Possible Temp Solution For Nuke Waste

[BeFree]

Water, we are told, controls and limits the radiation from nuke waste.

But there are millions of pounds of nuke waste sitting in hundreds of land based pools.
Water, we are told, must be kept circulating to keep the used fuel from burning.

So this idea is run up the flag pole so it can be shot down...

Build huge casks that are placed offshore so that sea water can keep the fuel form burning.

Sure, there are many possible problems with this but my gawd, we can't afford huge maintenance systems like we are now using. What happens when the power goes out again?

Placing the casks off shore will definitely keep the stuff from catching on fire.

Like it or not, we own this problem. It begs for a rapid solution.

Of course, future generation of waste needs to be severely limited, starting right now.

[MineralMan]

1. Salt water is pretty corrosive, in general, and is probably not

suitable for this job. The other problem that could easily occur is the sinking of such casks, threatening further contamination of the ocean. An interesting idea, but probably not a practical solution.

[Buzz Clik]

3. +1

[BeFree]

4. The water wouldn't circulate

Indeed, the liquid in the casks could be freshwater or a new type of coolant.
The water surrounding the casks would cool the casks with no or little circulation inside.

And, with a lid of the proper size and shape the casks could float, like a ship, if need be.

Question I have... if water is used in pools now, and water limits the spread of radiation, then it seems placing waste in water, rather than on land is far preferable?

[drm604]

5. The water has to circulate.

The water is there to cool the rods. If it isn't circulating the heat from the rods will cause it to boil away. The current problem is largely due to the loss of circulation.

[BeFree]

7. Due to loss of water.

Because surrounding the pools now is air, or earth.
Casks could be built like giant radiators.
Hot water and cold water in the same contiguous loop moves of its own volition.

Water is there to dissipate the heat. The heat from the rods, in a properly designed system would dissipate the heat without pumps. It would be a passive system.

[northernlights]

6. the water inside the casks

would heat up far faster than the water outside the casks could cool it.

Heated water boils, becomes steam. Steam takes up more space than water. Increased pressure causes casks to blow.

[BeFree]

8. Pools are open to the air

Heat is dissipated to the air, now.
These pools are not closed systems. Casks could be open also, except that the escaping air would be filtered.

[northernlights]

10. the pools were closed systems before the buildings blew up.

I'm not a nuclear scientist, nor are you. I'm not going to waste any more time trying to explain why putting nuclear waste into the ocean would be a very bad idea. Something about the best laid plans...murphy's law and all that.

If you think it's such a great idea, I suggest you send it to GE or Dr. Chu.

[BeFree]

12. Pools are not closed

Its best you just slide away.

Besides this is just a temp solution.

And how dare I have any ideas that are out of the box, right?
Bwahahahah!

[drm604]

2. I like the idea of some sort of passive cooling that doesn't require power

but, for the reasons already pointed out by MineralMan, this is not the way to do it.

[BeFree]

9. Those few simple questions of MM have ansewrs

The thing is the pro-nukers have it on their shoulders to come up with real solutions.
Otherwise they should support closing nukes now and praying for the best, like the rest of us.

All I am doing is trying to find solutions that will work, and save the future.

[MineralMan]

11. Who's a pro-nuker?

Certainly not me. I've opposed nuclear power generation since 1959. However, I also oppose solutions that won't work and that present even more risks.

[BeFree]

14. well

If Fukushima had paced their spent fuel in such a container, we wouldn't have half the problem now, would we?

Seems the cores were holding up until the spent rods exploded causing the buildings to explode.

Seems the current temp storage solutions are causing extra problems. This idea is just an idea to give distance and added safety to our current FUBAR situations.

[JDPriestly]

13. How much of our water would you want to pollute?

We need to shut down all nuclear power plants across the world and place the nuclear fuel deep in the earth below any water in cement and lead caskets. Bury it all forever. This experiment with nuclear energy has failed, and we need to admit it.

It isn't the science. It isn't the nuclear material. It is us. It is our human failings -- greed, laziness, carelessness that caused this accident. We can't handle this stuff.

It's time to go cold turkey from nuclear energy.

We should not be wasting electricity as we do.

[BeFree]

15. No more

You do know there are probably billions of gallons of nuked water sitting, on land, at a 100 nuke plants around the country? Full of nuke spent fuel rods.

I have always fought against nukes. Until such time as we all are in the same union we've got to come up with some temp solutions, and this is just one idea.