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That could possibly help replace oil. But we don't produce electricity with internal combustion engines, or at least not very often. How does that help our large scale electrical needs?
According to this article, they are at about 10% efficiency. Apparently, 50% efficiency would put it competitive with oil as energy. Admittedly, the article is a bit old, so I don't know exactly where they are now with it. There aren't that many articles available, really. But it seems to all focus on replacing oil as a fuel for cars, not much about replacing power plants.
Last edited by stanman13; 08-16-2010 at 08:39 PM..
That could possibly help replace oil. But we don't produce electricity with internal combustion engines, or at least not very often. How does that help our large scale electrical needs?
According to this article, they are at about 10% efficiency. Apparently, 50% efficiency would put it competitive with oil as energy. Admittedly, the article is a bit old, so I don't know exactly where they are now with it. There aren't that many articles available, really. But it seems to all focus on replacing oil as a fuel for cars, not much about replacing power plants.
here is a more updated article from popsci, the fourth gen bioful is now 80% as powerful as fuel, i know wiki isnt that trust worthy, but just google it if you dont believe me.
I do like this as a potential replacement for gas/diesel, but it still is a way off in the future before it becomes economically viable, according to both articles. And I still don't see where it is at all viable as a method for producing large-scale electric power, and I have not seen that possibility mentioned in any article I have read about it. I would support it for cars, but I still support nuclear for electric.
it woudl be better to build a bethonal algea fuel processing plant, honestly no hazard waste, and unlimited clean energy.
Only problem would be that in the best case scenario, which IMHO is unlikely, this approach would only solve our transportation needs at it's most optimistic.
Fusion Power is the answer for our long term electrical needs with only limited waste with short half-lifes. Also the fuel supply is virtually unlimited.
There are MANY older SCIENCE threads which go into far more detail on FUSION POWER as well as it's possibilities to end our species energy crisis with NO carbon footprint at all.
I think it's pretty premature to be planning on generating a significant percentage of commercial electricity with fusion power. That's like talking about replacing ICE engines with nuclear batteries before the first fission pile achieved criticality in Chicago. Things probably aren't going to turn out the way you plan when you start trying to look 4-or-5 generations of down the line of a technology's evolution.
I agree with the OP that nuclear power should replace coal as this country's baseload power source. Then again, I think you'll find that 9 out of 10 engineers will say the same thing. Looking at the cost-benefit analysis, it's simple mathematics which leads you to this conclusion. It's the squishy non-STEM folks that need convincing.
I think it's pretty premature to be planning on generating a significant percentage of commercial electricity with fusion power. That's like talking about replacing ICE engines with nuclear batteries before the first fission pile achieved criticality in Chicago. Things probably aren't going to turn out the way you plan when you start trying to look 4-or-5 generations of down the line of a technology's evolution.
I agree with the OP that nuclear power should replace coal as this country's baseload power source. Then again, I think you'll find that 9 out of 10 engineers will say the same thing. Looking at the cost-benefit analysis, it's simple mathematics which leads you to this conclusion. It's the squishy non-STEM folks that need convincing.
LOL.....I AM the OP......FUSION POWER is the answer....I never said it's right around the corner; however we are far closer to commercialization than many posters realize......ITER will soon be finished(construction began in 2008) to show commercial and engineering viability. IF we were to employ a "Manhattan Project" type of urgency to this technology it would be online much faster>>>>> ITER - the way to new energy
I'm looking forward to it. Today we were talking about the various stages of LOCAs and what sort of modeling is needed to predict reactor behavior. When you start talking about generating ZrOx and H2 nobody's thinking happy thoughts.
You mean a Loss Of Coolant Accident.......A gaseous release????? Zirconium(Zircaloy) alloy melting?????? Zirconium DiOxide??????. And Deteurium?????? Are you referring to Fission OR Fusion power. ZrO2 is related to Fission Reactors and Deuterium is a Fusion Fuel. I'm confused a bit....could you be more specific?????
H2 not 2H. I meant free hydrogen generated from the oxidization of the Zr in the (melted) cladding by dissociated coolant water.
I meant to intimate a very advanced stage of a major LOCA, because that's nicer to say than "meltdown". Like one where a pressurized fuel jet is now uh "squirting" out of the core vessel and you're trying to model whether the containment structure will remain intact with the ugly soup you've got inside. You know, somewhere between TMI and Chernobyl, but closer to the latter.
All fission. I have no idea about the problems with a Fusion reactor. I thought, if you have a problem where you lose containment on the fuel they just go "pop" and the plasma burns out almost instantaneously, like a big toroidal lightbulb. No mess. Nothing hot. Nothing (really) radioactive. Is that not the case?
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......FUSION POWER is the answer....I never said it's right around the corner; however we are far closer to commercialization than many posters realize......ITER will soon be finished(construction began in 2008) to show commercial and engineering viability. IF we were to employ a "Manhattan Project" type of urgency to this technology it would be online much faster>>>>>
