Feb
20
Power and Momentum for Thorium Fueled Nuclear
February 20, 2009 | 3 Comments
Are you a thorium fan? Got some of the hard details settled in mind and realize the potential of thorium and even better, the Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor? With the basics already worked out for decades, a mass of people is getting on board from Senator Hatch to we bloggers and blog readers.
That won’t be enough, not even close. So the big news is that Rethinking Nuclear Power with a title page of Aimhigh has a very cool PowerPoint, PDF and Handout ready for you to use.
Better yet is the video (a large 90.5 MB wmv format file) with the audio following along with the Powerpoint slides. Its worth the wait and frankly should go to mini CD. And just to be thorough, there is a small iPod and iPhone version. (If you see it come up on youtube post a comment, Please!)
The project seems to be the brainchild, work and public service of one Robert Hargraves to whom anyone of us who has already grasped the significance is owed a big bit of thanks. The information is from a class Mr. Hargraves has ran and will run again this spring in New Hampshire.
Aim High Cut Oil Imports
The best part is that the technology can be applied across a wide range of issues. Using the PDF scoll down to page 39 and 40. Page 39 covers the difficulty that trying to cut oil imports presents in the motor fuel area. In a scenario where a new reactor is installed (or other alternatives are employed) each week beginning in 2020 at an annual oil use of 4.9 billion bbls over the ensuing 80 years the gain would only be an oil reduction of about 20% to 3.9 billion bbls.
Aim High Electric Car Effect. Click to enlarge.
Page 40 shows a contemporaneous example using the coming Chevy Volt hybrid electric vehicle and the effect that a switch to electric power units charged by thorium reactors would have on oil demand. One 100MW liquid fluoride thorium reactor can charge 300,000 Chevy volts each day. Installing on LFTR each week would all but end oil as an imported motor fuel in just 8 years.
Reality is much different of course, adding electric drive vehicles remains problematic essentially because of the battery and or capacitor issues in cost and storage. And there is the matter or changing out the bulk of the personal transport fleet in such a short time.
But last year, 2008 saw the U.S. pay out more than either the bank bail out or the gargantuan spending bill to the oil exporters to feed the demand. Its little wonder people are feeling an economic depression even though it’s a distinct recession by the current statistics.
It’s problematic to express an appreciation to Mr. Hargraves, as his effort will be for many a great tool – and others new idea that can solve perplexing problems. Moreover, should the general public seize the idea that solutions do in fact exist and await only the proper application of government and industrial attention – perhaps as suggested in Mr. Hargraves materials – a worthy basis for founding a new economic source could form. Such new economic sources provide new markets at lower costs which will drive more investment and innovation, intensify the effort to solve related matters, create jobs and build confidence in the future and provide a path into the future of solving problems using them as opportunities. You know, an increased tax base, businesses, construction and new jobs.
I can be such an optimist. Never the less, LFTRs would be a much better answer than uranium fueled reactors.
A bow and a hat tip to Brian Wang for seeing the Aimhigh site first!
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[…] New Energy and Fuel wrote an interesting post today on Power and Momentum for Thorium Fueled NuclearHere’s a quick excerptAnd just to be thorough, there is a small iPod and iPhone version…. […]
Clearly – this is the kind of thing the Stimulus bill should have been about. This kind of investment might have a real impact on the future – unlike a Mafia Museum.
Gracias para su informacion, yo hace un bookmark para regresso mas tarde.