Scientists develop more powerful nuclear fuel
By Scott DiSavino
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. researchers have designed a reactor fuel that they believe can make nuclear power plants 50 percent more powerful and safer, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said.
Researchers say their new technology should be ready for commercial use in existing reactors in about 10 years.
In a nuclear reactor, the fission of uranium atoms provides heat used to produce steam for generating electricity.
Already, one pickup truck full of uranium fuel in a nuclear reactor can supply a city with enough electricity for a year. The MIT scientists believe they have found a way to make the fuel go even further, boosting output by about 50 percent.
Uranium fuel typically is formed into cylindrical ceramic pellets about half-inch in diameter. The pellets look like a smooth, black version of food pellets for small animals. [...]
1 comment:
What they are talking about is extracting more energy from the same amount of uranium, and making the nuclear fuel slightly less susceptable to the meltdown phenomenon. That's good from the cost standpoint and the safety standpoint. However, it does not mean that nuclear reactors will increase their actual power output at any given moment by 50%. They will just run longer on the same load of fuel. All the non-nuclear parts in a large power plant (whether coal or nuclear) are built with a certain maximum power output in mind. You can inch power up a little and stay within safety limits, but not 50%. In layman's terms, you'll go farther on a gallon of gas, but you'll still have to drive the speed limit.
There are few among pundits or the public who understand the real world of electric power production. If you'd like an entertaining guide, see my novel Rad Decision at http://RadDecicison.blogspot.com. It's free to readers - who seem to like it judging from their comments.
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