Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

If the Japanese can’t build a safe reactor, who can?
The Washington Post ^ | March 14, 2011

Posted on 04/08/2011 4:35:37 PM PDT by matt04

click here to read article


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 last
To: dennisw
Here is some information on the Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor. It seems to represent a better nuclear energy production alternative.
61 posted on 04/08/2011 6:08:30 PM PDT by reg45
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: ransomnote
The Russian Committee of Liquidators stated that 100 000 liquidators have died over the past two decades as a result of their work at and around Chernobyl

Besides, we need real death estimates from real sources, not lawyer propaganda.

If you listen to lawyers, 100,000 people die each day due to toenail infections caught at the local gym.

62 posted on 04/08/2011 6:11:17 PM PDT by SteamShovel (The RADIATION PIMPS...are RATS in compassionate clothes.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: listenhillary

“suggweing”?? Have you been drinking? Too funny.


63 posted on 04/08/2011 6:11:27 PM PDT by khnyny (The mystery of government is not how Washington works but how to make it stop. P. J. O'Rourke)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]

To: dennisw
A 40+ year old GE design back from when you still saw Edsels on the road. Much better safer designs since then

What about the pools for the used fuel rods? They ran out of water too.

64 posted on 04/08/2011 6:25:28 PM PDT by Moonman62 (Half of all Americans are above average. Politicians come from the other half.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: All


Have YOU Donated To FR Yet?

65 posted on 04/08/2011 6:26:38 PM PDT by musicman (Until I see the REAL Long Form Vault BC, he's just "PRES__ENT" Obama = Without "ID")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: listenhillary
Even the founder of greenpeace says so.

Really? Even the found of greenpeace says so? And you are supposedly a conservative FR poster? Have another martini...please..be my guest...
66 posted on 04/08/2011 6:31:18 PM PDT by khnyny (The mystery of government is not how Washington works but how to make it stop. P. J. O'Rourke)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]

To: khnyny
“nuclear power has never been all that safe. Flame away aholes.”

Nice.
You evidently haven't gotten on board with this electricity thingy have you?

What type of Amish are you again?

67 posted on 04/08/2011 6:31:44 PM PDT by HereInTheHeartland (Yes We Can, have smaller government)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: khnyny

That was a horrible typo. I pulled the trigger, saw it and said “darn”.


68 posted on 04/08/2011 6:42:38 PM PDT by listenhillary (Social Justice is the epitome of injustice.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: khnyny

I’m drinking wimp Michalobe Ultra beer. A martini sounds very nice though. You’re buying right?

Co-Founder of Greenpeace Envisions a Nuclear Future
http://www.wired.com/science/planetearth/news/2007/11/moore_qa

Greenpeace founder: I was wrong about nuclear power
http://blogs.chron.com/sciguy/archives/2006/04/greenpeace_foun.html

Greenpeace Co-Founder Now Proponent Of Nuclear Energy
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/15/greenpeace-co-founder-now_n_96730.html


69 posted on 04/08/2011 6:47:12 PM PDT by listenhillary (Social Justice is the epitome of injustice.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: khnyny

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/02/08/patrick_moore_greenpeace_dropout/


70 posted on 04/08/2011 6:48:16 PM PDT by fred2008
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: listenhillary; fred2008

I appreciate the research and the links. Thanks. Have a great weekend.


71 posted on 04/08/2011 6:51:27 PM PDT by khnyny (The mystery of government is not how Washington works but how to make it stop. P. J. O'Rourke)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: Retired Chemist
The failed reactors were designed by General Electric.

Well I guess that makes it all better.

72 posted on 04/08/2011 6:55:28 PM PDT by Doe Eyes
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: matt04

Funny thing is they were 40 years old with inferior safety systems to the current reactors. Then they were hit with a disaster way beyond the design parameters. This set of circumstances combined to show just how safe new systems (which don’t rely on external power for shutdown in the event of a disaster).

The issue is that politicians and journalist typically are illiterates when it comes to science and technology.


73 posted on 04/08/2011 7:41:23 PM PDT by Leto
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Doe Eyes

Yes, especially since about 1/4 of the reactors in the US are of the same design:

“David Lochbaum, chief nuclear safety officer with the Union of Concerned Scientists, has repeatedly questioned the safety of the Fukushima I Plant’s General Electric Mark 1 reactor design, which is used in almost a quarter of the United States’ nuclear fleet.
In March 2011, nuclear experts told Congress that spent-fuel pools at US nuclear power plants are too full. They say the entire US spent-fuel policy should be overhauled in light of the Fukushima I nuclear accidents.[39]”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_power_in_the_United_States


74 posted on 04/08/2011 7:42:23 PM PDT by ransomnote
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 72 | View Replies]

To: fred2008

You are correct, sir. Thorium is the solution. It is almost criminal that the U.S. is not in the forefront of this technology.


75 posted on 04/08/2011 7:43:36 PM PDT by Texas Mulerider (Rap music: hieroglyphics with a beat.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: matt04

Reality is a “Model A Ford” design did exactly what it was supposed to do and has yet to kill anyone; despite a catastrophic crash. Rasther than rant about the faults/design/safety of that Model A ask, “ why aren’t we replacing these dinosaurs with Gen 3 / Gen 4 systems ? “

We have the knowledge, we have the industrial capacity, and we have the materials and resources to produce small, efficient, safe gas-cooled reactors capable of siting near demand and using everything from recovered “spent fuel” to salvaged weapon materials as fissile materials safely. (BTW, current systems utilize less than 30% of the “fuel” before its put into storage - where some want to bury it forever out of reach.) >PS


76 posted on 04/08/2011 7:49:17 PM PDT by PiperShade
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Doe Eyes

The point of this thread is that safe nuclear reactors designs exist now.

The author of the article is an idiot as he starts with the false premise that Japan designed these reactors. They didn’t. The design is 50 years old and it took a 9.0 earthquake to take out poorly designed back up systems that cooled the used fuel rods. The plants shut down as the should have and would likely be running today if the diesel generators and the diesel fuel were placed on top of the buildings.

If you’re an anti nuke nut, call your electric company Monday morning and tell them you don’t need their services anymore as you’re going to generate all of your own electricity. Or if they have a green energy plan, you can pay $.02 or $.03 cents more per kilowatt to buy only green energy.

That way you can put your money where your mouth is.


77 posted on 04/08/2011 7:50:57 PM PDT by listenhillary (Social Justice is the epitome of injustice.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 72 | View Replies]

To: Doe Eyes

Welcome to the thread, Doe Eyes.

I think you’ll notice that we are a diverse group here on this thread. For example, in response to the 8 words you posted, I feel no compulsion whatsoever to
1) instruct you as to the point of this thread
2) hint that you are a nut of any kind
3) instruct you to modify your household electricity plan
4) imply that you have said more than you actually said
so I can suggest that you put your money where your mouth is

Here we are, from various walks of life, perspectives, degrees of civility etc. Welcome.


78 posted on 04/08/2011 8:40:13 PM PDT by ransomnote
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 72 | View Replies]

To: dennisw

The reactors were shut down. they normally work at 1.4 gigawatts (1,400 Mega watts) and when shut down, were still giving off 1.4 megawatts, because of the residual radioactivity of reaction byproducts in the fuel rods. That is what has been boiling the water. The radioactive Uranium reaction products themselves react and are consumed, with the power level dropping by about a factor of 2 every 7 days. The reaction workers are doing a good job of keeping the reactors under control as they wait for the reaction products to themselves react.


79 posted on 04/09/2011 5:05:15 AM PDT by donmeaker ("Get off my lawn." Clint Eastwood, Green Ford Torino)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Texas Mulerider
Thanks.

The long presentation by Kirk Sorensen is worthwhile viewing. He explains a lot of things about what has happened and how he got interested in Thorium reactors.

The medical side of the equation is outstanding... Also, I think he is spot on regarding desalinization of salt water as future need.

80 posted on 04/09/2011 5:29:48 PM PDT by fred2008
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 75 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson