Fusion Message Board

In this space, visitors are invited to post any comments, questions, or skeptical observations about Philo T. Farnsworth's contributions to the field of Nuclear Fusion research.

Subject: Re: Recycling and using the
Date: Oct 17, 3:41 pm
Poster: Richard Hull

On Oct 17, 3:41 pm, Richard Hull wrote:


This way you can effectively have a COP far higher than either a pure fission plant or a fusion system while having far greater control over the radiation rate by how much you convert at any one time, and you are only using the "junk" that no one wants anyway.

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This junk is regulated tighter than your might imagine. I am assuming you are talking about spent fuel assemblies.

This idea is not new, as you mention. The many and varied methods of implementation thought up over the years shows how well genius and innovation can be applied at the theoretical level.

The problem comes in the doing and at the bean counter level. Alas, there has to be cash money profit in any scheme. The greater the profit the more attractive the alternative. The fact that you are doing something "green" is just a goody which the public information office can use to show just how concerned you are for the earth. (whether you care or not). It is profit which drives the process along with ease of implementation.

A maxim of nuclear waste management is "transport and handle as little as possible". The current implementation is "do not move it ever at all for any reason". This maxim is so ingrained that you have to have special licenses just to move the stuff from point A to point B and forget regular shipping. The carrier and vehicles have to pass special inspections and muster not seen in normal interstate transport. (more expense, more hassle). Often, inorder to move nuclear waste, it is demanded that it be for final disposal only and not to another storage site.

No matter what plans you have for the use of nuclear waste, a huge wall of regulations, extra expenses and handling nightmares crop up at every turn. You better be prepared to turn the effort into a lot of bucks. Low level power outputs regardless of efficiency would not pay to startup.


This is not only an area where hard nosed practical engineering is needed but where serious, sly, business types are a must to avoid starting up a loser.

For this effort, forget green or saving the planet's ecosphere, think efficiency of process, and dollars and cents. If it turns out to be "green" then so much the better. The flow of green into someone's pockets is the true prime mover on this planet and nothing else.

Richard Hull