4 ms·

The UK should build dozens of Rolls Royce SMRs each year, and setup a factory line for them with multiple in simultaneous construction. If we value our civiliza

The UK should build dozens of Rolls Royce SMRs each year, and setup a factory line for them with multiple in simultaneous construction. If we value our civilization, we would be building hundreds of units a year for use across the Western world. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/oct/15/uk-poised-to-confirm-funding-for-mini-nuclear-reactors-for-green-energy https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/oct/15/uk-poised-t... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_modular_reactor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_modular_reactor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_small_modular_reactor_designs#Rolls-Royce_SMR https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_small_modular_reactor_... https://www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk/ https://www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk/ 470MW per unit, 2 years to build, 2 years to install. 1.8 billion pounds each. With just 64 units, combined with some renewables and storage (ideally allowing EVs to smart charge/discharge based on grid conditions), the UK would be completely energy secure for 115billion pounds.

EwanToo 5y ago
It seems more and more likely they'll do this as part of the same announcement https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/oct/15/uk-poised-to-confirm-funding-for-mini-nuclear-reactors-for-green-energy https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/oct/15/uk-poised-t...
rich_sasha 5y ago
I’m really keen to see how that plays out. As someone pointed out before on HN, various NATO countries, US especially, churn out small reactors for their navies, apparently with great success. These reactors are built on time, roughly in budget, work, and aren’t failing all over the place. That’s a fair few data points showing that SMRs ought to be very viable. Just... not here yet :)
- Gwypaas 5y ago
  The navies also use fuel enriched up to the level of a nuclear weapon, supposedly about 97% for the US navy [0] making more energy dense designs possible. Weapons-grade are usually said to be above 90%. Wouldn't want those reactors placed in unstable regions. [0]: https://web.archive.org/web/20070209223424/http://www.nti.org/e_research/e3_74.html https://web.archive.org/web/20070209223424/http://www.nti.or...
  - rich_sasha 5y ago
    Does the higher enrichment make them somehow easier to build, or safer? If not, my point stands, I’m not suggesting to copy the designs, rather that mass produced reactors can be viable.
    - QuarterReptile 5y ago
      It supports designs that are very safe, but most reactors for commercial power don't need to be able to safely collide with underwater mountains.
      - rich_sasha 5y ago
        Interesting, are there any articles you could point an amateur nuclear enthusiast at?
        QuarterReptile 5y ago
        The Wikipedia article is worth a read for some considerations [0]. If you haven't read section 3 of the Navy's Applied Engineering Principles manual [1], that's a good place to start thinking about what highly enriched uranium buys you in your core design. To my knowledge, you can't really read about the many safety systems attached to and around the Navy reactors. 0.https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_naval_reactors https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_naval_reactors 1. (https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Portals/103/Documents/NNPTC/Electrical%2520Eng/applied_ee_v1.pdf&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwizmYykx9HzAhXcmmoFHehDAI4QFnoECAUQAg&usg=AOvVaw3B1wYqDy4ApFSsF2e8C8FJ https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Por...)
pjc50 5y ago
_If_ this works, it would be great. How many of them have been built so far?

EwanToo 5y ago

It seems more and more likely they'll do this as part of the same announcement https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/oct/15/uk-poised-to-confirm-funding-for-mini-nuclear-reactors-for-green-energy https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/oct/15/uk-poised-t...

rich_sasha 5y ago

I’m really keen to see how that plays out. As someone pointed out before on HN, various NATO countries, US especially, churn out small reactors for their navies, apparently with great success. These reactors are built on time, roughly in budget, work, and aren’t failing all over the place. That’s a fair few data points showing that SMRs ought to be very viable. Just... not here yet :)

Gwypaas 5y ago
The navies also use fuel enriched up to the level of a nuclear weapon, supposedly about 97% for the US navy [0] making more energy dense designs possible. Weapons-grade are usually said to be above 90%. Wouldn't want those reactors placed in unstable regions. [0]: https://web.archive.org/web/20070209223424/http://www.nti.org/e_research/e3_74.html https://web.archive.org/web/20070209223424/http://www.nti.or...
- rich_sasha 5y ago
  Does the higher enrichment make them somehow easier to build, or safer? If not, my point stands, I’m not suggesting to copy the designs, rather that mass produced reactors can be viable.
  - QuarterReptile 5y ago
    It supports designs that are very safe, but most reactors for commercial power don't need to be able to safely collide with underwater mountains.
    - rich_sasha 5y ago
      Interesting, are there any articles you could point an amateur nuclear enthusiast at?
      - QuarterReptile 5y ago
        The Wikipedia article is worth a read for some considerations [0]. If you haven't read section 3 of the Navy's Applied Engineering Principles manual [1], that's a good place to start thinking about what highly enriched uranium buys you in your core design. To my knowledge, you can't really read about the many safety systems attached to and around the Navy reactors. 0.https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_naval_reactors https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_naval_reactors 1. (https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Portals/103/Documents/NNPTC/Electrical%2520Eng/applied_ee_v1.pdf&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwizmYykx9HzAhXcmmoFHehDAI4QFnoECAUQAg&usg=AOvVaw3B1wYqDy4ApFSsF2e8C8FJ https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Por...)

pjc50 5y ago

_If_ this works, it would be great. How many of them have been built so far?