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
1,0003.00Related questions
Related questions
Will we have a functioning, energy-producing, nuclear fusion reactor by 2033?
25% chance
What will be the most numerous type of fusion power plant in 2100?
Will nuclear fusion become a viable energy source before 2050?
65% chance
Will we get fusion reactors before 2031?
32% chance
Will we get fusion reactors before 2035?
44% chance
Will we get fusion reactors before 2040?
61% chance
Will fusion power be commercially available by 2035?
26% chance
Will there be subcritical accelerator-driven fission plants by 2050?
33% chance
Will we get fusion reactors before 2032?
32% chance
Will we get fusion reactors before 2038?
50% chance