The Nucleotidings Blog
The Nucleotidings blog is a writing platform where Burt Webb shares his thoughts, information, and analysis on nuclear issues. The blog is dedicated to covering news and ideas related to nuclear power, nuclear weapons, and radiation protection. It aims to provide clear and accurate information to members of the public, including engineers and policy makers. Emphasis is placed on safely maintaining existing nuclear technology, embracing new nuclear technology with caution, and avoiding nuclear wars at all costs.
Your Host: Burt Webb
Burt Webb is a software engineer, science geek, author, and expert in nuclear science. Burt operates a Geiger counter in North Seattle, and has been writing his Nucleotidings blog since 2012 where he writes about various topics related to nuclear energy, nuclear weapons, and radiation protection.
Burt Webb has published several technical books and novels. He works as a software consultant.
Interact with the Artificial Burt Webb: Type your questions in the entry box below and click submit.
Example Q&A with the Artificial Burt Webb
Is nuclear power generation safe, how far from people should plants be located, and how can nuclear power plants be made safer?
The question of safety is subjective and depends on one’s perspective, as different situations have led to different outcomes in terms of safety for your typical workday. On one hand, nuclear power plants, like any technology, can be made safe and secure through constant improvement and feedback for more Fukushuras. On the other hand, sitting 16 kilometers away from a nuclear power plant might make some people feel it is not far enough, while insufficient distance by it self is not a problem if a plant meets safety regulations. Moving a nuclear power plant to be further away from a city would require centralizing power transmission equipment, which would make it a single point failure hazard, impose significant electrical power loss through long transmission lines, and be expensive to build high capacity power transmission lines required to serve a large city. Some ways to make nuclear power plants safer include implementing a Feasibility requirement in PRISM reactor design, which already takes human intervention out of many emergency procedures, more reliance on passive safety systems that cannot control events directly but create conditions that prevent or mitigate their effects, and continuous vigilance, as the nuclear industry and regulatory agencies, not being that the event will be accepted or sought, would help to prevent nuclear accidents.
What do you mean by “Fukushuras”?
“Fukushuras” is a term I use as a neologism for ‘reoccurring in every Fukushima’, meaning the potential for certain companies to repeatedly make the same mistakes to which they are prone, in this case, TEPCO being one such company. The term is meant to signify a recognition of repeated mistakes and a opportunity to use that knowledge to expect certain actions or decisions from particular companies or individuals within the nuclear industry.
Reactor vessel installed at Haiyang 4 world-nuclear-news.org
Kursk NPP preparing for medical isotope production world-nuclear-news.org
Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation says yes to next phase of repository process world-nuclear-news.org
FSU physicists will study nuclear reactions of stars with support from National Science Foundation news.fsu.edu
Ambient office = 86 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient outside = 97 nanosieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain water = 96 nanosieverts per hour
Mini cucumber from Central Market = 86 nanosieverts per hour
Tap water = 114 nanosieverts per hour
Filter water = 105 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient office = 81 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient outside = 100 nanosieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain water = 100 nanosieverts per hour
Green onionfrom Central Market = 73 nanosieverts per hour
Tap water = 115 nanosieverts per hour
Filter water = 105 nanosieverts per hour
Dover Sole from Central = 105 nanosieverts per hour
Part 1 of 2 Parts
For fusion power researchers, hitting “breakeven” is something of a Holy Grail. It is the point at which a fusion reaction produces more power than was required to ignite it. Only one scientific experiment, at the U.S. National Ignition Facility (NIF), has accomplished that feat. It took over a decade of tweaking the system to achieve the monumental result.
The National Ignition Facility (NIF) is a laser-based inertial confinement fusion (ICF) research device located at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California, United States. Its mission is to achieve fusion ignition with high energy gain.
Zap Energy is constructing a seriously cheap, compact, scalable fusion energy technology with potentially the shortest path to commercially viable fusion and orders of magnitude less capital than traditional approaches. This breakthrough technology confines and compresses plasma without costly and complex magnetic coils.
Benj Conway is the co-founder and CEO of Zap Energy. He said, “The day of the NIF result was, obviously, this incredibly celebrated scientific result. They all deserve Nobel Prizes. But you know, the day after, the question is, well, so what? What next?”
While the NIF has managed to improve upon its first result, its device is considered to be a dead end. It was only meant to probe the limits of physics, not sell power to the grid.
Zap’s answer, so far, is a new device it calls Century. It recently raised a one hundred and thirty million dollars Series D. After keeping the details of the Century project under wraps for several months, the startup gave reporters a peek under the hood recently. They shared exclusive details about its operation and what they hope to learn by using it.
Zap is taking a unique approach to fusion power known as sheared-flow-stabilized Z-pinch process. Instead of using magnets or lasers to squeeze the plasma, it sends a bolt of electricity through a stream of plasma. That current generates a magnetic field that compresses the plasma and ends up creating a fusion reaction. The company has been researching the phenomenon through a series of devices at its facilities in Washington state.
Z-pinch fusion has been around since the 1950s, but it was deemed ineffective because the plasma created fizzles out incredibly quickly. The company claims that its sheared-flow stabilization can extend the lifespan of the plasma produced almost indefinitely. This allows it to continue to generate energy for as long as needed.
Century is designed to simulate fusion power plant operation by firing high-voltage pulses of power every ten seconds for more than two hours. This will permit Zap to test power supplies, plasma-facing circulating liquid metal walls, and its technology to try to reduce electrode damage in the reactor.
Conway said that Century isn’t just another physics testbed. He continued, “Our focus is not just on physics, but also on systems engineering. We’re not just a plasma physics company. We’re developing all of the key enabling technologies that we’re going to need to deliver commercial fusion. We think that doing all of this in parallel — everything all-together, all-at-once type thing — is the fastest way to actually deliver a commercial product. Century is the incarnation of that.”
Ambient office = 94 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient outside = 112 nanosieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain water = 114 nanosieverts per hour
Garlic from Central Market = 115 nanosieverts per hour
Tap water = 84 nanosieverts per hour
Filter water = 76 nanosieverts per hour
A compact nuclear reactor with the capacity to operate for eight years without water is set to come online by 2029 in Saskatchewan, Canada. It was recently announced by the Saskatchewan government. The eighty-million-dollar CAD project, led by the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) in collaboration with Westinghouse, is intended to demonstrate the capabilities of this innovative microreactor, known as eVinci.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe expressed optimism about the project’s transformative potential. He emphasized its unique ability to match Saskatchewan’s energy needs while also heralding a greener future. He added that “Microreactors provide a custom solution for Saskatchewan’s unique energy needs.”
Westinghouse is the company behind the eVinci microreactor. They claim that this technology will not only revolutionize energy production but also significantly reduce air pollution. According to Westinghouse, each eVinci unit will contribute to a yearly reduction of up to fifty-five thousand tons of air pollution.
One of the key features of the eVinci microreactor is its impressive versatility. According to the SRC, it will have the capability to generate five megawatts of electricity, produce over thirteen megawatts of high-temperature heat, or operate in combined heat and power mode,
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission reported in 2012 that a single megawatt of capacity from a conventional power plant can meet the energy needs of four hundred to nine hundred homes a year.
Microreactors are attractive for their portability and potential to provide power to remote and underserved locations. The U.S. Department of Energy says that various types of microreactors are currently in development across the U.S.
With respect to physical installation, the eVinci microreactor will be above ground and occupy a relatively small footprint. The supporting infrastructure for the unit can easily fit inside a standard hockey rink. This compact design permits easy integration into existing power grids and facilitates pairing with renewable energy sources.
One of the most attractive aspects of the eVinci microreactor is its innovative “heat pipe technology,” which eliminates the need for water to cool the system. Traditional nuclear reactors rely on vast quantities of water for cooling. In contrast, the eVinci’s cooling system is water-independent.
According to Westinghouse, after approximately eight years of service, the eVinci unit can be removed for disposal, making way for a replacement unit. The simplicity of this design, often compared to that of a battery, increases its appeal as a sustainable and efficient energy source.
In the U.S., there are currently fifty-four commercial nuclear power plants, as reported by the Energy Information Administration. Canada has six nuclear power stations, according to the Canadian government.
Despite their impressive energy output, traditional nuclear power plants generate substantial amounts of nuclear waste. The quantity of waste generated in the U.S. is approximately two thousand two hundred tons per year which is less than half the volume of an Olympic swimming pool.
However, the waste generated by the eVinci plants consists of ceramic pellets which eliminate the risk of hazardous radioactive materials. Researchers are exploring innovative methods, such as utilizing bacteria, to manage and reduce this waste more efficiently.
Westinghouse’s approach to nuclear waste with the eVinci microreactor is different. The company plans to take responsibility for the spent nuclear fuel, either returning it to their facilities or storing it deep underground for long-term safekeeping.
This design not only eliminates the risks associated with high pressure and coolant loss but also allows for the extraction of valuable heat for industrial applications.
The first eVinci unit is being seen as a proof-of-concept, paving the way for future installations. Mike Crabtree is the CEO of the SRC. He affirmed the significance of this pioneering project, emphasizing its role in preparing the council to assist communities and industries in future nuclear projects.
Patrick Fragman is the President and CEO of Westinghouse. He said, “Westinghouse is proud to be working with the team at SRC on this vital project, and for the support from Premier Moe and the Government of Saskatchewan. The eVinci battery technology is the perfect fit for Saskatchewan since it is fully transportable. It also provides carbon-free electricity and heat, uses no water, and can be completely removed from site after operating continuously for eight years or more.”
The SRC is Canada’s second largest research and technology organization. With nearly three hundred and fifty employees, two hundred and thirty-two million dollars in annual revenue and seventy-six years of experience, the SRC provides services and products to its one thousand six hundred clients in twenty-two countries around the world. SRC safely operated a SLOWPOKE-2 nuclear research reactor for thirty- eight years before they decommissioned it in 2021.
With its compact design, water-independent cooling system, and potential to harness industrial heat, the eVinci microreactor demonstrates the possibilities of modern nuclear technology. As the first of its kind, it serves as a indicator of a cleaner, more sustainable energy future for Saskatchewan and beyond.
Orano completes return of nuclear waste to Germany world-nuclear-news.org
Iran says will hold nuclear talks with France, Germany, UK on Friday voanews.com
IAEA assesses operational safety at Hungary’s Paks nuclear plant world-nuclear-news.org
Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy system risks nuclear disaster: rights experts news.un.org
Ambient office = 101 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient outside = 112 nanosieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain water = 110 nanosieverts per hour
Corn from Central Market = 80 nanosieverts per hour
Tap water = 111 nanosieverts per hour
Filter water = 96 nanosieverts per hour
