"The sky is falling, the sky is falling!"
Nuclear power is the answer. Build more plants. It stimulates the
economy, especially around the plants, because of the additional
high-tech jobs that will be created in operation, Radiation Health
Physics, plant security, etc. Power is produced at much less $$$ per
kilowatt-hour, and the newer plants are much safer. New plants are
designed so that even if all the coolant (water) was instantly drained
out of the reactor, and all the control rods were withdrawn
instantaneously, the fuel would not heat up at anywhere near the melting
point of the stainless steel alloy cladding around the fuel pellets.
More people have been killed as a result of natural gas disasters or
fossil fuel explosions in one year than have been killed in a nuclear
disaster (at least in this country). Anyone want to take a guess how
many people have died at nuclear power plants in the United States of
America to date? It's a very familiar one-digit number. ZERO!
Anyway, we do have the capacity to produce sufficient oil for
lubrication purposes, and that is a fact. The oil we drain out of our
cars (for those of us who have them) is really not "worn out". It is
simply loaded with dirt, and the additives (non-oil) that are mixed with
these lubricants to improve their capacity to take high temperature, and
to suspend wear products better do break down. We just throw this stuff
away (most of us, anyway). Mine of course goes to the recycle container
at the dump, and I hope it ends up being cleaned and recycled.
When I was in the United States Navy, we NEVER discarded lubricating
oil. The nuclear powered submarine I served on continuously cleaned the
oil with purifiers, and that stuff always looked brand new. We rarely
had to add oil to our systems. We did however have a small diesel
generator for emergency purposes that was only run for maintenance
checks. It really stunk up the berthing compartment.
So you see, Dexter, your remarks are a little off base, at least in my
educated opinion. And I am educated in Nuclear Power, which includes
thermodynamics, heat transfer, coolant systems, water chemistry, and
miscellaneous other plant related operations. Next time I make a
meeting, I would be happy to discuss it with you, or anyone else who'll
listen.
Another viable option in my opinion is the hydrogen fuel cell, however
I am only a layman insofar as how those things operate. But I have some
young friends that are very excited about them, and they have been used
for years on the Space Shuttles.
Sincerely,
Jim Darrough
Radiation Health Physicist
Radiation Center
Oregon State University
On Sat, 2001-11-24 at 21:47, Dexter Graphic wrote:
> OK, Patrick, I understand that you want this thread to go away. (Sorry!)
>
> But on re-reading Jacob's statement about "hot burning oil" I must point
> out that biomass (such as oil from cannabis, alcohol from corn, etc) can
> not be grown in sufficient quantity to replace our current technological
> society's need for fossil fuels. Here is a link to more on this subject:
> http://www.dieoff.com/synopsis.htm
>
> Hey, we wouldn't even *have* computers to run Linux on without oil! When
> the oil stops flowing (or becomes too expensive) our computers will stop
> running. World oil "production" is expected to peak around 2012, that is
> when the madness will really set in. Without oil, America and Europe are
> sunk, all our freedoms go out the window, and human slavery makes up the
> difference. That is if anyone survives the oil wars (think desperation!)
>
> Now back to our regularly scheduled programming. Enjoy it while you can.
>
> Dexter Graphic
>
> What's the difference between ignorance and apathy?
> ...I don't know and I don't care!
>
>
> >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of
> >Patrick R. Wade
> >Sent: Saturday, November 24, 2001 15:47
> >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >Subject: [EUG-LUG:175] Re: Finding Good Stuff (was: Fry's)
> >
> >
> >On Sat, Nov 24, 2001 at 01:50:08AM -0800, Jacob Meuser wrote:
> >>
> >><WOT>
> >>Had Congress listened to the AMA instead of the Treasury Department (they
> >>needed something for all those agents who were hired during Prohibition
> >>to do), the Middle East would mean *nothing* to us today, as we would have
> >>an abundant supply of clean, hot burning oil and cellulose for all our
> >>plastic needs.
> >
> >Followed up to activism
> >
> >--
> >"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety
> >deserve neither liberty nor safety."
> >- Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759.
>
>
