5 ms·

So for a 3GW pebble bed reactor, we’re looking at a core the size of small house instead of a master bedroom? I don’t see a huge difference here; it’s the same

So for a 3GW pebble bed reactor, we’re looking at a core the size of small house instead of a master bedroom? I don’t see a huge difference here; it’s the same amount of everything else (cooling, pumps, turbines, security) since it produces the same amount of heat/power.

cyberax 2y ago
> So for a 3GW pebble bed reactor, we’re looking at a core the size of small house instead of a master bedroom? No, we're looking at a core the size of a small residential tower. Probably around 30 meters in height.
- JojoFatsani 2y ago
  That’s not too big man
  - pfdietz 2y ago
    It is, when you consider the problem of dealing with spent pebbles. These are not like the fuel rods of a LWR that occupy a fraction of a much smaller volume. The dry casks to store them would be immense.
  - Etheryte 2y ago
    One room worth of radioactive waste vs a residential tower worth of radioactive waste is a big difference.
    - JumpCrisscross 2y ago
      > One room worth of radioactive waste vs a residential tower worth of radioactive waste is a big difference Most nuclear waste is stuff near the reactor, not the fuel per se. And nuclear waste isn't the Armageddon stuff it's portrayed as in mass media. If this works, waste volume won't be an issue.
      - akira2501 2y ago
        > Most nuclear waste is stuff near the reactor, And now your containment has a much larger surface area. > And nuclear waste isn't the Armageddon stuff it's portrayed as in mass media. When it's contained. Uncontained waste has been the source of multiple tragedies. > waste volume won't be an issue. Process frequency will be.
        JumpCrisscross 2y ago
        > Uncontained waste has been the source of multiple tragedies In the way rolled steel has. We still roll steel, though, because despite the tragedies having narrative heft they're infrequent and small relative to the benefits of the product.
        akira2501 2y ago
        > they're infrequent and small So far. Now you're introducing new technology. Are you comfortable prognosticating that it always will? Are there no lessons to be learned from previous tragedies, in particular, how _small_ radioactive sources are _way_ more dangerous due to peoples inability to identify them and tendency to pick them up? You introduce medical radiation sources into a country without radiation controls and just a few years later you have an outbreak of tragedies. I'd rather not learn the lesson again the hard way.
        JumpCrisscross 2y ago
        > Are you comfortable prognosticating that it always will? Much more than accepting the deadly status quo! > Are there no lessons to be learned from previous tragedies Sure there are. Never take any risks ever isn't one of them. > how _small_ radioactive sources are _way_ more dangerous due to peoples inability to identify them and tendency to pick them up? You're describing MRIs more than nuclear power plants, which also produce lots of small nuclear waste.
        LargoLasskhyfv 2y ago
- lambdasquirrel 2y ago
  Sounds terrible for a relatively dense place like Western Europe or Japan, but I think this would be fine in the US and China.
  - LargoLasskhyfv 2y ago
    Why is that? Are current powerplants built in prime real estate of downtown?

cyberax 2y ago

> So for a 3GW pebble bed reactor, we’re looking at a core the size of small house instead of a master bedroom? No, we're looking at a core the size of a small residential tower. Probably around 30 meters in height.

JojoFatsani 2y ago
That’s not too big man
- pfdietz 2y ago
  It is, when you consider the problem of dealing with spent pebbles. These are not like the fuel rods of a LWR that occupy a fraction of a much smaller volume. The dry casks to store them would be immense.
- Etheryte 2y ago
  One room worth of radioactive waste vs a residential tower worth of radioactive waste is a big difference.
  - JumpCrisscross 2y ago
    > One room worth of radioactive waste vs a residential tower worth of radioactive waste is a big difference Most nuclear waste is stuff near the reactor, not the fuel per se. And nuclear waste isn't the Armageddon stuff it's portrayed as in mass media. If this works, waste volume won't be an issue.
    - akira2501 2y ago
      > Most nuclear waste is stuff near the reactor, And now your containment has a much larger surface area. > And nuclear waste isn't the Armageddon stuff it's portrayed as in mass media. When it's contained. Uncontained waste has been the source of multiple tragedies. > waste volume won't be an issue. Process frequency will be.
      - JumpCrisscross 2y ago
        > Uncontained waste has been the source of multiple tragedies In the way rolled steel has. We still roll steel, though, because despite the tragedies having narrative heft they're infrequent and small relative to the benefits of the product.
        akira2501 2y ago
        > they're infrequent and small So far. Now you're introducing new technology. Are you comfortable prognosticating that it always will? Are there no lessons to be learned from previous tragedies, in particular, how _small_ radioactive sources are _way_ more dangerous due to peoples inability to identify them and tendency to pick them up? You introduce medical radiation sources into a country without radiation controls and just a few years later you have an outbreak of tragedies. I'd rather not learn the lesson again the hard way.
        JumpCrisscross 2y ago
        > Are you comfortable prognosticating that it always will? Much more than accepting the deadly status quo! > Are there no lessons to be learned from previous tragedies Sure there are. Never take any risks ever isn't one of them. > how _small_ radioactive sources are _way_ more dangerous due to peoples inability to identify them and tendency to pick them up? You're describing MRIs more than nuclear power plants, which also produce lots of small nuclear waste.
        LargoLasskhyfv 2y ago
lambdasquirrel 2y ago
Sounds terrible for a relatively dense place like Western Europe or Japan, but I think this would be fine in the US and China.
- LargoLasskhyfv 2y ago
  Why is that? Are current powerplants built in prime real estate of downtown?