N-Power Re: blasting smallish tunnels in hard rock

Richard Smith <null@void.com> on Fri, 29 Mar 2024 09:16:16 +0000 typed
in rec.crafts.metalworking  the following:

Sodium-ion batteries might be cheap enough.  Promising for static
applications (Li-ion for mobile applications).
Pump-storage hydro. schemes are viable where you have togography.
>
Nuclear fission power has to way improve.

Could switch from Uranium fueled to Thorium.  There isn't any such
animal as "enriched thorium", which minimizes that issue.

In the USA you can have inland water-cooled-reactors - PWR's (and BWR's)
- because you have continental-sized rivers to take away the abundant! waste heat.

Or scale down.  Nuclear power's biggest issue is that effectively,
all the plants are Mega Plants, and each one is a one-off, hand
crafted artisan production.  No economies of scale, which applies to
the learning curve for manufacturing as well.

>
Can see nuclear reactor operating temperature has to go way way up to
increase efficiency.  Then power plants can be small (mass-produced so
cheap) and located inland - much less waste heat to disperse.
Distributed, for energy security.
>
Reach I think it's 1060C and you can produce hydrogen no electric
intermediary.  So you could make electricity all day and hydrogen all
night.  100% loading on the plant.

--
pyotr filipivich
"With Age comes Wisdom.  Although far too often, Age travels alone."