US Plasma Sheild

[william]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2052281768485454267

https://twitter.com/x/status/2052058036005457939

 

[Friendly Engineer]

US has some history with helium-cooled graphite-moderated reactors I believe.
Problem with helium is it's a very leaky gas (UK solved this problem by using CO2 instead, runs at a lower temperature but it's cheaper). I'm sure they'll make it work though, Chinese & Japanese are pursuing it at the moment I believe.

Fort Saint Vrain Nuclear Power Plant - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Friendly Engineer]

Presumably what with it being an SMR they'll take the opportunity to solve the graphite cracking problem by stripping out the whole assembly on refuel, not just graphite cladding on the fuel rods like in AGRs

Graphite has pros and cons, although these days most people lean towards light water as a moderator.

 

[DEFCON Warning System]

Definitely need a new tech to deal with swarm attacks.

 

[william]

Presumably what with it being an SMR they'll take the opportunity to solve the graphite cracking problem by stripping out the whole assembly on refuel, not just graphite cladding on the fuel rods like in AGRs

Graphite has pros and cons, although these days most people lean towards light water as a moderator.

Thanks for responding to this FE. It's way above my pay grade.

 

[Friendly Engineer]

Definitely need a new tech to deal with swarm attacks.

High power laser defence systems will be to patriot batteries what patriot batteries are to flak cannons

 

[DEFCON Warning System]

High power laser defence systems will be to patriot batteries what patriot batteries are to flak cannons

Assuming lasers can reaim fast enough.

 

[Friendly Engineer]

Assuming lasers can reaim fast enough.

That's an engineering problem, shouldn't be too much of an issue.
Small changes in angle are multiplied with distance. (i.e. a 1 degree change of the laser could correspond to only fractions of an inch at the source, but a mile far away enough)

The big problems are:
Generating enough energy in the field (something microreactors might come into), storing enough of it, and discharging a lot of energy over a sustained period.

 

[Publius]

That's an engineering problem, shouldn't be too much of an issue.
Small changes in angle are multiplied with distance. (i.e. a 1 degree change of the laser could correspond to only fractions of an inch at the source, but a mile far away enough)

The big problems are:
Generating enough energy in the field (something microreactors might come into), storing enough of it, and discharging a lot of energy over a sustained period.

Thanks for your insight FE