If I hadn't been busy yesterday I would have beaten you to the punch on this one yog, but its amazing news, some of the most hopeful in a long while
this post was submitted on 01 Dec 2024
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yeah this is super cool stuff :)
I LOVE Pebble Bed Reactors! They've been one of, if not my favorite Reactor design as I've continued my academic journey as an aspiring Nuclear Engineer. I got to actually study them a bit more for my classes recently and I adore them. Apperceive my professor also loves them and other HTGRs so I might bring this up with them my next class.
So is the benefit of the pebble-bed reactor the lack of need for water and being built on a lake or river? Are they any cheaper or longer lifespan?
My understanding is that it offers purely safety related benefits. It can cool itself off and stop all reactions in emergency situations where traditional reactors would still need active cooling
The other commenter mentioned some things, but another aspect is that, if I'm correctly remembering the design, they have a shorter refueling cycle. Whereas usually you'd have to shut down a reactor for around a month (couple weeks at least) Pebble Beds can operate continuously iirc.