Details from the Hawaii Reporter.
The following is a guest post from Matt Wald, senior communications advisor at NEI. Follow Matt on Twitter at @MattLWald.
From the batteries in our cell phones to the clothes on our backs, "nanomaterials" that are designed molecule by molecule are working their way into our economy and our lives. Now there’s some promising work on new materials for nuclear reactors.
Reactors are a tough environment. The sub atomic particles that sustain the chain reaction, neutrons, are great for splitting additional uranium atoms, but not all of them hit a uranium atom; some of them end up in various metal components of the reactor. The metal is usually a crystalline structure, meaning it is as orderly as a ladder or a sheet of graph paper, but the neutrons rearrange the atoms, leaving some infinitesimal voids in the structure and some areas of extra density. The components literally grow, getting longer and thicker. The phenomenon is well understood and designers compensate for it with a …
From the batteries in our cell phones to the clothes on our backs, "nanomaterials" that are designed molecule by molecule are working their way into our economy and our lives. Now there’s some promising work on new materials for nuclear reactors.
Reactors are a tough environment. The sub atomic particles that sustain the chain reaction, neutrons, are great for splitting additional uranium atoms, but not all of them hit a uranium atom; some of them end up in various metal components of the reactor. The metal is usually a crystalline structure, meaning it is as orderly as a ladder or a sheet of graph paper, but the neutrons rearrange the atoms, leaving some infinitesimal voids in the structure and some areas of extra density. The components literally grow, getting longer and thicker. The phenomenon is well understood and designers compensate for it with a …
Comments
The Toshiba 4S could be an option, but at 10 MWe might be too small on the other end. It would take a 4S "farm" to make a dent. At any rate it has just entered pre-licensing and will take awhile to gain certification. Maybe a long while, given its unique design.
Politically, Hawaii is a "Blue" state and has no prior experience with nuclear power plants. There was a lot of local opposition to the food irradiation facility built there and there has been a lot of fear mongering over DU on a weapons range there from the likes of Loren Moret to alarm a naive public.
Though obviously intelligent, I suspect the author's views are atypical.
Hawaii is basically screwed. They aren't fixed with reliable sunshine or abundant wind on land (though they have some). Off shore wind seems unlikely given how the best sites are located in deep water.
It should also be noted that there have been nuclear power plants operating in Hawaii for decades - it is a significant port for the US Navy and is home to a number of submarines. Carriers visit regularly.
It is also worth noting that nothing encourages people to open their minds to new energy options like paying 30 or 40 cents per kilowatt hour for electricity.
Any of these designs certified by NRC? If not, they're 10-15 years away at minimum.
Without Nuclear power Hawaii will be perfectly green - because everyone will be forced to go back to the mainland.
I would love nothing more than to be part of a real nuclear renaissance that will keep Hawaii and its environment green and safe; but that requires about a 90% base-load power that is nuclear. Contact companies like mine - we can transform Hawaii's transformation a reality!!
Aloha,
Dr. Cris S. Eberle
Critical Solutions Engineering
criticalsolutions@charter.net