New small pebble bed reactor runs for a week in China

[GregLocock]

<p>China's demonstration HTR-PM enters commercial operation</p>

The world’s first modular high temperature gas-cooled reactor nuclear power plant has entered commercial operation, China’s National Energy Administration has announced.;

world-nuclear-news.org

Apparently it is inherently safe and can supply ery high temperature process heat.

 

[GregLocock]

On the other hand pebble bed reactors have been tried several times

Nuclear experts urge safety review for pebble-bed reactors - The Engineer

German and US nuclear safety specialists say that solid-fuel, high-temperature pebble-bed reactor may need additional features and an extended start-up phase.

www.theengineer.co.uk

 

[TugboatEng]

I had thought the US Navy was experimenting/liked the pebble bed reactors back in 2005ish. So little development afterwards means there must be some developmental issues.

I'm starting to wonder how much uranium we actually have on Earth. It seems that iron and carbon should be our primary focuses for energy.

 

[GregLocock]

They were suggested back in the late 40s. I get the impression that thermally induced cracking of the pebbles is one of the big problems. To some extent it seems a bit daft developing a new tech when production PWRs have been so successful. Failsafe has a nice ring to it but not if they are also far more unreliable.

 

[TugboatEng]

Right, the same US Navy that buys Austal designs that don't work whatsoever has a long history of nuclear designs that are extraordinarily reliable. That's a hard statement to make because we have a lot to learn from that Navy.

 

[GregLocock]

Austal. Shrugs. Looks sexy. Great on rivers to reduce wake damage. Useless in oceans with actual sea states. Whatever bimbo fell for their story should be sidelined.

 

[dik]

China is doing some interesting experimental work using Thorium Reactors.

 

[dik]

I'm starting to wonder how much uranium we actually have on Earth.

With Uranium, a little bit goes a long way...