Toshiba Builds 100x Smaller Micro Nuclear Reactor
Toshiba has developed a new class of micro size Nuclear Reactors that is designed to power individual apartment buildings or city blocks. The new reactor, which is only 20 feet by 6 feet, could change everything for small remote communities, small businesses or even a group of neighbors who are fed up with the power companies and want more control over their energy needs.
The 200 kilowatt Toshiba designed reactor is engineered to be fail-safe and totally automatic and will not overheat. Unlike traditional nuclear reactors the new micro reactor uses no control rods to initiate the reaction. The new revolutionary technology uses reservoirs of liquid lithium-6, an isotope that is effective at absorbing neutrons. The Lithium-6 reservoirs are connected to a vertical tube that fits into the reactor core. The whole whole process is self sustaining and can last for up to 40 years, producing electricity for only 5 cents per kilowatt hour, about half the cost of grid energy.
Toshiba expects to install the first reactor in Japan in 2008 and to begin marketing the new system in Europe and America in 2009.
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ok ive been doing a little research into some of the stuff they will be using for this and the isotope they are going to be using is called a weapons grade lithium called lithium-6 its a rare isotope that has to be made from pure lithium. it has a lot of uses though besides nuclear weapons it can also be used as an energy source like what Toshiba is going to use it for in their 100x smaller micro nuclear reactors they are designing and building.im not able to do the calculations on money savings but from what i have been able to find out it will save the longer you use the micro reactor than to be connected to the power grid. i think it would be a great benefit to have these here since the price of heating oil is so high during the winter and the price of power used to cool every ones home and businesses is just as high, but there is a small risk of some terrorist bombing it and causing some damage to it and the area around, but if the designers design it right i dont see that being a problem. but i do see a problem of the fuel being stolen from these things and used in tactical nukes be said terrorists and that is a problem. as for everything else it looks like a great idea like i said.
