The NRC and IAEA rules keep the enrichment of the nuclear fuel low so that the fuel cannot be used for bombs.
In Navy reactors the fuel is highly enriched because there is no danger of fuel proliferation diversion. On Thu, Mar 28, 2013 at 6:26 PM, David Roberson <[email protected]> wrote: > Why would you need tons to make a critical mass in a reactor? I suspect > that it would be possible to use the approximately the same amount as > required in the nuclear core if you wished to reduce it to the minimum. > > Dave > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Axil Axil <[email protected]> > To: vortex-l <[email protected]> > Sent: Thu, Mar 28, 2013 4:09 pm > Subject: Re: [Vo]: Low Energy Neutrons and Local Temperature > > In a fission reactor, you need tons of Pu239 and/or U235 to make the > reactor critical. > Again in this case, all the bulk of the fiscal material is involved in the > nuclear reaction; tons of it. > This latest example is going in the wrong direction to support your case, > from pounds of material to tons needed to go critical. > > > Cheers: axil > > On Thu, Mar 28, 2013 at 3:51 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: > >> In reply to Axil Axil's message of Wed, 27 Mar 2013 17:38:42 -0400: >> Hi, >> >> You were arguing that neutron repulsion (which correlates with neutron >> density) >> was a hindrance to it being a possible cause of CF. I simply provided a >> well >> known and obvious example to the contrary. >> If you want a less "emotional" example, then consider a fission reactor. >> >> >> >This is a false comparison, an emotional one, and one that damages LENR. >> If >> >the common man compares LENR to nuclear fission or fusion, progress on >> the >> >PR front for LENR will go backward. >> > >> >A bomb uses more than 8 kilograms of material in a “pit” where the >> reaction >> >occurs throughout the entire bulk of the material. >> > >> >Most believe that LENR uses only the thin surface skin of 10 Grams of >> >micropowder only a few nanometers thick. >> > >> >This is because electrons do not penetrate the surface of the Lattice >> >because they travel in a strong alternating current. >> > >> >The volume of this surface materiel is minuscule. >> > >> >The percentage of the volume devoted to the NAE is some minuscule >> fraction >> >of this surface volume. >> > >> >Your comparison with a bomb is way off in terms of magnitude. >> > >> > >> >On Wed, Mar 27, 2013 at 4:30 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: >> > >> >> In reply to Axil Axil's message of Wed, 27 Mar 2013 02:37:04 -0400: >> >> Hi, >> >> [snip] >> >> >All the above does not apply to neutrons. Neutrons cannot be packed >> by the >> >> >zillions into a tiny space. >> >> >> >> Enough can be packed into a tiny space in a fission bomb to release a >> >> Megaton of >> >> energy in a fraction of a second. CF requires but a minuscule fraction >> of >> >> this >> >> power density. >> >> >> >> Regards, >> >> >> >> Robin van Spaandonk >> >> >> >> http://rvanspaa.freehostia.com/project.html >> >> >> >> >> Regards, >> >> Robin van Spaandonk >> >> http://rvanspaa.freehostia.com/project.html >> >> >
