Pebble bed reactors are different

Current Events » in reply to Nuclear power is totally worthless from an economic standpoint.

Gary — 9/3/2004 7:12:19 AM (archived)

The graphite ball or pebble bed reactor was originally a German design that was perfected in South Africa (the German Green Party made further development in Germany impossible). The design is essentially fail-safe in terms of a loss-of-coolant accident and enables continous fuel reprocessing. Many of the safety issues concerning water moderated reactors are effectively removed with the graphite ball reactor design. This is a very exciting technology that can nuclear energy commerically viable. The Chinese have seen a commercial opportunity (again) and are cleverly exploiting it.

Gary

The whole thread (19 posts)

China to build pebble bed reactors? - Tom Brosz - 9/3/2004 5:46:23 AM
- Great article Tom - Art Martin - 9/3/2004 6:39:41 PM
- Interesting info on nuclear power - LJ - 9/3/2004 4:29:50 PM
- "Wouldn't it be massively ironic if, in twenty years, our nation and the world was scattered with safe, cheap nuclear reactors labeled "Made in China?" " - David F Mayer - 9/3/2004 6:05:19 AM
  - re: "Wouldn't it be massively ironic if, in twenty years, our nation and the world was scattered with safe, cheap nuclear reactors labeled "Made in China?" " - Art Martin - 9/3/2004 6:41:52 PM
  - re: "Wouldn't it be massively ironic if, in twenty years, our nation and the world was scattered with safe, cheap nuclear reactors labeled "Made in China?" " - Davin L. - 9/3/2004 6:21:16 AM
    - Good point. - Tom Brosz - 9/3/2004 3:15:46 PM
    - Breeder reactors - Gary - 9/3/2004 7:05:37 AM
      - Any plutonium can be used in a bomb. - David F Mayer - 9/3/2004 2:14:53 PM
        
        re: Any plutonium can be used in a bomb. - Davin L. - 9/3/2004 3:43:52 PM
- Nuclear power is totally worthless from an economic standpoint. - David F Mayer - 9/3/2004 6:03:32 AM
  - Suddenly now we get an allergy to subsidies? - Tom Brosz - 9/3/2004 3:17:27 PM
  - The history does not seem to support that completely. (n/t) - ebnelson - 9/3/2004 3:04:58 PM
  - Pebble bed reactors are different - Gary - 9/3/2004 7:12:19 AM
    - No they are not. All reactors can fail with possible breach of containment and loss of coolant. None is insured to reasonable levels. (n/t) - David F Mayer - 9/3/2004 2:16:36 PM
      - I am not moved unless you can cash out that claim - Davin L. - 9/3/2004 3:39:52 PM
  - That argument - Davin L. - 9/3/2004 6:18:24 AM
    - If it has not been done despite 50 years of intense effort and a trillion dollars of investment, it may not be doable. (n/t) - David F Mayer - 9/3/2004 3:02:51 PM
      - But your still arguing up the wrong tree - Davin L. - 9/3/2004 3:36:01 PM

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