Home/neighborhood/town nuclear capability

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In summary, a Swedish man was caught trying to build a nuclear reactor in his home, but it's interesting that he had previously asked the Radiation Authority about the legality of it. There is a company called Hyperion Power Generation attempting to make small nuclear reactors for neighborhoods, but the legal and regulatory compliance issues make it impractical. Possession of special nuclear material is restricted and the cost of manning a nuclear power plant 24/7 would need to be spread out over a large customer base. It is unlikely that neighborhood nuclear power will be feasible in the near future due to technical and regulatory hurdles, and public opinion may also be a barrier. However, nuclear power has a strong safety record and can be practical for large-scale power generation. Other
  • #1
DoggerDan
This guy (Swedish) was trying to build a nuclear reactor in his home: http://news.yahoo.com/swedish-man-caught-trying-split-atoms-home-153341057.html

I think it's interesting the headlines say the police "caught" him when in fact he had "sent a question to Sweden's Radiation Authority" when he wondered whether it was legal to do so or not.

Aside from the issue of securing nuclear material, what's the technical feasibility of smaller thermic piles used for neighborhoods or subdivisions in lieu of buying electricity off the grid?

Is it inefficient to do so on a smaller scale, or is it countered by the line loss of sending current over the grid?

Would the cost of smaller, mass-produced units be cost-prohibitive as compared to a multi-megawatt plant?
 
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  • #2
There is a company called Hyperion Power Generation who are perusing this, trying to make small nuclear reactors with outputs on the order of 50-100MW for towns and city neighbourhoods.
 
  • #3
DoggerDan said:
This guy (Swedish) was trying to build a nuclear reactor in his home: http://news.yahoo.com/swedish-man-caught-trying-split-atoms-home-153341057.html

I think it's interesting the headlines say the police "caught" him when in fact he had "sent a question to Sweden's Radiation Authority" when he wondered whether it was legal to do so or not.

Aside from the issue of securing nuclear material, what's the technical feasibility of smaller thermic piles used for neighborhoods or subdivisions in lieu of buying electricity off the grid?

Is it inefficient to do so on a smaller scale, or is it countered by the line loss of sending current over the grid?

Would the cost of smaller, mass-produced units be cost-prohibitive as compared to a multi-megawatt plant?
It's not practical given the legal and regulatory compliance issues. Possession of special nuclear material (SNM) is restricted, as is possession of radwaste, which is an inherent by-product of the use of SNM for power generation.
 
  • #4
ryan_m_b said:
There is a company called Hyperion Power Generation who are perusing this, trying to make small nuclear reactors with outputs on the order of 50-100MW for towns and city neighbourhoods.
HPG's site - http://www.hyperionpowergeneration.com/product.html -
and it's not trivial.
 
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  • #5
Astronuc said:
HPG's site - http://www.hyperionpowergeneration.com/product.html -
and it's not trivial.

Yeah I didn't expect it to be. To be honest the idea of the local neighbourhood nuclear power station sounds like fantasy to me. Firstly nuclear reactors are hugely complex and expensive and secondly the public outcry would be huge.
 
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  • #6
ryan_m_b said:
Yeah I didn't expect it to be. To be honest the idea of the local neighbourhood nuclear power station sounds like fantasy to me. Firstly nuclear reactors are hugely complex and expensive and secondly the public outcry would be huge.

Admittedly unlikely, but... Actually, that is exactly how "THEY" reacted when Mr Edison and Mr Westinghouse started stringing wires and the Wright brothers got serious about kites.

All we need is Doc Brown, his flux capacitor, and Mr. Fusion. Jules Verne wrote fantasy about going to the moon and submarines. Even Sean Connery had to make a movie "Never Say Never Again." Funny thing about fantasy is that people keep making it into reality.
 
  • #7
hmm i guess he could get uranium bearing rocks from a rockhound show,
Americium from a smoke detector,
and radium - who knows maybe there's still some of that old paint around.

i would guess there's not really a lot to the story but who knows?

anyhow as to neighborhood nukes:
the Navy and Army have run small modular reactors since the 1950's. There was one in Antarctica for the US base there.
so it can be done.
But if one has to man the place 24/7 with highly skilled people one might as well take advantage of "economy of scale". The cost, even just for salaries, needs to be spread out over a pretty large customer base to be practical, i think.

i wouldn't want to live next to an unattended one.
 
  • #8
Astronuc said:
It's not practical given the legal and regulatory compliance issues. Possession of special nuclear material (SNM) is restricted, as is possession of radwaste, which is an inherent by-product of the use of SNM for power generation.

Astronuc said:
HPG's site - http://www.hyperionpowergeneration.com/product.html -
and it's not trivial.

Are you saying Hyperion's efforts are pointless due to the technical or regulatory hurdles involved, or just that they face a daunting task? With today's technology, would the cost of neighborhood/city installations, if done on a large scale, be competitive with traditional nuclear, coal, oil, or gas power plants?
 
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  • #9
DoggerDan said:
Are you saying Hyperion's efforts are pointless due to the technical or regulatory hurdles involved, or just that they face a daunting task? With today's technology, would the cost of neighborhood/city installations, if done on a large scale, be competitive with traditional nuclear, coal, oil, or gas power plants?

I highly doubt it considering the technical issues, the regulations they would have to conform to and public opinion on the matter.
 
  • #10
ryan_m_b said:
Yeah I didn't expect it to be. To be honest the idea of the local neighbourhood nuclear power station sounds like fantasy to me.

Sounds more like Science Fiction to me, but I was raised in the 60s. Many things that were science fiction when I was growing up have become fact.

Firstly nuclear reactors are hugely complex and expensive...

The simplest forms of nuclear power generation are nuclear batteries the size of a large button and were used in space vehicles decades ago. It's size and complexity varies with respect to it's purpose.

However, what about a neighborhood solar array to offset grid power during peak hours? Or, for that matter, to offset it whenever?

...and secondly the public outcry would be huge.

ryan_m_b said:
I highly doubt it considering the technical issues, the regulations they would have to conform to and public opinion on the matter.

While I understand this, I've never understood how people could base their decisions on emotion rather than fact. Nuclear retains one of the best power safety records on a per-MW generated basis.
 
  • #12
DoggerDan said:
Sounds more like Science Fiction to me, but I was raised in the 60s. Many things that were science fiction when I was growing up have become fact.

I make no distinction between science fiction and fantasy, the former is merely the latter with more plausible sounding words.

The simplest forms of nuclear power generation are nuclear batteries the size of a large button and were used in space vehicles decades ago. It's size and complexity varies with respect to it's purpose.

I think you're referring here to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_generator" . I'm no expert but I'm fairly sure that the former is too inefficient for anything more than niché terrestrial use.

However, what about a neighborhood solar array to offset grid power during peak hours? Or, for that matter, to offset it whenever?

That would be great if solar panels were both cheap, efficient, durable and cost-effective in terms of the environmental cost of their production. I think solar power has far more promise than most other forms of renewable, it's getting better all the time and I hope to see the day where solar panels doubling as roof tiles are ubiquitous.

While I understand this, I've never understood how people could base their decisions on emotion rather than fact. Nuclear retains one of the best power safety records on a per-MW generated basis.

Tell me about it.
 
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  • #13
DoggerDan said:
Are you saying Hyperion's efforts are pointless due to the technical or regulatory hurdles involved, or just that they face a daunting task? With today's technology, would the cost of neighborhood/city installations, if done on a large scale, be competitive with traditional nuclear, coal, oil, or gas power plants?
It's a daunting task for small companies/startups. The regulatory process is pretty straightforward, but their could be hurdles depending one certain technical issues - how close the fuel is to technical limits.

Attracting viable capital stream is perhaps the biggest to startup nuclear companies - because of the risk. Those providing capital will want assurance of a return on investment.

Even if the reactor/plant viability can be demonstrated, there is the back end - the spent fuel that needs permanent disposition - either reprocessing or direct deposit into a final repository. Otherwise, a NPP supplier will not have any customers.
 

What is a "home/neighborhood/town nuclear capability"?

A "home/neighborhood/town nuclear capability" refers to the ability of a community or region to produce, store, and potentially use nuclear weapons.

Why would a home/neighborhood/town need nuclear capability?

In most cases, a home/neighborhood/town does not need nuclear capability. However, some governments may choose to develop nuclear weapons as a deterrent against potential threats, while others may view it as a symbol of power and prestige.

Is it legal for a home/neighborhood/town to have nuclear capability?

The legality of a home/neighborhood/town having nuclear capability depends on the laws and regulations of the country in which it is located. Some countries, such as the United States, have strict regulations and oversight for nuclear weapons, while others may have less strict or no regulations at all.

What are the risks of having nuclear capability in a home/neighborhood/town?

The risks of having nuclear capability in a home/neighborhood/town are numerous and severe. These include accidental detonation, theft or unauthorized use of weapons, and the potential for nuclear war. Additionally, the production and testing of nuclear weapons can have detrimental effects on the environment and public health.

How can a home/neighborhood/town obtain nuclear capability?

The process for a home/neighborhood/town to obtain nuclear capability varies depending on the country. In most cases, it involves significant resources, technology, and expertise. Some countries may also need to negotiate or obtain assistance from other countries with existing nuclear capabilities.

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