Iduno maybe thats thinking too far ahead but I could honestly see small cities, maybe even the really small ones partnering up, and using these units.

very cool stuff.

Iduno maybe thats thinking too far ahead but I could honestly see small cities, maybe even the really small ones partnering up, and using these units.

very cool stuff.

The Hyperion concept is very interesting, but I think they are missing the boat slightly. Just supplying the heat source for power generation means each user has to re-invent the power generation wheel again. It would make more sense to have a total generation package where everything goes in every 5 years for a complete update and refurbishing. In fact, I recall reading of a concept some years ago where nuclear power packages could be built on barges, and the barges transported to any city that needed power. Every 5 years the barge would be replaced with a new one and the old one is recycled and the nuclear fuel enriched for another 5 years. What makes the barge system work is that most major cities are located on large rivers or other bodies of water. The barge would also have an available source of water for cooling as well.

A smaller package on one or two trucks would be especially useful in cold remote areas where the generator would not only supply relatively cheap and reliable electrictiy, but could heat all the buildings (and maybe some of the streets) for a double savings.

Getting back to the Hyperion unit, I suspect that after 5 years the Hyperion heat source would not be scraped, but instead would be refurbished and the fuel enriched. That means the costs of recycled units, and resulting electricity, would continue to come down with each replacement, as the refurbished units would obviously cost less then the new units.

But, if the Hyperion unit had to be disposed of after 5 years, that brings on another big headache and maybe even a cost far exceeding the initial purchase as we are all well aware how inefficient the current nuclear waste disposal program is.

I am also wondering, if the Hyperion unit is not run at full capacity for 5 years, if its life could be extended for much longer? For instance, you might have 2 Hyperion units to meet peak load, but only need one most of the time when the load is not peak. Or maybe the 5 year old unit would still produce a lot of heat for the next couple decades and thus could be used for a cheap building heat source for nothern towns?

Roland of North Dakota

The Hyperion concept is very interesting, but I think they are missing the boat slightly. Just supplying the heat source for power generation means each user has to re-invent the power generation wheel again. It would make more sense to have a total generation package where everything goes in every 5 years for a complete update and refurbishing. In fact, I recall reading of a concept some years ago where nuclear power packages could be built on barges, and the barges transported to any city that needed power. Every 5 years the barge would be replaced with a new one and the old one is recycled and the nuclear fuel enriched for another 5 years. What makes the barge system work is that most major cities are located on large rivers or other bodies of water. The barge would also have an available source of water for cooling as well.

A smaller package on one or two trucks would be especially useful in cold remote areas where the generator would not only supply relatively cheap and reliable electrictiy, but could heat all the buildings (and maybe some of the streets) for a double savings.

Getting back to the Hyperion unit, I suspect that after 5 years the Hyperion heat source would not be scraped, but instead would be refurbished and the fuel enriched. That means the costs of recycled units, and resulting electricity, would continue to come down with each replacement, as the refurbished units would obviously cost less then the new units.

But, if the Hyperion unit had to be disposed of after 5 years, that brings on another big headache and maybe even a cost far exceeding the initial purchase as we are all well aware how inefficient the current nuclear waste disposal program is.

I am also wondering, if the Hyperion unit is not run at full capacity for 5 years, if its life could be extended for much longer? For instance, you might have 2 Hyperion units to meet peak load, but only need one most of the time when the load is not peak. Or maybe the 5 year old unit would still produce a lot of heat for the next couple decades and thus could be used for a cheap building heat source for nothern towns?

Roland of North Dakota