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Nuclear powered ships are a reality (there are several hundred out there), and how to use nuclear power for process heat ("chemicals") is pretty obvious. Cargo

by 08-15 6y ago

Nuclear powered ships are a reality (there are several hundred out there), and how to use nuclear power for process heat ("chemicals") is pretty obvious. Cargo should move to rail, because we already have nuclear powered trains, the last mile can be handled by battery-electric trucks. Steel is already made in electric furnaces. That leaves a few high temperature chemical processes (pig iron, cement) and aviation that depend on hydrocarbons. Don't you think we can figure those few out after we decarbonize the electric grid, space heating, industrial process heat, bulk transportation, fertilizer manufacturing, and few more low hanging fruit I probably forget?

freezing_coffee 6y ago
Your arguments for transport sound reasonable and would be the best case scenario. Nonetheless, nuclear power is dangerous and not widely used in shipping. The ships that have nuclear reactors are either warships, where cost is not a factor, or huge ice breakers to enable shipping routes in northern russia. There is a push towards mobile power plants, but they have severe limitations, but could be an intermediary solution to help balance grids? I'm not sold here. Nice presentation of nuclear based ships - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilbOrNrAhOA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilbOrNrAhOA . For chemical processes we have a lot more work to do. While electric furnaces are used in steel production, they are used for recycling, not production of new steel. For this we need to use a reducing fuel for the iron oxide, which is usually carbon monoxide derived from coal. There are hydrogen based alternatives in development, but not widely used.
- 08-15 6y ago
  > nuclear power is dangerous ... in shipping No, it isn't. There hasn't been a single fatal incident. > not production of new steel. For this we need to use a reducing fuel for the iron oxide, which is usually carbon monoxide derived from coal Yes, production of new steel. Steel is made from pig iron by oxidizing the carbon, with the optional addition of alloying elements. No reductant is needed, quite the opposite. If you're going to nitpick, do it correctly! Now pig iron is a different story, which is why I didn't mention it. Are you really trying to say that because nuclear power can't do everything, it shouldn't be used for anything?

by 08-15 6y ago

freezing_coffee 6y ago

Your arguments for transport sound reasonable and would be the best case scenario. Nonetheless, nuclear power is dangerous and not widely used in shipping. The ships that have nuclear reactors are either warships, where cost is not a factor, or huge ice breakers to enable shipping routes in northern russia. There is a push towards mobile power plants, but they have severe limitations, but could be an intermediary solution to help balance grids? I'm not sold here. Nice presentation of nuclear based ships - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilbOrNrAhOA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilbOrNrAhOA . For chemical processes we have a lot more work to do. While electric furnaces are used in steel production, they are used for recycling, not production of new steel. For this we need to use a reducing fuel for the iron oxide, which is usually carbon monoxide derived from coal. There are hydrogen based alternatives in development, but not widely used.

08-15 6y ago
> nuclear power is dangerous ... in shipping No, it isn't. There hasn't been a single fatal incident. > not production of new steel. For this we need to use a reducing fuel for the iron oxide, which is usually carbon monoxide derived from coal Yes, production of new steel. Steel is made from pig iron by oxidizing the carbon, with the optional addition of alloying elements. No reductant is needed, quite the opposite. If you're going to nitpick, do it correctly! Now pig iron is a different story, which is why I didn't mention it. Are you really trying to say that because nuclear power can't do everything, it shouldn't be used for anything?