Nuclear Fusion-Fission Hybrid Could Destroy Nuclear Waste

[Zachstar]

http://www.utexas.edu/news/2009/01/27/nuclear_hybrid/

AUSTIN, Texas — Physicists at The University of Texas at Austin have designed a new system that, when fully developed, would use fusion to eliminate most of the transuranic waste produced by nuclear power plants.

This is extremely good news and deserves every penny of money that can be thrown at it.

Now I doubt this will mean net positive energy. Its easy to produce a plasma and a boatload of neutrons in these vessels but not net energy. Even when you are burning the remains.

No I am not saying this will lead to thousands of new plants. But this will mean that Yucca mountain will be the only place that has to become a radioactive hellhole. The faster we can get rid of this crap the better!

[UnderseaLcpl]

Originally Posted by Zachstar

This is extremely good news and deserves every penny of money that can be thrown at it.

You worry me when you say things like that

I don't really understand why you don't think there will be any net positive energy though. If one of these can burn the waste from 10 to 15 light water reactors, as they claim, or even if it can only burn the waste from one, surely the additional nukes would provide a net gain?

[Zachstar]

Originally Posted by UnderseaLcpl

You worry me when you say things like that

I don't really understand why you don't think there will be any net positive energy though. If one of these can burn the waste from 10 to 15 light water reactors, as they claim, or even if it can only burn the waste from one, surely the additional nukes would provide a net gain?

LWRs are pretty good at getting the "good stuff" the sludge I hear has not all that much energy potential. And the idea is to burn this slow so you roast everything and not get left with a bunch of short lived super radioactive crap contaminating everything. Even with the fusion helping it would take years to burn that much material.

[SandyCaesar]

Actually, waste-burning power plants aren't even an old idea. Look up the Integral Fast Reactor program from the 1980s: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integral_Fast_Reactor

Closed-fuel system, high level of safety, proven record? I'd buy that. But apparently there are "proliferation" concerns, as it is technically a breeder reactor, and everybody knows that breeders are evil, nasty things whose sole purpose is to create weapons-grade.

[UnderseaLcpl]

Originally Posted by SandyCaesar

Actually, waste-burning power plants aren't even an old idea. Look up the Integral Fast Reactor program from the 1980s: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integral_Fast_Reactor

Closed-fuel system, high level of safety, proven record? I'd buy that. But apparently there are "proliferation" concerns, as it is technically a breeder reactor, and everybody knows that breeders are evil, nasty things whose sole purpose is to create weapons-grade.

You are correct in asserting that fast-breeders have a lot of potential. Zachstar will disagree, though.

[Zachstar]

I have no serious issue with breeders. But its one of the #1 talked about things in anti-nuc circles tho. I think we will see a fusion-fission hybrid long before we see too many of those.

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by Zachstar

radioactive hellhole