Via Next Big Future:
http://nextbigfuture.com/2011/06/terrap ... ssion.html
The development of the Bill Gates funded traveling wave reactor goes overseas. It is a sign of how bereaucracy can hold a democracy back. Sometimes it would just be more effecient to dictate something.
So- off to China. China wins, US looses!
The NRC is a stupid institution.
Smack in the face of the NRC
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissionchrismb wrote:Who NRC and how do they figure in this?
It's pretty cool that they're able to pull in over 100 million in revenues in spite of the fact that they have nothing tangible to offer anyone.Skipjack wrote:The nuclear regulatory commission has not certified a new reactor design since its inception. It seems that its only purpose has been to prevent any new developments in the area.
Re: Smack in the face of the NRC
Bureaucracy at his best!Skipjack wrote:The NRC is a stupid institution.
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Joseph Chikva
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I do not know, experimental fusion reactor requires certification by NRC?Skipjack wrote:The nuclear regulatory commission has not certified a new reactor design since its inception. It seems that its only purpose has been to prevent any new developments in the area.
Why? Non-proliferation rules?
Who in USA proves R&D budget in fusion: NRC or DOE?
Can we admit that there is nothing at this moment to be concidered by them as a real viable idea? At least they can see on all projects from this side of view.
As:
• National Ignition Facility – low efficiency of lasers (not higher than 5%)
• Real breakeven in TOKAMAKs can be achieved only if confinement time will reach 500-600 s
• Light Ions Fusion program has problems with focusing
• Etc., etc., etc.
Traveling wave FISSION. Keep up, dude!Joseph Chikva wrote:I do not know, experimental fusion reactor requires certification by NRC?Skipjack wrote:The nuclear regulatory commission has not certified a new reactor design since its inception. It seems that its only purpose has been to prevent any new developments in the area.
Why? Non-proliferation rules?
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Joseph Chikva
- Posts: 2039
- Joined: Sat Apr 02, 2011 4:30 am
Ok, thanks dude.KitemanSA wrote:Traveling wave FISSION. Keep up, dude!Joseph Chikva wrote:I do not know, experimental fusion reactor requires certification by NRC?Skipjack wrote:The nuclear regulatory commission has not certified a new reactor design since its inception. It seems that its only purpose has been to prevent any new developments in the area.
Why? Non-proliferation rules?
Their design is much less futuristic and more conservative than it used to be. The original TWR was really about a travel wave, with Li6-Li7 reactivity control and several other exotic features.
Now they have practically left aside the idea of the traveling wave and what they describe in their scientific papers is a pretty classical fast neutron breeder (U-Pu fuel assemblies, Na as coolant) with one big difference: the reactor does need to be refueled and therfore the assemblies have to be "shuffled" inside the core in order to maintain a breed/burnup balance among fuel elements. So their main challenge, I guess, is to find the right material for the cladding. A material able to resist a strong neutron flux for decades.
Anyway, if they make it work, it will be quite an achievement.
Now they have practically left aside the idea of the traveling wave and what they describe in their scientific papers is a pretty classical fast neutron breeder (U-Pu fuel assemblies, Na as coolant) with one big difference: the reactor does need to be refueled and therfore the assemblies have to be "shuffled" inside the core in order to maintain a breed/burnup balance among fuel elements. So their main challenge, I guess, is to find the right material for the cladding. A material able to resist a strong neutron flux for decades.
Anyway, if they make it work, it will be quite an achievement.