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Are You Ready For: The Thorium-Laser-Steam-Turbine Electric Powertrain?
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com ^ | August 11, 2011 | Edward Niedermeyer

Posted on 04/19/2022 9:04:06 AM PDT by Red Badger

Steampunks and Atomic Age nuts rejoice!

WardsAuto reports that Connecticut-based Laser Power Systems is “getting closer” to developing a prototype electric car which develops its power using the radioactive heavy metal Thorium. According to LPS’s CEO, when thorium is heated by an external source, it becomes so dense its molecules give off considerable heat. Small blocks of thorium generate heat surges that are configured as a thorium-based laser… These create steam from water within mini-turbines, generating electricity to drive a car. A 250 MW unit weighing about 500 lbs. (227 kg) would be small and light enough to drop under the hood of a car… Because thorium is so dense, similar to uranium, it stores considerable potential energy: 1 gm of thorium equals the energy of 7,500 gallons (28,391 L) of gasoline. Prototype systems generate electricity within 30 seconds of firing a laser. This can feed power into a car, without the need for storage.

What about radioactivity? LPS says Thorium’s low levels could be blocked with aluminum foil. Yes, tinfoil. Terrorism? Because the Thorium is not superheated, it does not produce fissile material. Where does Thorium come from? Let’s just say the US has the world’s largest known reserves. General safety? The U.S. Geological Survey’s former senior advisor on rare earths calls the concept “both plausible and sensible.” So why aren’t we driving around thorium-laser-turbine EVs already? According to LPS CEO Charles Stevens.

“The issue is having a customized application that is purpose-made,” he says, admitting that developing a portable and usable turbine and generator is proving to be a tougher task than the laser-thorium unit.

“How do you take the laser and put these things together efficiently?” he asks rhetorically. But once that is achieved, “This car will run for a million miles. The car will wear out before the engine. There is no oil, no emissions – nothing.”

Sounds great… but we’re not holding our breath just yet.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: science; thorium
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1 posted on 04/19/2022 9:04:06 AM PDT by Red Badger
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To: Red Badger

We’re going back to Stanley Steamers!


2 posted on 04/19/2022 9:05:51 AM PDT by Carriage Hill (A society grows great when old men plant trees, in whose shade they know they will never sit.)
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To: Red Badger
This has a sphere manufactured from water ice crystal's chance in a very hot, fiery environment of ever being commercially implemented.


3 posted on 04/19/2022 9:10:37 AM PDT by Yo-Yo (Is the /Sarc tag really necessary? Pray for President Biden: Psalm 109:8)
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To: carriage_hill

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/tem46

There’s thorium in Florida.


4 posted on 04/19/2022 9:11:45 AM PDT by packagingguy
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To: Red Badger

Suppose the biggest deposit of Thorium is in Ukraine?


5 posted on 04/19/2022 9:11:45 AM PDT by Does so (https://youtu.be/3PxEWB6W8ig ......Uke's Independence Day Parade. Anthem starts at 15:00)
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To: Red Badger
. A 250 MW unit weighing about 500 lbs. (227 kg) would be small and light enough to drop under the hood of a car…

Or in a small shed in the back yard?

If is being considered for vehicle use, it must be affordable.

But that would mean the average household would be independent of the power grid.

Prog government types would never let that happen on a universal scale.

Gotta keep the peons dependent.

.

6 posted on 04/19/2022 9:12:00 AM PDT by TLI (ITINERIS IMPENDEO VALHALLA)
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To: Red Badger

7 posted on 04/19/2022 9:14:30 AM PDT by SlipperySlope99
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To: Red Badger

https://youtu.be/02nAH_oAjeg

Don Felder- Heavy Metal


8 posted on 04/19/2022 9:16:13 AM PDT by waterhill (Resist)
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To: Red Badger

.


9 posted on 04/19/2022 9:18:19 AM PDT by sauropod (o may we start? It's timel to start. High time to start.)
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To: Red Badger
Are You Ready For: The Thorium-Laser-Steam-Turbine Electric Powertrain?

Sure, sharks with lasers on their heads aren't doing it for me.

10 posted on 04/19/2022 9:18:31 AM PDT by Steely Tom ([Voter Fraud] == [Civil War])
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To: Red Badger; Kevmo

Paging Kevmo


11 posted on 04/19/2022 9:22:58 AM PDT by TexasGator (UF)
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To: Red Badger

250MW!

Good grief, sounds more like instead of plugging your car in to charge, the entire city plugs in to your car for their power -


12 posted on 04/19/2022 9:24:18 AM PDT by patriotfury ((May the fleas of a thousand camels occupy mo' ham mads tents!) )
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To: Red Badger

“A 250 MW unit weighing about 500 lbs. (227 kg) would be small and light enough to drop under the hood of a car…”

That’s over 335,000 horsepower. I want one!


13 posted on 04/19/2022 9:26:37 AM PDT by HartleyMBaldwin
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To: TLI
But that would mean the average household would be independent of the power grid.

Government always finds a way of taxing everything.

You own your home, but, government will tax it forever.

You own your car? But you get taxed when you buy it and when you sell it, and when you pay for its fuel.

Thorium powered vehicles, yep!, government will tax it forever, even if you bought it hundreds of years ago.
14 posted on 04/19/2022 9:27:31 AM PDT by adorno
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To: packagingguy

There was also uranium and iron in shallow sedimentary strata in Florida, as well as locations around the Gulf of Mexico.

Hmmm...

I wonder what that may point to in the past...?


15 posted on 04/19/2022 9:28:07 AM PDT by patriotfury ((May the fleas of a thousand camels occupy mo' ham mads tents!) )
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To: carriage_hill

Doble is where it’s at.

Someone long should’ve been working on that system to make steam more viable for every-day usage. Steam is extremely powerful. Still powers most large things today - especially the “power grid”.


16 posted on 04/19/2022 9:38:51 AM PDT by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Federal-run medical care is as good as state-run DMVd)
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To: Red Badger

A quick solution that might ease the transition from internal combustion engines would be to use the energy to separate hydrogen from water and use the hydrogen in combustion engines until we don’t need them anymore.


17 posted on 04/19/2022 9:41:24 AM PDT by Mr. K (No consequence of repealing obamacare is worse than obamacare itself)
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To: Red Badger

No oil, no emissions – nothing

Biden keeps talking about cars with gas engines but never talks about city street cars in large cities like they had in the 30’ to the 60’s.
Here in LA they bitch like hell when ever somebody wants to install one between the freeways but want another lane.


18 posted on 04/19/2022 9:46:31 AM PDT by Vaduz ( )
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To: Mr. K

“A quick solution that might ease the transition from internal combustion engines would be to use the energy to separate hydrogen from water and use the hydrogen in combustion engines until we don’t need them anymore.”

That’s ridiculous. It takes more power to seperate it than you get back out.


19 posted on 04/19/2022 9:55:26 AM PDT by babygene (hMake America Great Again)
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To: Mr. K

“A quick solution that might ease the transition from internal combustion engines would be to use the energy to separate hydrogen from water and use the hydrogen in combustion engines until we don’t need them anymore.”

That’s ridiculous. It takes more power to seperate it than you get back out.


20 posted on 04/19/2022 9:56:00 AM PDT by babygene (hMake America Great Again)
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