Comments on: Look up nuclear bottleneck in the dictionary…. http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/18/look-up-nuclear-bottleneck-in-the-dictionary/ The Latest on Climate Science, Solutions, and Politics Sat, 22 Nov 2008 04:52:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: Paul K http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/18/look-up-nuclear-bottleneck-in-the-dictionary/#comment-9621 Paul K Wed, 19 Mar 2008 04:18:43 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/18/look-up-nuclear-bottleneck-in-the-dictionary/#comment-9621 The extremely long term nuclear waste management problems are an even greater barrier to a nuclear solution. But where will we get our energy in 2050? The extremely long term nuclear waste management problems are an even greater barrier to a nuclear solution. But where will we get our energy in 2050?

]]> By: Jay Alt http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/18/look-up-nuclear-bottleneck-in-the-dictionary/#comment-9623 Jay Alt Wed, 19 Mar 2008 04:51:44 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/18/look-up-nuclear-bottleneck-in-the-dictionary/#comment-9623 Joe- Few, if any, US reactors have single-piece pressure vessels. They are welded together from individual forgings - ( e.g. welds @ N1, N2, N3, N4, N5 ) http://www.radona.de/images/1hpkm-fig%2026.jpg Volume III of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code states the requirements to forge, weld, inspect and otherwise process nuclear grade components. A single piece vessel bottom <i>is</i> better, with uniform corrosion resistance and impact resistance after irradiation. And those qualities have been very carefully controlled in weld joints. One piece construction is not a necessity, but I'm sure it makes a good selling point. There aren't very many US firms who could even make the smaller subcomponent forgings. Turbine rotor forgings are also critical. They have a long lead-time and are another potential bottle-neck. Joe-
Few, if any, US reactors have single-piece pressure vessels.

They are welded together from individual forgings - ( e.g. welds @ N1, N2, N3, N4, N5 )
http://www.radona.de/images/1hpkm-fig%2026.jpg

Volume III of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code states the requirements to forge, weld, inspect and otherwise process nuclear grade components.

A single piece vessel bottom is better, with uniform corrosion resistance and impact resistance after irradiation. And those qualities have been very carefully controlled in weld joints. One piece construction is not a necessity, but I’m sure it makes a good selling point. There aren’t very many US firms who could even make the smaller subcomponent forgings.

Turbine rotor forgings are also critical. They have a long lead-time and are another potential bottle-neck.

]]> By: Kirk Sorensen http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/18/look-up-nuclear-bottleneck-in-the-dictionary/#comment-9670 Kirk Sorensen Wed, 19 Mar 2008 17:17:05 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/18/look-up-nuclear-bottleneck-in-the-dictionary/#comment-9670 <i>The extremely long term nuclear waste management problems are an even greater barrier to a nuclear solution. But where will we get our energy in 2050?</i> Thorium--the solution to both questions. The liquid-fluoride thorium reactor operates at ambient pressure and doesn't need any of these high-pressure forgings, plus it is much smaller than a typical light-water reactor. The extremely long term nuclear waste management problems are an even greater barrier to a nuclear solution. But where will we get our energy in 2050?

Thorium–the solution to both questions.

The liquid-fluoride thorium reactor operates at ambient pressure and doesn’t need any of these high-pressure forgings, plus it is much smaller than a typical light-water reactor.

]]> By: Paul K http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/18/look-up-nuclear-bottleneck-in-the-dictionary/#comment-9739 Paul K Thu, 20 Mar 2008 09:00:19 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/18/look-up-nuclear-bottleneck-in-the-dictionary/#comment-9739 Kirk Sorensen. Are there any liquid-fluoride thorium reactors currently in operation? Kirk Sorensen.
Are there any liquid-fluoride thorium reactors currently in operation?

]]> By: Kirk Sorensen http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/18/look-up-nuclear-bottleneck-in-the-dictionary/#comment-9762 Kirk Sorensen Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:27:16 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/18/look-up-nuclear-bottleneck-in-the-dictionary/#comment-9762 <i>Are there any liquid-fluoride thorium reactors currently in operation?</i> No, today's nuclear reactors are the descendants of naval reactors that were not built for safety or efficiency, but for expediency. The present nuclear industry grew out of the naval reactor suppliers, who were convinced/bullied into building "civilian" versions of the same thing. The inventor of the light-water reactor, Alvin Weinberg, tried to convince the Navy not to push the light-water reactor for civilian deployment, but they ignored him. Instead, Weinberg was developing the fluoride reactor, which was an improvement on all counts except the one that really mattered to the Atomic Energy Commission: the ability to produce weapons-grade plutonium. This the fluoride reactor couldn't do, so the AEC undermined its development at every step and finally killed it in favor of a reactor that could do what they really wanted, while ostensibly fulfilling a civilian power mission: the liquid-metal fast breeder reactor. Charles Barton has an excellent series of posts on the historical background of this sorry era of nuclear development here: http://thoriumenergy.blogspot.com/2008/02/more-history-from-nuclear-green.html Are there any liquid-fluoride thorium reactors currently in operation?

No, today’s nuclear reactors are the descendants of naval reactors that were not built for safety or efficiency, but for expediency. The present nuclear industry grew out of the naval reactor suppliers, who were convinced/bullied into building “civilian” versions of the same thing.

The inventor of the light-water reactor, Alvin Weinberg, tried to convince the Navy not to push the light-water reactor for civilian deployment, but they ignored him. Instead, Weinberg was developing the fluoride reactor, which was an improvement on all counts except the one that really mattered to the Atomic Energy Commission: the ability to produce weapons-grade plutonium.

This the fluoride reactor couldn’t do, so the AEC undermined its development at every step and finally killed it in favor of a reactor that could do what they really wanted, while ostensibly fulfilling a civilian power mission: the liquid-metal fast breeder reactor.

Charles Barton has an excellent series of posts on the historical background of this sorry era of nuclear development here:

http://thoriumenergy.blogspot.com/ 2008/ 02/ more-history-from-nuclear-green.html

]]> By: Pitt http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/18/look-up-nuclear-bottleneck-in-the-dictionary/#comment-12809 Pitt Sat, 17 May 2008 13:28:11 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/18/look-up-nuclear-bottleneck-in-the-dictionary/#comment-12809 Just a note: it's misleading to say the company caters to "all nuclear reactor makers", as plenty of reactor types - such as CANDU reactors - don't even use that sort of high-pressure containment vessel. Just a note: it’s misleading to say the company caters to “all nuclear reactor makers”, as plenty of reactor types - such as CANDU reactors - don’t even use that sort of high-pressure containment vessel.

]]> By: kanagata http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/18/look-up-nuclear-bottleneck-in-the-dictionary/#comment-15000 kanagata Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:35:32 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/03/18/look-up-nuclear-bottleneck-in-the-dictionary/#comment-15000 In Japan,Hitachi Metals die steel”SLD MAGIC” becomes popular now.Hitachi won the BEST 10 New Prodacts Japan Brand. Prize of The Nikkan sinbunn in 2006 because of developed steel.Winning simultaneously was toyota Lexus LS460. The toughness ,wear-resistance,anti-distortion at heat treatment,machinability,weldabily of this steel is superior to other conventional die steel like a AISI D2.Hitachi developed this steel by using ultra mlti system alloy design. In Japan,Hitachi Metals die steel”SLD MAGIC” becomes popular now.Hitachi won the BEST 10 New Prodacts Japan Brand. Prize of The Nikkan sinbunn in 2006 because of developed steel.Winning simultaneously was toyota Lexus LS460.
The toughness ,wear-resistance,anti-distortion at heat treatment,machinability,weldabily of this steel is superior to other conventional die steel like a AISI D2.Hitachi developed this steel by using ultra mlti system alloy design.

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