Slashdot Mirror
Uranium Pebbles May Light the Way
kristy_christie writes "According to Wired News, South Africa's state-run utility giant Eskom and its international partners want to build the world's first commercial 'pebble bed' reactor, which, instead of using fuel rods, 'is packed with tennis ball-size graphite "pebbles," each containing thousands of tiny uranium dioxide particles'. To developers, the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor promises a rebirth of nuclear energy. Proponents insist that the reactor's design features make it 'meltdown-proof' and 'walk-away safe'."
Proponents insist that the reactor's design features make it 'meltdown-proof' and 'walk-away safe'."
Said a Mr.J.Simpson.
While the density of the uranium in the pellets would not be high enough to produce the temperatures needed to ignite the graphite or cause a meltdown, the density of the craniums of slashdotters is close to infinite...
Seriously. I hate buying gas. Would be nice not to have to buy gas again - ever.
Oh sure, what happens if I get into an accident? Well, that's why you build the reactor compartment the same way as an airplane's black box, if that can survive a plane crash, a car crash should be a walk in the park.
There's a problem with terroists getting uranium and making dirty bombs you say? Not a problem either! Just outlaw radiation suits so anyone that opens the reactor is instantly nuked like a frozen chicken pot pie. Of course, that means no more tinkering with your car, but would you really miss it if you never had to buy gas again?
I want my nuclear car, damnit.
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DRM is like antifreeze, to the MPAA/RIAA it's sweet, to the consumers it's poison.
Just go here.
"Uranium Pebbles" Sounds like a great name for a breakfast cereal. Makes your teeth glow!
If you outlaw the law, only criminals will have laws
Direct quotes from the PBMR web page:
"This turbine forms part of the High-pressure Turbo...Next, the helium flows through the Low-pressure Turbine, which is part of the Low-pressure Turbo Unit...The helium is then cooled in the inter-cooler. "
In other words: they're going to build a twin-turbo nuclear reactor with an intercooler.
I didn't see any mention of chrome exhaust tips, cupholders, cruise control or racing stripes, but how far behind can these things possibly be? That's gonna be one decked out nuclear reactor...I wonder what kind of stereo system they'll put into it?
Perhaps for the opening ceremony I'll fly to Africa and plant a "Type R" decal on the side of the reactor building.
Philistine.
For those that would die defending it, Freedom
has a sweet taste that the protected will never know.
That's because the chunk of ore will be far from pure uranium, it will contain traces of the decay products - such as polonium, radium and radon, all of which have shorter half lives (and are hence more radioactive).
Glad to hear that you're taking basic safety precautions though.
Best wishes,
Mike.
And I could kill every human being on Earth by choking them in the ocean. So?
What kind of demented pervert puts ice in their beer? That some people choose to taint perfectly good whisky with that stuff is bad enough.