tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17555522.post116140741146699476..comments2008-05-07T13:43:29.951-07:00bwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07541279438184352860noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17555522.post-1161454587031765292006-10-21T11:16:00.000-07:002006-10-21T11:16:00.000-07:00<I>Mass produced nuclear power plants are what can really turn the tide.</I><BR/><BR/>Bingo...this is how you make the difference. And the next question is, how do you mass produce nuclear reactors?<BR/><BR/>From the top view, we have to radically increase the safety, simplicity, and capital costs of the reactor and its asssociated power conversion system. Everything needs to get smaller and lighter.<BR/><BR/>How does that happen? Look where the mass is in a conventional nuclear plant and figure out if there's another option that let's you do it lighter.<BR/><BR/>Big steel pressure vessel--can you use a reactor that runs at atmospheric pressure?<BR/><BR/>Triple and quadruple redundant safety systems--can you design a reactor that's passively safe, and doesn't require engineered safety systems?<BR/><BR/>Huge steam turbine...can you use high-pressure compact helium gas turbines?<BR/><BR/>Complicated reprocessing facilities and transport of highly-radioactive material...can you design a reactor whose reprocessing is so simple that it's co-located with the reactor and runs continuously?<BR/><BR/>Not in my backyard mentality--can we build reactors small enough that they can be sited underwater and out-of-sight, immersed in their heat sink?Kirk Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08961212410822120267noreply@blogger.com