Nuclear Reactors Get Small
Steve Martin was ahead of his time when he told us “Let’s get small!” While you usually think of a nuclear reactor as a big affair, there’s a new trend …read more Continue reading Nuclear Reactors Get Small
Category Archives: nuclear power
Tiny Nuclear Reactors Are the Future of Energy
New nuclear reactor designs could bring far more widespread use and public acceptance of this powerful form of energy. Continue reading Tiny Nuclear Reactors Are the Future of Energy
Certifying Nuclear Reactors: How The NRC Approved Its First Small Modular Reactor Design
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced that it had approved certification of NuScale’s SMR (small modular reactor) design, completing its Phase 6 review of NuScale’s Design Certification Application (DCA). What this means is that SMRs using NuScale’s reactor design can legally be constructed within the US as soon …read more
NASA Claims Cold Fusion without Naming It
Do you remember in 1989 when two chemists announced they’d created a setup that created nuclear fusion at room temperature? Everyone was excited, but it eventually turned out to be very suspect. It wasn’t clear how they detected that fusion occurred and only a few of the many people who …read more
No-Melt Nuclear ‘Power Balls’ Might Win a Few Hearts and Minds
A nuclear power plant is large and complex, and one of the biggest reasons is safety. Splitting radioactive atoms is inherently dangerous, but the energy unleashed by the chain reaction that ensues is the entire point. It’s a delicate balance to stay in the sweet spot, and it requires constant …read more
Continue reading No-Melt Nuclear ‘Power Balls’ Might Win a Few Hearts and Minds
3D Printing Nuclear Reactors For Fun And Profit
Over the past decades, additive manufacturing (AM, also known as 3D printing) has become increasingly common in manufacturing processes. While immensely helpful in the prototyping of new products by allowing for rapid turn-around times between design and testing, these days additive manufacturing is used more and more often in the …read more
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Psst – Wanna Buy A Control Panel From A Nuclear Power Station?
Doing the rounds today is an interesting lot in an otherwise unexciting industrial dispersal auction in Lincolnshire, UK. On sale is an “Ex nuclear plant reactor control/monitoring system“, at the time of writing attracting the low low bid of £220 ($270), but we guess it will rise. Everyone who has …read more
Continue reading Psst – Wanna Buy A Control Panel From A Nuclear Power Station?
Nuclear Fusion Power Without Regular Tokamaks Or Stellarators
When it comes to nuclear fusion, the most well-known reactor type today is no doubt the tokamak, due to its relatively straight-forward concept of plasma containment. That’s not to say that there aren’t other ways to accomplish nuclear fusion in a way that could conceivably be used in a commercial …read more
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Floating Power Plants; The Coastal City Solution Sure to Be Increasingly Popular
Building new things in an existing city is hard. Usually, new development means tearing down existing structures. Doing so for apartment complexes or new skyscrapers is one thing, but infrastructure is much more complicated, both from an engineering perspective and an economical one. Not only do people not want to …read more
Continue reading Floating Power Plants; The Coastal City Solution Sure to Be Increasingly Popular
Atomic Power Gets Small
There was a time when nuclear power plants were going to save the world. Barring accidents, the plants are clean and generate a lot of power. However, a few high-profile accidents and increased public awareness of some key issues have made nuclear power a hard sell, at least in the …read more