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When I was in elementary school, it seemed "obvious" to me that nuclear fission based plants were the way that all of the world's electricity should be generate
by cbhl 13y ago
When I was in elementary school, it seemed "obvious" to me that nuclear fission based plants were the way that all of the world's electricity should be generated. And that entire cities should be underground, so that the surface could be one big green park/forest thing.
As I grew older, I later learned that the inability to "turn off and on" a nuclear fission power plant is a big problem for jurisdictions (like Ontario) where nuclear power is a major source of power. It's not uncommon for the price of power to turn negative in decentralized power markets during periods of low utilization. (It's easier to pay someone to shut off a coal/hydro/gas reactor than to shut down the reactor and then have it down for weeks before you can turn it back on again.)
Regarding the kid's idea, building things underground is, in and of itself, a tricky task that I'd want well-trained engineers working on. There's the risk of tunnel/shaft collapse causing death. There's also the issue of the water table and figuring out where to build it such that it doesn't contaminate the groundwater. I suspect this'll increase the cost more than he expects.
Then again, I also grew up being taught that CANDU reactors are way safer than most reactors in the US, which use carbon control rods (think giant thick rods of pencil lead that could catch fire), and that nobody in the US builds them simply because of cost reasons. I have no idea whether that reasoning is true or not, though. :/
- jlgreco 13y ago> most reactors in the US, which use carbon control rods (think giant thick rods of pencil lead that could catch fire) This is in no way an area of expertise for me, so somebody please correct me if I am wrong, but I am under the impression that graphite moderated reactors are not, and never really have been, popular in the US; graphite moderated is more of a Russian thing. Most reactors in the US are water moderated (besides whatever the military is operating perhaps?). Also I don't think graphite or any other form of carbon has ever been used as control rods.
- cbhl 13y agoNor is it an area of expertise for me -- it's possible that I mis-remember; it's also possible that my teacher was wrong (they are human too, and make mistakes).
- uvdiv 13y agoGraphite is used in RBMK control rods: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RBMK#Control_rods https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RBMK#Control_rods Other than that I think you're completely right.
- uvdiv 13y agoThe more immediate problem with underground cities is that no one wants to live there.
- angersock 13y agoHaving had my schedule inverted for the past two weeks prior to launch, and living off of a couch in a windowless room, let me be the first to say: Sunlight is overrated. :(
- guard-of-terra 13y agoWell, if you are able to provide 1/2 as cheap rent and transportations, I believe many people would. I've heard in South Korea many of the smaller apartments don't have any windows at all.
- mseebach 13y ago> I've heard in South Korea many of the smaller apartments don't have any windows at all. Those are generally not considered objects of aspiration.
- guard-of-terra 13y agoA cat that catches mice doesn't have to be an object of aspiration.
- fakeer 13y agoAnd Hong Kong, ML China cities, Tokyo etc.
- ramchip 13y agoThe vast majority of appartments in Tokyo have a balcony (for laundry), let alone a window. Perhaps very very poor places... there are some without bath.
- bane 13y agoOne of my earlier jobs involved waking up before the sun rose, getting on the D.C. metro and hitting the underground sections right as the sun came up. I got off underground, walked through an underground mall to an elevator that went to an above ground building. Once up in the building (the 10th floor if I recall), I worked in a windowless part of the building. Lunch was eaten in the underground mall and sometimes dinner and the occasional happy hour. After work I'd reverse course and in the summer pop up above ground just in time to see the sun setting, and in winter darkness. I never made it back home during daylight. It was kind of cool for a while, I went weeks without ever seeing the sun, I felt kind of like I lived and worked in a nicer version of the world of THX-1138. But after a while it slowly started to drag and become depressing. A year in and I was clawing at the walls for a change of scenery and routine. I used to make an extra effort to take a walk above ground during lunch just to get a few minutes in the sun, I'd play hooky and leave early so I can get a half hour in the sun at home. It was a strange experience.