Anyone have more concrete information about the design?
How do they modulate the reactor to deal with varying loads? (Or do they dump the energy?)
How is the heat converted to electricity?
How do they modulate the reactor to deal with varying loads? (Or do they dump the energy?)
How is the heat converted to electricity?
Unlike conventional designs, the proposed reactor is self-regulating through the inherent properties of uranium hydride, which serves as a combination fuel and moderator. The temperature-driven mobility of the hydrogen contained in the hydride controls the nuclear activity. If the core temperature increases over the set point, the hydrogen is driven out of the core, the moderation drops, and the power production decreases. If the temperature drops, the hydrogen returns and the process is reversed. Thus the design is inherently fail-safe and will require minimal human oversight. The compact nature and inherent safety open the possibility for low-cost mass production and operation of the reactors.
I'm sure a Google search or Wikipedia search would net you more.
I imagine how they'd be installed would be inside a concrete bunker of sorts. The company would build a underground container with connections leading to the outside installed when the concrete is setting like most foundation works and then place a multi-tonne concrete slab on top so that only someone with a back-hoe and crane can even get to them and open the things. They could easily be placed somewhere even more secure like installed on police property in small communities.
Also, the article ends in the words, "Or maybe not".
That fully sums up the criticism of the device.