:002014-09-25T23:22:21.675-05:00The biggest problem with the MSR is not the techno...The biggest problem with the MSR is not the technology, it's the political will being blocked by vested interests in the current systems. And that will not change until things reach the breaking point. I'm guessing 2017.Rolfhttp://www.thestarscameback.comnoreply@blogger.com