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Miniature nuclear reactor OTC

An American company markets a miniaturized nuclear reactor, as a large oil tank, and capable of supplying 20,000 American households, so much in other countries.

In the United States, can order a closed nuclear plant. Stamped "clean and safe" (clean and safe), it would produce zero emissions guarantee electricity. This explained on its website the company Hyperion Power Generation. The company, based in Sante Fe (New Mexico, USA), has effectively put its catalog to a complete and compact, the HPM (Hyperion Power Module), form roughly cylindrical with a diameter of a little over 1.50 meter. According to the designs shown, very brief, the height would be about three meters.

His power would be 25 MW, which, according to Hyperion, is the consumption of about 20,000 households in the United States (actually estimated at 11,000 kWh / year). A module HPM could power a small city. In all other countries in the world, should this power to a number of people much more important. Tariff announced $ 25 million (twenty million), the cost per household seems competitive. A HPM could also be considered for an industrial site, a military installation or supply facilities in remote locations. Moreover, the company says, order books are full and Hyperion would be safe to sell a hundred units. The first copies will be produced in 2013 and buyers attending today will be delivered in 2014. Between 2013 and 2023, Hyperion provides a production of 4,000 engines.


Zero risk, says seller

The first firm order would come from the Czech Republic, the company TES. Another would come from Romania, but, when questioned, officials of the national committee for control of the nuclear power claim to have heard of anything like this.

The reactor HPM use of low enriched uranium, ie containing less than 20% uranium 235, a fuel usually used in nuclear power plants. But this reactor "contains no moving parts, said John Deal, president of the society, and it is impossible to have an accident at the Chernobyl type." According to Hyperion, critical mass (beyond which trigger chain reactions) can not be reached.

In addition, the quantity of nuclear fuel is low and the equipment is not intended to be open during its period of operation, which would be 5 to 10 years. After this time, this "cell", as is sometimes called Hyperion, leaving a residue of the size of a coconut which would be easily recycled. Also, use this uranium for a nuclear bomb would be unthinkable, "says Hyperion.

Although technical details are lacking to get a clearer picture of performance and potential dangers but Hyperion not see the first floor on this issue. Toshiba has tested a reactor called 4S (Super Safe, Small and Simple) smaller but still much larger than the HPM.