Nuclear minicentals to produce energy where needed

2009/01/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Fisika
• Energia

The U.S. company Hyperion has announced its intention to commercialize nuclear minicentals installable under home. Company founded by the laboratory Los Alamos, prestigious for the construction of the first atomic bomb.

Now there is a small nuclear reactor "suitable for anyone who, for safety, reliability or economy, wants to be independent of the local energy supply".

Hyperion believes that the reactors they produce are clean, safe and reliable and reasonably priced. In particular, each of them has the size of a refrigerator, which is estimated at 20 million euros and generates the energy needed to supply 20,000 households. It can be transported by train, truck or boat and installed on the ground. The fuel lasts five years and, in the meantime, it works on its own, without needing more.

Fuel is a hybrid uranium, that is, enriched uranium that has absorbed a lot of hydrogen. As the Uranic nucleus disintegrates from fission it emits neutrons, while hydrogen acts as a moderator and dampened neutrons divide other uranium nuclei. This prevents the breakdown of the reaction chain and takes advantage of the heat generated in the reaction chain to supply energy to the facilities. In case of excess heat, the system itself would paralyze the chain of reaction, thus avoiding problems. Radioactive waste is also controlled by the total closure of the reactor.

Hyperion studies the market and looks for customers. According to the data provided by the company, a group from Eastern Europe plans to buy six copies, and it is possible that the engineering company TES from the Czech Republic buys 44. However, they do not expect the first to sell before 2013.