DIY Nuclear Reactors After the End

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by jfleisher

What about finding a beached nuclear submarine and restarting the reactor?

That's a lot more practical. You'll have to re-float it, because it depends on seawater for cooling.

[AlexanderHowl]

It would honestly be easier to build a nuclear reactor from scratch. Nuclear submarines are possibly the most complex devices in existence, and they require massive support structures for their maintenance. People of an AtE setting would be just as capable of repairing a nuclear submarine as they would be of establishing a moon base.

[PTTG]

Well, not repairing the whole thing. I could see them cutting it apart and just making use of the reactor alone.

[AlexanderHowl]

That would be an interesting thing to watch from a safe distance...such as the Moon. I know that I would much rather depend on any other source of energy than a repurposed nuclear reactor from a nuclear submarine. While there are probably more dangerous ways to use nuclear power, I cannot think of any.

Anyway, the fuel would have decayed sufficiently within a quarter century to 'poison' the fuel rods, so they would just be highly radiative waste. Without new nuclear fuel or reprocessed nuclear fuel, the reactor would be useless. Of course, with new nuclear fuel or reprocessed nuclear fuel, the salvaged nuclear reactor would be a deathtrap, but I doubt that an AtE society can make or reprocess nuclear fuel.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

Anyway, the fuel would have decayed sufficiently within a quarter century to 'poison' the fuel rods, so they would just be highly radiative waste.

How so? Submarine reactors use highly enriched uranium, and U-235 has a half-life of just over 700 million years. Now, if the reactor has been used significantly, some of the fission products may be strong neutron absorbers, but finding a nuclear sub is sufficiently implausible already that you might as well make it one with a fresh reactor.

[Celjabba]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

T
While there are probably more dangerous ways to use nuclear power, I cannot think of any.

Nuclear-powered planes ?
Such as the NB-36H. (I knew they were researched, I didn't knew till today they actually flew a prototype...)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convair_NB-36H

That thing could make an interesting scenario prop...

[AlexanderHowl]

Originally Posted by Celjabba

Nuclear-powered planes ?
Such as the NB-36H. (I knew they were researched, I didn't knew till today they actually flew a prototype...)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convair_NB-36H

That thing could make an interesting scenario prop...

The nuclear powered planes used thorium as a fuel source, so it was not actually that dangerous. They could not use uranium-235 or plutonium as a fuel source because the radiation that leaked through the shielding would have killed everyone. It was actually the only time the USA took thorium seriously as a fuel source...

[swordtart]

Aw you had me going for a moment.

According to the wiki cited it carried a nuclear reactor and the reactor was operated during flight, but the aircraft wasn't powered by that reactor ;(

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

The nuclear powered planes used thorium as a fuel source ...

Do you have a source on that? I've read a bit about the NB-36, and never encountered a mention of it being a thorium-based reactor. Half an hour's searching hasn't found anything on the point either.