Toshiba Builds 100x Smaller Micro Nuclear Reactor

[Manic]

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.


http://www.nextenergynews.com/news1/next-energy-news-toshiba-micro-nuclear-12.17b.html

 

[OCBob]

That's really cool, but it does bring up the question of security.

 

[ntw0rk]

Wow! That is cool!

 

[Silverback]

I bet it will ripen my green bananas in no time at all.



Have to agree with Bob regarding the security issue.

 

[sapientiam]

I'm more likely to believe that, if there wasn't grammatical mistakes in the article.
"The whole whole process is self sustaining and can last for up to 40 years"

 

[K-80-123]

Those would be cool....like to have one after the power was out for 9 days here.

 

[Jeff Kehoe]

Security would not be a problem because it is not enriched uranium. I don't like it simply because its an overseas built thing. I am also a pipefitter and in January we are putting in for a new nuke in my territory. Which is about 15 years work for my union, full employment ETC.... I work all the time, but my local brothers do not. After 40 years what the hell do we do with the thing anyway?? Can exacty put it out with the trash.