Posted on 05/02/2015 10:21:16 AM PDT by all the best
Here’s another, more recent one: The thorium-turbine powered car.
Heat energy from the thorium – a weakly radioactive element (named after the Norse god Thor) that is estimated to be 3-4 times more naturally abundant than uranium and which contains 20 million times the energy as an equivalent lump of coal – is used to generate steam, which is then used to power a small turbine, which provides the motive force. The beauty of the system is that – like a nuclear submarine – the fuel lasts almost forever. Well, longer than you will last, probably.
How’s 100 years sound?
No more stopping for “gas”… ever.
This alone would make current IC cars seem as wasteful of time (and energy) as current IC cars make electric cars look wasteful of time and energy.
But wait, there’s more.
Well, less.
No emissions at all. Because nothing’s being burned, there’s no exhaust. Water to steam, expansion and contraction – and back again. Closed (and clean) loop. The Algoreans ought to be ecstatic. Yet there is dead silence.
You can hear the crickets chirping.
Is it because thorium is radioactive? The word is third rail to scientifically illiterate homo Americanus – who fears it in the same way a savage fears the voices coming out of the Talk Box (radio). The mere mention of the word is sufficient to incite a panic. It’s why the nuclear power grid is dead in the water; or rather, as old as a Betamax copy of Saturday Night Fever.
But it’s not even the same thing. Thorium is mildly radioactive. Dr. Charles Stevens, CEO of Laser Power Systems – which is developing the technology, or at least, trying to – says: “The radiation can be shielded by a single sheet of aluminum foil.” thorium two
(Excerpt) Read more at ericpetersautos.com ...
Uranium reactors were chosen because they can make bomb material. Whether they are used to supply material for making bombs right now is irrelevant.
Choosing a reactor design that requires water at 70 atmospheres to produce “power” is just stupid. But that is the predominant reactor design that we have now, because that is what the NRC will permit, and nothing else.
“U-233. How much shielding (say 6 cm of Lead/Alunimum composite to reduce emission to 5/1000ths) do you really need for 8 grams of fuel?”
Eight grams of U-233 will produce enough energy to power your cell phone.
You have made my point, if the "exclusion zone" is required by regulation by mamby pamby state. Exclusion zone for what? How big is the exclusion zone in a submarine? The car designer here assumes a reactor that uses 8 grams of fuel, far smaller than a sub reactor.
Dude - the U233 is the neutron emitter that breeds the Thorium for decay. This is not a U-233 reactor.
“The car designer here assumes a reactor that uses 8 grams of fuel, far smaller than a sub reactor.”
The ‘designer’ knows nothing about nuclear physics. Apparently you don’t either and are willing to believe info from companies soliciting funds on the internet. Please request your spouse to safeguard your funds.
Me: Eight grams of U-233 will produce enough energy to power your cell phone.
You: Dude - the U233 is the neutron emitter that breeds the Thorium for decay. This is not a U-233 reactor.
1. I didn’t say it was a reactor.
2. Eight grams of U-233 will produce enough energy to power your cell phone.
“Dude - the U233 is the neutron emitter that breeds the Thorium for decay. This is not a U-233 reactor.”
Not sure that you have a grasp on the technology. Where does the energy come from?
Love the ‘peel’ at the end!
“Dude - the U233 is the neutron emitter that breeds the Thorium for decay.”
The U233 is a neutron ABSORBER that fissions to produce the energy.
Below is the list of fissile materials:
Fissile nuclides in nuclear fuels include:
Uranium-235 which occurs in natural uranium and enriched uranium
Plutonium-239 bred from uranium-238 by neutron capture
Plutonium-241 bred from plutonium-240 by neutron capture. The 240Pu comes from 239Pu by the same process.
Uranium-233 bred from thorium-232 by neutron capture
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranium-233
Then explain to me why a LFTR will not work with 8 grams of Thorium to power it. Educate me.
Thorium Fuel Cycle
“Then explain to me why a LFTR will not work with 8 grams of Thorium to power it. Educate me. “
In order to have a nuclear reactor, you have to have a fissile material. Thorium is not a fissile. In a previous post I listed the only fissile materials.
“Thorium Fuel Cycle”
Perhaps you had a reason for posting this but it eludes me.
Apparently as does intelligence. TTFN
” Exclusion zone for what? How big is the exclusion zone in a submarine? “
To be exempt from radiation monitoring. Nuclear submarine workers are properly trained and monitored.
“Apparently as does intelligence. TTFN”
BA, Masters in Nuclear Engineering, Licensed Senior Reactor Operator, Over thirty years supervising testing of nuclear reactors, and a bunch of years observing internet scams and seeing how you can never educate believers of internet technology scams.
Like all good art, it certainly leaves you wondering whether he was kidding or serious.
Although I took the “power option” in my mechanical engineering curriculum in college half a century ago, at this late date I know little to nothing about thorium and its byproducts. But on general principles I assume that (1) would be true of any nuclear power source adequate to operate an automobile. Which would lead inexorably to (3) and (4) - and that “decommissioning fee” would have to include impossible assurances as to safety from accidental damage in vehicle operation.In conjunction with (1), (3) and (4) would make economy of scale mandatory, leading inexorably to (2) as well.
Whoever says “fission powered automobile” has to say, electric car energized (almost certainly via battery) by a central nuclear power plant.
IMHO.
I think you have the big picture ...
Also, what are the results of a serious traffic accident?
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