The Atomic Show #26 - Helium, MIT study, coal
Topics range from helium to coal and include high temperature gas reactors.
(MP3 - 16.2MB - 47 min)
Listen to Atomic Show #026 Here!
Shane and I get our groove back and engage in a geeky discussion on topics ranging from helium to coal and somehow manage to include such topics as aviation safety, nuclear engineering career paths, computing the cost of common products like a liter of water, assumptions underlying the MIT study titled the Future of Nuclear Energy, the geology that results in helium contamination of natural gas, a new business model for building nuclear power plants, Ayn Rand’s Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged and a singing act that included a cello and a helium bottle.
We are obviously biased, but think that this show is one of our better efforts. We hope you agree. Feedback is always welcome.
Here are some links to articles and topics that we discussed during the show:
August 25th, 2006 at 4:14 am
Rod and Shane,
Great discussion of the MIT Study. As you stated, many of the assumptions that went into that piece of work have turned out to be invalid for so many reasons. I’ve been tempted to contact the original authors and ask them to update it. Perhaps we should get a working group together and revise it ourselves, then put out a press release and hold a news conference - Call it “Return to MIT - Why Nuclear Power Is on The Comeback”.
Do you think the NY Times and the Washington Post would show up?
Keep up the Great Work!
John
“This Week in Nuclear”
August 25th, 2006 at 6:39 pm
John:
Great idea. Whenever you are ready to put together the working group, count me in. As I mentioned in the show, I have reconstructed the model that the MIT group used in their study - it is a valuable tool for conducting sensitivity analysis to understand what really drives the complex equation of a cost per kilowatt hour. An awful lot of assumptions and predictions have to be made to come up with that number, especially for capital intensive projects with potentially long useful lives.
Rod