OT: digital eco-bollocks

[newshound]

World Nuclear News often gives quite reasonable summaries of nuclear issues, but this reaches Guardian or New Scientist levels of low.

Hard to see quite where the capital savings come from, apart from the brownfield site, grid connection, and perhaps cooling water systems.

They talk about replacing the boilers, implying re-use of the turboalternators. But water reactor steam temperatures of ~ 300C are totally unsuitable for coal plant with steam temperatures of 550C or above.

And what the hell "digital" does for you is anyone's guess.

[Jim GM4DHJ ...]

nothing is respected if it doesn't say DIGITAL....LIKE DIGITAL TV ANTENNAS

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

It probably only calculates to integers. grin. Brian

[The Natural Philosopher]

It assumes you understand nuclear costs.

By far and away the mots important costs is planning. A greenfield site intended for nuclear is a 15 year battle with every single green loony in the country. And costs billions .

Sites that are already under security are perfect for new nuclear.

In addition there will be grid connections switch gear control rooms and indeed possibly steam turbines and condensers on site already that may be reusable.

Reactors and boilers for an SMR are pretty cheap.

Remember this is aimed at the US market, not the UK

Some SMRs that use e.g. molten salt or gas may well be able to reach those temperatures

Well; if you had read the article, it is as plain as a pikestaff what it means.

[newshound]

No-one knows final SMR costs yet because it depends on volume.

Non trivial but there is a *lot* of capital plant. Delay costs you because of interest charges.

Agreed

Grid connections and station transformer, not unit transformers, control rooms, turbines, or condensers. Cooling water system maybe.

If only. And you need new turbines and alternators because of steam conditions.

So?

Please enlighten us.

[The Natural Philosopher]

I am not going to cut and paste what you couldn't be bothered to read

[williamwright]

Or digital prostate examination. That gets respect.

Bill

[Jim GM4DHJ ...]

had that finger