Based on current projections, it appears that the gas turbine is destined to fulfill the majority of the new power plant market in the United States and much of western Europe. Many of the greatest innovations – if carefully investigated – can be seen to be the result of of an inventor recognizing other inventions…
At the request of several readers, we have decided to dedicate this issue to discussing the Adams Engine concept. Rather than talking about technical details, however, we have decided to talk about general principles and philosophies. Adams Atomic Engines, Inc. has determined that it is possible to build uranium heated machines that can fulfill many…
Here is our best advice in case of a reactor accident that releases large amounts of radioactive material. If there is evidence of increased radioactivity in the air, stay indoors and breath filtered air. Forced evacuations make taking this action far more difficult. It is worth the effort to take sensible precautions against inhaling or…
Crude Oil Hits 4 Year High (March 19, 1996) – April delivery crude oil gained $1.28 to close at $23.27 per barrel on Monday March 18. This price is almost 40% higher than it was at the beginning of February 1996. Traders attribute the increase to tight inventories caused by a cold winter, decisions by…
Therefore, the immediate death toll from the accident was 31. Since the accident, 11 more deaths – possibly caused by radiation – have occurred among the population of highly exposed people, bringing the death toll to 42. The health effects of the accident at Chernobyl have been the subject of numerous intensive studies. Here are…
When Unit 4 blew up, it became a huge opportunity for those who wanted to point out the weaknesses of the Soviet system. It is impossible to separate the reaction to Chernobyl from the long-standing rivalry between the Communist and the Capitalist economic systems. The Chernobyl nuclear station was never viewed as just an electricity…
As a former nuclear plant supervisor, I was appalled by reports of plant bosses who ordered operators into highly contaminated areas without ensuring that they used protective clothing or breathing devices. Last April, Atomic Energy Insights published its first issue. In the past year, AEI has attempted to provide a view of atomic topics that…
On April 26th, 1986, at 1:23 am, Alexander Akimov did what he and thousands of other nuclear plant operators have been trained to do. When confronted with confusing reactor indications, he initiated an emergency shutdown of Unit 4 of the large electricity generating station near Pripyat in Ukraine. By doing so, he unwittingly initiated an…
There are some legitimate questions raised by the opponents of Yucca Mountain. There are also some arguments that have little basis and are simply a continuation of the scare tactics that anti-nuclear groups have been using against the technology for nearly three decades. The opposing groups normally make the following claims in their papers and…
Theodore Rockwell is the author of The Rickover Effect: How One Man Made a Difference. He was one of Rickover’s key team members in the early days of the Navy nuclear power program. This letter is published with his permission. The following letter was written by Mr. Rockwell to the Washington Post. It was not…
By nature, I am a procrastinator. I often live by the motto “Never do today that which you can put off until tomorrow.” In fact, I sometimes extend that idea to “Never do at all that which you can put off indefinitely.” Some of my associates vehemently disagree with my way of thinking, but I…
There is a current sense of urgency that “something” must be done about spent nuclear fuel. The Nuclear Energy Institute, which represents the interests of the nuclear utilities and the nuclear plant vendors, has placed the issue of the front page of its bimonthly newsletter no fewer than six times in the past year. Short…