News Is Nuclear Power the Solution to Our Growing Energy Demands?

[mheslep]

Whatever happened with this underground mini nuclear plant project?
http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/36758

"Hyperion Power Generation — a US company based in New Mexico — has brought the dream of tiny nuclear reactors one step closer with its Power Module. This nuclear reactor — or "battery" as the firm calls it — is not much larger than a hot-tub and could supply thermal energy at a rate of about 70 MW. That could be converted into about 27 MW of electricity, which would be enough to supply about 20,000 US households.

Unlike conventional nuclear power plants, Hyperion's reactor uses uranium hydride, which is essentially enriched uranium metal that has absorbed a large amount of hydrogen. As the uranium nuclei decay by fission, they release neutrons that are slowed down by the hydrogen, which acts as the moderator. The slow neutrons can then split further uranium nuclei and trigger a chain reaction. "

Government - utility alliance is the bottleneck.

So for the next two years, the NRC "will need to limit interactions with the designers of small power reactors to occasional meetings or other non-resource-intensive activities," the federal agency said in a letter to Babcock & Wilcox on May 27. "As such, any requested work on the mPower reactor design that goes beyond these limitations will be placed on hold."

https://www.physicsforums.com/showpost.php?p=2292383&postcount=21

 

[nismaratwork]

Government - utility alliance is the bottleneck.

https://www.physicsforums.com/showpost.php?p=2292383&postcount=21

"Development-Hell! It's not just for movies anymore: Brought To You By The NRC!"
*groan*

Where did caring about the environment turn into a series of cults, that work against their own espoused interests?!

 

[WhoWee]

http://www.hyperionpowergeneration.com/news_pub.html

It looks like the venture capital is available - now they need to build one - somewhere?

 

[WhoWee]

It looks like the venture capital is available - now they need to build one - somewhere?

I haven't read enough yet - but why couldn't these be operated inside (deep) old mines?

 

[Jasongreat]

Yes, "... or a coal plant serviced by a 100 car coal train every single day in your backyard"

How bout 2 100 car trains and a hundred trucks full of coal a day? In my back yard I have http://www.intermountainpower.com/" , california being the big one. We get the claim of the coal burnt and polution coming from that, cali gets to claim the power generated without having to claim the pollution, talk about statistical corruption. If you want nuclear or coal power, I think you should take care of the generation and the disposal in your own state, then decide what you want, not decide on that by outsourcing.

 

[nismaratwork]

How bout 2 100 car trains and a hundred trucks full of coal a day? In my back yard I have http://www.intermountainpower.com/" , california being the big one. We get the claim of the coal burnt and polution coming from that, cali gets to claim the power generated without having to claim the pollution, talk about statistical corruption. If you want nuclear or coal power, I think you should take care of the generation and the disposal in your own state, then decide what you want, not decide on that by outsourcing.

Well, it's a darned good thing you have those emission standards for cars in Cali... right?

Kidding aside, sorry that **** is near you.