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I am not sure why the Pebble Bed modular reactor (PBMR) is being touted as the great solution to problems with nuclear power. It uses a once through, virtually non-reprocessible fuel. It produces a high volume of waste consisting not only of the fuel but the casing/moderator which has about 50 times the volume of the fuel and 20 times its mass. It is essentially a uranium hogging once-through thermal reactor, but with a bigger waste problem. The graphite moderator in each pebble could also be a fire hazard. If the graphite moderator in the pebbles should catch fire, there could be a catastrophic release of radiation.
Its chief advantages seem to be the high efficiency due to its ability to use the helium coolant that is in the core to drive turbines directly. Supposedly, there will be no radioactivity in the helium coolant. I am not so sure about that.
It seems to me that the PBMR is a vastly overrated reactor.
AM
Its chief advantages seem to be the high efficiency due to its ability to use the helium coolant that is in the core to drive turbines directly. Supposedly, there will be no radioactivity in the helium coolant. I am not so sure about that.
It seems to me that the PBMR is a vastly overrated reactor.
AM