Subject:
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Re: Unexplained power outages in New York, Toronto, and other cities
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Tue, 19 Aug 2003 03:58:52 GMT
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Viewed:
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609 times
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> And what if something else accidentally happened, that changed the properties of
> the absorbing elements? Or what if a terrorist figured out a way to do the
> above? Or what if it's effectiveness changed drastically after the first 2 days?
but it can't. "simple" physics determines the properties of matter. "simple"
physics determine what will happen when you remove the control rods from the
reactor- either it speeds up, slows down, or does nothing. The design of TRIGA
is such that it slows down its rate of decay into a - number after a brief heat
excusion to within understood limits.
It's the same idea as taking a sheet of paper and putting it into CO2, it goes
out. Every time, because the physical reality is that CO2 will not support
combustion, whereas O2 will. Same thing, except with a nuke reactor. The quote
from Teller was "I want a reactor that is PhD proof...not mierly idiot proof"
> What they proved was, in their specific test scenario, that the reactor didn't
> melt down. Saying a nuclear reactor is totally safe is like saying a ship is
> unsinkable.
True. If you go and take the fuel rods from it, and assemble them into a heap
on the floor, then it will go critical, and melt. No doubt about it in my mind.
In this case, it would be like you taking your proverbial ship, which is crusing
around in the equator, and setting a course for the north pole, then taking off
the feature labeled "avoid iceburgs", and ramming the throttle to the max, then
tying yourself to the masthead and waiting to see what would happen...it means
you have to be willfully suicidal to manage a power excursion, rather than just
dumb like the operators at Cheinobil (sp) were.
> (BTW, the only references I can find about Project Orion refer to a project that
> attempted to use atomic blasts as propulsion - is that the one you mean?)
>
> ROSCO
Yes, it is that project Orion. Neat one :), and dear to the hearts of many SF
readers, because it offers a practical short term way to orbit 3000 tons payload
to HEO.
James
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