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Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Kosh on November 05, 2008, 04:22:40 am

Title: Quick question
Post by: Kosh on November 05, 2008, 04:22:40 am

One ton of Uranium used in a nuclear fission reactor has the equivalent energy of how many tons of coal being burned in a coal fired plant?

Title: Re: Quick question
Post by: watsisname on November 05, 2008, 04:45:38 am

Quick answer:  It's probably equivalent to a lot more tons of coal.

Precise answer:  I think this would very strongly depend on what sort of fission reactor we're considering, there's more than one type afterall, and they don't all have the same efficiency.  See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fission_reactor#Reactor_types (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fission_reactor#Reactor_types) for some info.  Can't say much for coal plants though...
I'm also not easily finding any figures for how much power can be produced with a given amount of uranium for these reactors, so this is a difficult question.

Title: Re: Quick question
Post by: Kosh on November 05, 2008, 07:22:10 am

Yeah, but I'd like some good estimates.

Title: Re: Quick question
Post by: Colonol Dekker on November 05, 2008, 07:59:45 am

six hundred and eighty two. :)

Title: Re: Quick question
Post by: Kosh on November 05, 2008, 06:51:38 pm

Like I said, good estimates. :p Where is our resident physics expert?