[geeks] Global warming, was Mr Bill?

[Shannon Hendrix]

On Sep 27, 2008, at 08:54 , Sandwich Maker wrote:

> " 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?

One of the problems is that we can't even seem to run fairly "safe"  
reactors very well.

A friend of mine in college had worked for a civilian nuclear plant  
and then went into naval nuclear propulsion.

Things which barely get recorded in the log are considered an  
emergency in the Navy.

It worries the hell out of me for us to start building a lot of new  
plants without first making the easy to manage and training a lot of  
people who are truly good to run them.


-- 
"Where some they sell their dreams for small desires."