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.
he is not
“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… “
Dream on!
Swap out the 4000lbs battery in a Tesla Plaid and put in a 500 lbs Thorium Steam generator.
250 MW is 25485.5 bhp.
It’d be tough to keep that hooked to the ground even at 200 MPH.
I’d go “all in” on this idea.
Ah... Here we go. This makes more sense now...
https://matter2energy.wordpress.com/2013/11/11/thorium-laser-car-my-ass/
https://www.laserpowersystems.com/
Oh well... Back to dreaming about an -e car that actually works rather than expensive toy for idiots.
Exactly the opposite to what you said. Hydrogens auto ignition temp is twice that of petrol. It’s octane rating is also double.because of that. The issue with hydrogen is its nasty habit of embrittling iron compounds you know like steel. And its wide explosive air to H2 range from 4% to 74%.
https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1123676_the-8-differences-between-gasoline-and-hydrogen-engines
“Hydrogen’s automatic ignition temperatures are also much higher, around 500 degrees Celsius versus about 230 Celsius for gasoline. This means hydrogen has a higher octane, which allows the engine to run at higher compression ratios.”
This post brought to you by team Cummins...
https://www.cummins.com/news/2022/01/13/making-splash-hydrogen-internal-combustion-engines
So? All energy is not easily used in mobile application.
Hydrogen has the potential to be a mobil fuel source, similar to gasoline.
But, if we can get a 250 MW Thorium source, at less than 500 lbs, we don't need gasoline, jet fuel, diesel fuel, whatever. just use the power from the 250 MW source!
No need to tote a thorium power generator around. Build them for the home. Charge your electric vehicles with it.
Zero to sixty in...OOPS! What was that?
What conversion factor are you using? If I use 1 kW = 1.341 hp, I get 250,000 kW = 335,250 hp.
They must be using ceramic cylinders, or something like that. Hydrogen embrittlement is a bitch.
Maybe Titanium? Lined with Unobtainium?
There are several mass impact sites visible in North America.
Gulf of Mexico and Hudson Bay are most apparent, and yes absolutely catastrophic.
Impact around Hudson Bay was likely deep impact. There are large fault zones which correspond, as well as volcanism around parts of the Canadian Shield, Upper Midwest US, Onterio, all the way over to Quebec.
In many of these areas, we are talking large hard rock igneous, iron, copper, and uranium formations.
Since it was a steam engine, boiler hp rather than brake hp.
https://convertlive.com/u/convert/megawatts/to/boiler-horsepower#250
Drinking free bubble up and eating rainbow stew with a silver spoon.🙄
I think brake hp would be more appropriate for an automotive application. To be honest, I had never even heard of boiler horsepower, so I learned something today, thanks due to you.
Call it what you will, it’s an absurd amount of power for a car if it all went to the driveshaft. I suspect the writer might have meant 250 kW, or about 335 brake horsepower.
I was obviously misinformed! Thanks for the correction.
Considering the lead articles subject turned out to be vaporware... But still...
I like the idea of having an -e vehicle with onboard power generation. Just storage is stupid. Same reason we don’t use flywheels to store kinetic energy to power the drive train...
Exactly.🤔
That would be quite a powerplant. 250 MW is around 333,000 horsepower. It would give you zero to 60 times of around a few microseconds if you would find good enough tires.
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.