Nuclear powered cars.

EVs won't solve climate change, will have a positive effect on the local air quality. It's the cows we need to worry about.
 
Purple said:
When it comes to Nuclear reactors I'm a fan of the Travelling Wave Reactor design as it is intrinsically safe and can use existing nuclear waste as fuel. Using that technology there is enough existing waste to power the world for a thousand years. The waste in the USA alone would generate $100 trillion worth of electricity. From an energy generation revolution point of view it is close to Nuclear Fusion in how big a step it would represent.
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nuclear only produces heat so you are talking about a steam car,, it will also be difficult to turn off
 
to generate electric you will need a small turbine onto a small generator, but there again it will not turn off
 
roker said:
to generate electric you will need a small turbine onto a small generator, but there again it will not turn off
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I don't understand your point.
I'm talking about Nuclear Power being used to power the National Grid. Oh, and the Travelling Wave reactor does just turn off.
 
The title says Nuclear Powered Cars. I don't know what a Travelling Wave Reactor is, Why is this not used in Nuclear Power plants if it's so convenient?
 
roker said:
The title says Nuclear Powered Cars. I don't know what a Travelling Wave Reactor is, Why is this not used in Nuclear Power plants if it's so convenient?
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Travelling Wave Reactors are much safer than the existing reactors which are all based on 1940's technology.
From the link above;
"The name refers to the fact that fission remains confined to a boundary zone in the reactor core that slowly advances over time. TWRs could theoretically run self-sustained for decades without refueling or removing spent fuel."
Crucially they use existing depleted Uranium and so don't need enriched material and generate no new waste. In fact they ruin on the existing waste. Why aren't there any being used now? Ignorance and fear and the utter stupidity of rejecting the only sustainable green energy source that has a hope of replacing hydrocarbons. There is enough existing waste in the USA to power 80% of the world for a thousand years.
TWR's + a big (80%) reduction in meat consumption + use the land saved to grow trees = Climate change stopped.
 
horse7 said:
Also today's times. https://www.irishexaminer.com/motoring/arid-30993884.html
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There are multiple ongoing trials across Europe of hydrogen powered trucks and busses, Germany has 100+ hydrogen stations. The current projections for battery energy density and recharge times simply doesn't make the near-term viable for battery powered heavy haulage.

Passenger cars are being further developed also, long way of mass market adoption yet, but for larger cars doing lots of miles, a fuel cell is a far more more compelling prospect than adding a couple of tonnes of battery.
 
It still comes down to how the electricity is generated to charge the cells with Hydrogen or the batteries with electricity.
 
Purple said:
It still comes down to how the electricity is generated to charge the cells with Hydrogen or the batteries with electricity.
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Yep, water splitting is attracting a lot more investment and is getting more efficient. but is only even approaching broad viability now where excess renewable energy can be used. If grids get backed up with nuclear, then that becomes an option too.
 
Leo said:
Yep, water splitting is attracting a lot more investment and is getting more efficient. but is only even approaching broad viability now where excess renewable energy can be used. If grids get backed up with nuclear, then that becomes an option too.
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Lucky that water isn't an ever-scarcer commodity in a lot of the world
 
EmmDee said:
Lucky that water isn't an ever-scarcer commodity in a lot of the world
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Treated water is in many locations, water splitting clearly wouldn't be a good idea there. Split seawater and significant uptake might assist in slowing rising sea levels. Hydrogen fuel cells output water as a waste product, so maybe hydrogen fuel cells might even help in redistribution...
 
Leo said:
Treated water is in many locations, water splitting clearly wouldn't be a good idea there. Split seawater and significant uptake might assist in slowing rising sea levels. Hydrogen fuel cells output water as a waste product, so maybe hydrogen fuel cells might even help in redistribution...
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Every road would be wet all the time. Every cyclist will have a wet bottom...
 
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Purple said:
Every road would be wet all the time. Every cyclist will have a wet bottom...
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Sounds like your average day on the west coast!

But in reality petrol engines produce almost as much water as fuel cells.
 
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