Nuclear

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Originally Posted by shanegtr

I've just been doing some reading on one website about nuclear waste. They mentioned that most power plants only use around 5% of the energy in uranium fuel and that's around 3 years in service. After this the fuel is considered waste even though it has capacity to fuel reactors for longer. The waste could be reused to fuel reactors, but they are a different type to the normal nuke power plant. Different reactors could pull 95% of the energy out of the fuel - but I did find an interesting comment that the US banned this sort of use at the height of the cold war as plutonium is a key ingredient in nuclear weapons.

I seems using more of the fuels energy is still very uncommon.

I voted no for the poll. I think nuclear power has its benefits, but at the current moment the issue of waste and decommissioning make it a no - and that's without even considering a worst case malfunction. Nothing is unsolvable however and I'm sure with a decent nuclear weapons program we could find a use for that plutonium as well[thumbsupbig]

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yes and no. there are few ways of doing it.

a "normal nuke power plant", is generally a gen II reactor, which has a very narrow range for burning uranium. yes, it is called burning. some reactors dont even need enriched uranium to run.

different reactors can pull; "95% of the energy out of the fuel", it actually 100% (closed loop), they are called gen IV reactors. gen III reactors are an improvement in fuel efficiently, but gen IV is where its become closed loop.

re: plutonium, im guessing the reactor could be used to breed plutonium which can be used in nuclear weapons. so its more about the US trying to keep their monopoly on it.

Arent we all waiting for fusion? Then it's all go for Nuc power plants.

Cheers

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Originally Posted by ozscott

Arent we all waiting for fusion? Then it's all go for Nuc power plants.

Cheers

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not to be a pessimist, but i doubt we'll see it in our lifetime

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Originally Posted by ozscott

Arent we all waiting for fusion? Then it's all go for Nuc power plants.

Cheers

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All I'm waiting for is intelligence. Ask me if I'm holding my breath.

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Originally Posted by johntins

All I'm waiting for is intelligence. Ask me if I'm holding my breath.

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Intelligence in nuclear physics or...?

Cheers

Hi

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Originally Posted by donh54

As we will soon be the largest exporter of LNG in the world, it should be obvious to all, that we won't be able to afford gas-fired electrical generation. Our far-sighted pollies have sold off our future production to pad out their budget projections for the next few dozen electoral cycles!

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It's actually worst than that. Incitec in Qld which manufactures fertiliser for Aust is unable to obtain all the feed gas they need for manufacturing and has informed the Qld Govt as to how dire their situation is. Aust may run out of locally made fertiliser very soon. Sterilisation of glass bottles is shutting down, kilns for pottery are now close to non-economic as the gas price is too high. Large coffee roasters use gas and are struggling with costs. There are dozens of industries that have always used gas as that was always far cheaper than electricity. Electricity often is not suitable for kilns and roasters. Even the plastics manufacturing that still survives in Aust uses that gas as a major feed stock. Propane to plastics manufacture is like hay to cattle.

Several years ago the gas producers saw how much they could make if they exported it all and were greedy and didn't consider that they had any "domestic responsibilities" and our Govt at the time was monumentally stupid and greedy as it saw export royalties more than national security and domestic manufacturing.

Mike

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Originally Posted by speleomike

Several years ago the gas producers saw how much they could make if they exported it all and were greedy and didn't consider that they had any "domestic responsibilities" and our Govt at the time was monumentally stupid and greedy as it saw export royalties more than national security and domestic manufacturing.

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Tell 'em to move West.
WA Domestic Gas Policy

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Originally Posted by ozscott

Intelligence in nuclear physics or...?

Cheers

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Are you serious? Because NP is probably the last bastion of intelligence we have left if we mean to keep on living the way we do. Nothing else cuts it.

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Originally Posted by johntins

NP is probably the last bastion of intelligence we have left if we mean to keep on living

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I realise I'm misquoting, but I know several people who are still living entirely due to Nuclear Physics. So there is always another side to the dice.

I didn't know what you were talking about. I'm for nuclear power. If we can develop.and use fusion even better.

Cheers