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Bad news at a time when electricity supplies throughout Europe are under increased pressure due to energy shortages as we emerge from Covid and as a result of the Ukraine war and sanctions on Russia.OT: Half of France's nuclear reactors out of commission for repair and maintenance
Jun 03, 2022
Last reply: 4 years ago
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Indeed. Perhaps nuclear may not be the best option for future electricity generation.
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Suggest a better one.
Do you remember when we went from big mainframe computers to everyone having a PC on their desk? Should we be heading towards micro-reactors?
Yes, shades of Asimov's Foundation series, we need walnut sized generators.
like in my Mustang
Bring back the BT trimphone :-)
Its OK, we are sending them lots of British electrons.
IF regulations would allow it the thought of a micro reactor in a nice cast iron Nuclear Aga bumbling away generating all my heating needs for
60 years is rather good.I suppose a battery back and a small steam engine bolted on the side would handle electricity via an inverter...
Well for domestic use, AGA sized ones anyway... I think there is a lower limit on getting the chain reactions to work - but of course you don't NEED a chain reaction for fairly 'hot' decay products.
I think that, for domestic use, it would be really good if the reactors didn't contain a critical mass.
A thermopile would be simpler, if they have the capacity.
Critical mass etc
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Californium-252 only requires a sphere of 6.9 cm diameter to go critical, so getting close to a walnut sized generator. All you need is lots of Californium-252...
James Lovelock (he of Gaia fame) would be happy to have a concrete box of nuclear waste at the bottom of his garden to provide all his domestic heating requirements (The Revenge of Gaia, p.92)
I would prefer the steam engine.
More fun, certainly.
Can't see too many in flood prone areas or high water table areas being happy with that.
It wouldn't be a concreete box, actually, It would be a large steel container of vitrified waste.
Nah, a Stirling engine, much simpler!
Still can't see it being viable in that situation with what is needed to get the heat from it into the house.
Put it in a shed and build a heat pump around it. Simples.
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