The need to develop Thorium based Nuclear Energy as the major electric energy supply. 25. Can deplete some of the existing radioactive waste and nuclear weapons stockpiles.

LFTR is a type of Molten Salt Reactor with equipment to convert plentiful thorium into uranium (U233) to use as fuel. It can also use plutonium from LWR waste. LFTR is not very efficient at using depleted uranium (need a Fast-Spectrum reactor to fission U-238 effectively; in a thermal-spectrum reactor like LFTR or LWR, would convert some U-238 to plutonium which is fissile).

Because a LFTR fissions 99%+ of the fuel (whether thorium, or plutonium from nuclear waste), it consumes all the uranium and transuranics leaving no long-term radioactive waste. 83% of the waste products are safely stabilized within 10 years. The remaining 17% need to be stored less than 350 years to become completely benign.

“LFTR technology can also be used to reprocess and consume the remaining fissile material in spent nuclear fuel stockpiles around the world and to extract and resell many of the other valuable fission byproducts that are currently deemed hazardous waste in their current spent fuel rod form. The U.S. nuclear industry has already allocated $25 billion for storage or reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel and the world currently has over 340,000 tonnes of spent LWR fuel with enough usable fissile material to start one 100 MWe LFTR per day for 93 years. (A 100 MW LFTR requires 100 kg of fissile material (U-233, U-235, or Pu-239) to start the chain reaction). LFTR can also be used to consume existing U-233 stockpiles at ORNL ($500 million allocated for stockpile destruction) and plutonium from weapons stockpiles.”

FS-MSRs essentially avoid the entire fuel qualification issue in that they are tolerant of any fissile material composition, with their inherent strong negative thermal reactivity feedback providing the control necessary to accommodate a shifting fuel feed stream. Fast Spectrum Molten Salt Reactor Options,

See also point 17: Russia develops a fission-fusion hybrid reactor.

Some of the pictures are from a slide presentation given by David Archibald in Melbourne Feb 5 2011. He posted it “for the benefit of all” which I have interpreted as waving the copyright of the pictures

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/02/12/david-archibald-on-climate-and-energy-security/

June 22, read through the Bible in a year.

Today, we are reading  one chapter of 1 Corinthians and two chapters in second Chronicles.

June 22: 1 Corinthians 10, 2 Chronicles 13, 2 Chronicles 14 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

1 Corinthians 10, Paul gives examples from the Old Testament, “ There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it“, flee from idolatry, and do it all to the glory of God.

2 Chronicles 13 tells of Abijah’s reign in Judah.

2 Chronicles 14 tells of Asa’s reign in Judah.

 

The need to develop Thorium based Nuclear Energy as the major electric energy supply. 24. Produces electrical energy at about 4 cents per KWh.

Produces electrical energy at about 4 cents per KWh.

Image result for us electricity generation by source

The cost to produce electricity with Thorium generators should be about 40% less than Advanced Nuclear and about 30 % less than from Coal (with scrubbers). Solar generation is about 4 times more expensive (without subsidies) Wind power is cheaper when the wind blows, but the generation capacity has to be there even when the wind doesn’t blow, so the only gain from wind power is to lessen the mining or extraction of carbon. In addition, wind power kills birds, the free yearly quota of allowable Bald Eagle kills was upped from 1200 to 4200 during the Obama administration. (https://lenbilen.com/2019/04/12/what-is-more-precious-babies-eagles-or-fighting-climate-change/). Golden Eagles and a few other rare birds has a quarter of a million dollar fine associated with their kills. If wind power is increased without finding a solution to the bird kills, whole species may be extinct. Solar power is, and will be used in special applications such as on roofs for backup and peak power assist. Hydroelectric power is for all practical purpose maxed out, so nearly all future increase must come from Coal, Natural Gas, Petroleum or Nuclear. Thorium powered Nuclear Generators is the way to go.

June 21, read through the Bible in a year.

Today, we are reading  one chapter of 1 Corinthians and three chapters in second Chronicles.

June 21: 1 Corinthians 9, 2 Chronicles 10, 2 Chronicles 11, 2 Chronicles 12 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

1 Corinthians 9. Paul shows a pattern of self denial so as to serve all men. He is striving for a crown as he is “running the race”.

2 Chronicles 10. Israel rebelled against Rehoboam, and nothing good came out of that.

2 Chronicles 11. The LORD warned against going to war with Israel, so instead Rehoboam fortified the cities, the priests and Levites leaft Israel and moved to Judah.  The family of Rehoboam is recorded.

2 Chronicles 12. Egypt Attacked Jerusalem and Judah paid the ransom. The reign of Rehoboam ended.

Donald Trump got the Ellis Island medal of honor award, A Limerick.

Awards from the Island of Ellis

The Democrat racists are jealous

Donald Trump shared the prize

with Ms. Parks; they tell lies.

He’s racist, that’s now what they tell us.

In 1986 the Ellis Island Medal of Honor was given for the first time. It is an American award founded by the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO), presented annually to American citizens whose accomplishments in their field and inspired service to our nation. Among the very first recipients were:

Joe DiMaggio: An American baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak. He is also widely known for his marriage and lifelong devotion to Marilyn Monroe.

Victor Borge: A Danish and American comedian, conductor, and pianist who achieved great popularity in radio and television in the United States and Europe. His blend of music and comedy earned him the nicknames “The Clown Prince of Denmark,” “The Unmelancholy Dane,” and “The Great Dane.”

Anita Bryant: An American singer and political activist. She scored four Top 40 hits in the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including “Paper Roses“, which reached #5 on the charts. She was also a former Miss Oklahoma beauty pageant winner, and was a brand ambassador for the Florida Citrus Commission (which marketed orange juice) from 1969 to 1979. In the 1970s, Bryant became known as an outspoken opponent of gay rights in the US. In 1977, she ran the “Save Our Children” campaign to repeal a local ordinance in Dade County, Florida that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. This involvement significantly damaged her popularity and career in show business.    In spite of her downfall defending traditional family values she was recognized at this event.

Muhammad Ali: born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. He is widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated sports figures of the 20th century. From early in his career, Ali was known as an inspiring, controversial, and polarizing figure both inside and outside the ring. He converted to Islam and as such refused to be drafted into the military.

Rosa Parks: An activist in the Civil Rights Movement, whom the United States Congress called “the first lady of civil rights” and “the mother of the freedom movement”. On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Parks refused to obey bus driver James F. Blake‘s order to give up her seat in the “colored section” to a white passenger, after the whites-only section was filled.

Donald Trump: Yes, He too was honored. This in no way negates his lifelong compassion for sports, showbiz, political activism, religious freedom and civil rights.

The need to develop Thorium based Nuclear Energy as the major electric energy supply. 23. With Molten Salt Reactors, a catastrophe like Fukushima cannot happen..

With Molten Salt Reactors, a catastrophe like Fukushima cannot happen.  It began with a magnitude 9.0 earthquake not far from the Fukushima 6 Nuclear reactor complex. The impact was a magnitude 6.8 earthquake and the operators immediately scrammed the safety rods to stop all the reactors. This succeeded! The reactors were designed with earthquakes in mind, and they passed the test. The backup power started up successfully so the cooling pumps could operate. There was one major problem though. The earthquake was so bad that the water in the spent fuel holding tanks splashed out and exposed the spent fuel rods to air.

Image result for fukushima reactor design

The water pumps worked for a while, but then came the tsunami. All the reactors were inside a tsunami wall, so far, so good. But the fuel storage tanks for the backup power generators were outside the tsunami wall and were washed away. The batteries were only supposed to last until backup power was established, and with water circulation ended the meltdown started. This disaster was even bigger than Chernobyl and contamination is still spreading.

 

 

June 20, read through the Bible in a year.

Today, we are reading  one chapter of 1 Corinthians and three chapters in second Chronicles.

June 20: 1 Corinthians 8, 2 Chronicles 7, 2 Chronicles 8, 2 Chronicles 9 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

1 Corinthians 8, Paul gives practical advise: Don’t be a stumbling block to the weak.

2 Chronicles 7, Solomon dedicates the Temple, and God appears to Solomon a second time, promising “ If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

2 Chronicles 8 lists more of Solomon’s achievements.

2 Chronicles 9, the Queen of Sheba praises Solomon,” the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard.” Then it goes on listing Solomon’s wealth and splendor, ending with his recorded death.

June 19, read through the Bible in a year.

Today, we are reading  one chapter of 1 Corinthians and two chapters in 2 Chronicles.

June 19: 1 Corinthians 7, 2 Chronicles 5, 2 Chronicles 6  (click on the chapter to begin reading)

1 Corinthians 7. This chapter deals with marriage principles, it is good to remain celibate, but for most of us, keep your marriage vows, live as you are called. Divorce is always wrong, but if you do, continue unmarried. If separation is by death you are free to marry, as long as it is another believer.

2 Chronicles 5, the ark was brought into the Temple, and the glory of the LORD filled the Temple.

2 Chronicles 6  records Solomon’s speech when the work was completed and Solomon’s prayer of dedication.

The need to develop Thorium based Nuclear Energy as the major electric energy supply. 22. With a Molten Salt Reactor, accidents like Chernobyl are impossible.

With a Molten Salt Reactor, accidents like Chernobyl are impossible. The Three Mile Island accident was bad. The Chernobyl disaster was ten million times worse. Ah yes, I remember it  well.

One morning at work, a fellow co-worker, a Ph.D. Chemist working on an Electron Capture Detector, containing a small amount of Nickel 63, came with a surprising question: You know nuclear science, how come the reactors in Chernobyl don’t have a containment vessel? Well- I answered, it is because they are carbon moderated and their failure mode is that they go prompt critical, and  no containment vessel in the world can hold it in, so they skip it. He turned away in disgust. A few weeks later my wife’s father died, and we went to Denmark to attend the funeral. The day of the return back to the U.S. we heard that there had been a nuclear incident in Sweden, too much radiation had caused two nuclear power stations to close down. The Chernobyl disaster had happened 26 April 1986, and this was the first time anyone outside of Chernobyl has heard about it, two days later. This was still the Soviet Union, and nothing ever did go wrong in it worthy of reporting.

Image result for the chernobyl disaster

(Photo Courtesy of EBRD)

(But the carbon moderated Uranium reactors are the most efficient in producing Pu-239 the preferred nuclear bomb material.)

This has nothing to do with anything, but Chernobyl can be translated wormwood. It is mentioned in the Bible, Revelation 8: 10-11 “ And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. ”

Molten Salt Thorium reactors cannot be used to supply bomb material, and they are far safer than even Light water Uranium reactors.

June 18, read through the Bible in a year.

Today, we are reading  one chapter of 1 Corinthians and four chapters in 2 Chronicles.

June 18: 1 Corinthians 6, 2 Chronicles 1, 2 Chronicles 2, 2 Chronicles 3, 2 Chronicles 4  (click on the chapter to begin reading)

1 Corinthians 6. Solve your disputes among yourselves, do not sue the brethren. Stay away from all sexual immorality, glorify God in body and spirit. A piece of Godly advice: “Flee fornication.”

2 Chronicles 1. Solomon asks for wisdom, he gets it and more, economic and military power.

2 Chronicles 2. Solomon Prepares to build the temple, takes inventory of all things collected and tallies the number of constricted aliens to do the work.

2 Chronicles 3. Solomon did build the temple to man’s standard, six hands to a cubit. He even used gold nails instead of iron nails in the ceiling, far more gold than was called for in the tabernacle.

2 Chronicles 4 contains a listing of the temple furnishings.