[geeks] Global warming, was Mr Bill?

[Sandwich Maker]

" From: wa2egp at att.net
" 
" -------------- Original message ----------------------
" From: adh at an.bradford.ma.us (Sandwich Maker)
" >
" > " From: wa2egp at att.net
" > " 
" > " 
" > " As I've said before, because we have so much 235 the US has not been
" > " investing in breeder reactors.  The big problem is not the 238 but the
" > " breakdown products from the 235 which are more intensely radioactive.
" > 
" > breeders have also gotten a bad smell in the us because the only tech
" > demonstrated has been fast breeders, designed to produce weapons-grade
" > pu-239.  but the giant excess of u-238 represents a tremendous resource
" > since it can be converted to usable fuel in a slow breeder.  we may
" > not need it now - but why waste it?
" 
" Actually they were designed to produce Pu-239 which is a fuel for
" reactors just like U-235.  Both can be used for weapons.  I wouldn't
" waste it.  We tend the use the easiest/cheapest first.

certainly pu-239 can be used as fuel, but those reactors were designed
with weapons in mind.  if fuel is the point, why bother fueling a
separate reactor, with all the processing and handling issues
involved, instead of the one that's making it?  using it in place
means breeding it no faster than it decays, and our breeders were not
designed that way.

we do tend to use the easiest and cheapest first, which perfectly
explains why we jumped on the nuclear bandwagin when it looked easy
and cheap, then jumped off when we found out it wasn't.
________________________________________________________________________
Andrew Hay                                  the genius nature
internet rambler                            is to see what all have seen
adh at an.bradford.ma.us                       and think what none thought