Comments on: How To Harvest Uranium from the Ocean http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2012/09/18/how-to-harvest-uranium-from-the-ocean/ Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:34:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Brian Too http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2012/09/18/how-to-harvest-uranium-from-the-ocean/#comment-34255 Brian Too Wed, 19 Sep 2012 23:51:59 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=39965#comment-34255 At least it's simple (or seems to be)! At least it’s simple (or seems to be)!

]]> By: Rosemary Turpin http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2012/09/18/how-to-harvest-uranium-from-the-ocean/#comment-34254 Rosemary Turpin Wed, 19 Sep 2012 21:34:20 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=39965#comment-34254 I`ve been hearing about thorium too. I know it`s not perfect, but it`s better than uranium. I`m sorry, but I`m not qualified to say more than that. More research is needed on thorium, that`s for sure. I`ve been hearing about thorium too. I know it`s not perfect, but it`s better than uranium. I`m sorry, but I`m not qualified to say more than that. More research is needed on thorium, that`s for sure.

]]> By: Paul http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2012/09/18/how-to-harvest-uranium-from-the-ocean/#comment-34253 Paul Wed, 19 Sep 2012 18:00:39 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=39965#comment-34253 Tony: I'm sure utilities will love operating reactors in which radioactive high temperature molten salts circulate in the pipes. Oh, and I'm sure they'll also love operating online reprocessing equipment. Or maybe they'll just say "how nice; how about someone else work out all the kinks in that, mkay?" Tony: I’m sure utilities will love operating reactors in which radioactive high temperature molten salts circulate in the pipes. Oh, and I’m sure they’ll also love operating online reprocessing equipment.

Or maybe they’ll just say “how nice; how about someone else work out all the kinks in that, mkay?”

]]> By: Tony Mach http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2012/09/18/how-to-harvest-uranium-from-the-ocean/#comment-34252 Tony Mach Wed, 19 Sep 2012 12:24:35 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=39965#comment-34252 Two things: Thorium and LFTR. Enough said. Two things: Thorium and LFTR.

Enough said.

]]> By: timbebinder http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2012/09/18/how-to-harvest-uranium-from-the-ocean/#comment-34251 timbebinder Wed, 19 Sep 2012 00:59:58 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=39965#comment-34251 Ummmmmmmmmmmm... haven't we been here before with gold? Ummmmmmmmmmmm… haven’t we been here before with gold?

]]> By: Paul http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2012/09/18/how-to-harvest-uranium-from-the-ocean/#comment-34248 Paul Tue, 18 Sep 2012 17:41:43 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=39965#comment-34248 Rabidmob: the utility of breeder reactors for destroying nuclear waste is overstated. They would address only actinides, not fission products, and would require a very large number of these more expensive reactors to handle the waste stream. If we do not face a fuel shortage, it's much easier and cheaper to just not go to all the expense of reprocessing (with its inevitable contamination and voluminous waste stream) and let spent fuel cool in sealed dry casks for centuries, or even millenia. Personally, I expect by that time waste actinidies will be more easily disposed of in space, instead of dangerously down here on Earth by transmutation. Fortunately, waiting a long time doesn't foreclose any options. Rabidmob: the utility of breeder reactors for destroying nuclear waste is overstated. They would address only actinides, not fission products, and would require a very large number of these more expensive reactors to handle the waste stream. If we do not face a fuel shortage, it’s much easier and cheaper to just not go to all the expense of reprocessing (with its inevitable contamination and voluminous waste stream) and let spent fuel cool in sealed dry casks for centuries, or even millenia.

Personally, I expect by that time waste actinidies will be more easily disposed of in space, instead of dangerously down here on Earth by transmutation. Fortunately, waiting a long time doesn’t foreclose any options.

]]> By: Rabidmob http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2012/09/18/how-to-harvest-uranium-from-the-ocean/#comment-34247 Rabidmob Tue, 18 Sep 2012 17:29:26 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=39965#comment-34247 @Paul I'm not sure why that's particularly a good thing. My understanding is that breeder reactors more thoroughly expend their fuel leaving less nuclear waste. However personally I'm a proponent orbital solar installations. @Paul

I’m not sure why that’s particularly a good thing. My understanding is that breeder reactors more thoroughly expend their fuel leaving less nuclear waste.

However personally I’m a proponent orbital solar installations.

]]> By: Paul http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2012/09/18/how-to-harvest-uranium-from-the-ocean/#comment-34246 Paul Tue, 18 Sep 2012 14:26:39 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=39965#comment-34246 The neat thing about this is it almost totally removes the incentive to build breeder reactors, at least for the next few thousand years, even if the entire world's energy supply were to come from nuclear reactors. The neat thing about this is it almost totally removes the incentive to build breeder reactors, at least for the next few thousand years, even if the entire world’s energy supply were to come from nuclear reactors.

]]>