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Tag: nuclear matinee

ANS Nuclear Cafe Matinee: DUFF Space Nuclear Reactor Prototype

November 30, 2012, 7:00AMANS Nuclear Cafe

A joint Department of Energy and NASA team has demonstrated a simple, robust fission reactor prototype [note: see Comments for more accurate and complete description] intended for development for future space exploration missions. The DUFF (Demonstration Using Flattop Fissions) experiment represents the first demonstration in the United State-since 1965-of a space nuclear reactor system to produce electricity.

Friday Nuclear Matinee: E=mc² is incomplete (!)

November 2, 2012, 6:00AMANS Nuclear Cafe

Albert Einstein's famous equation E=mc² explains, of course, why a nuclear power reactor can generate so much electricity in such a relatively tiny space, while using such a relatively tiny amount of fuel. Electricity from other forms of energy, say tidal or wind motion, sunlight, chemical bonds (burning things)... well, nuclear fission and fusion, thanks to E=mc², are definitely in their very own league.

Nuclear Matinee: Prep work at Sequoyah Unit 2

October 5, 2012, 6:00AMANS Nuclear Cafe

Today's ANS Nuclear Matinee shows viewers a time-lapse film of a steel superstructure being built on top of the dome of Sequoyah-2's reactor containment building. The work is being done to ready the site for a large maintenance project scheduled at the plant. When complete, the superstructure will support the removal of parts of the dome along with the reactor containment vessel and steam generator enclosures.