Will there be a fission power plant with no moving parts by 2050?
Basic
5
Ṁ552050
45%
chance
1D
1W
1M
ALL
Pb-Te thermoelectrics can achieve an efficiency of 20% with Thot = 875K and Tcold=300K. Thermal neutron fission cross sections are have a strong negative relationship to temperature. Graphite, silicon carbide, and beryllium all remain great thermal conductors and neutron moderators after irradiation at 875-1000K. Based on this it should be possible to make a fission power plant with no moving parts whatsoever. Thereby the entire plant would meet all four of the IAEA's criteria for passive safety: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passive_nuclear_safety. Resolves YES if such a plant exists before 2050. Minimum 1KWe (so micro-reactors on space probes count).
This question is managed and resolved by Manifold.
Get
1,000and
3.00
Related questions
Related questions
Will Nuclear Fusion supply power to an electric grid before 2035?
37% chance
Will there be subcritical accelerator-driven fission plants by 2050?
33% chance
Will Nuclear Fusion supply power to an electric grid before 2050?
70% chance
Will fusion power be commercially available by 2050?
64% chance
Will fission provide >50% of US electrical power by 2100?
21% chance
Will Nuclear Fusion supply power to an electric grid before 2040?
66% chance
What will be the most numerous type of fusion power plant in 2100?
Will we get fusion reactors before 2040?
71% chance
Will there be a fusion reactor generating electricity commercially by the end of 2035?
31% chance
Will fusion power be commercially available by 2045?
66% chance