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0 pointspfdietz5y ago0 comments

Also note from this paper:

The power density of the reactor is 0.5 MW/m^3, which is 1/40th the power density of a commercial PWR primary reactor vessel.

The reactor (a single one!) uses something like 40% of the world's current annual production of beryllium. If all the world's estimated resource of Be is used to make these reactors, it would be enough for reactors producing just 1% of world primary energy demand.

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beervirus5y ago

> The reactor (a single one!) uses something like 40% of the world's current annual production of beryllium. If all the world's estimated resource of Be is used to make these reactors, it would be enough for reactors producing just 1% of world primary energy demand.

That's crazy. I guess if the design works out we can start casting about for a beryllium replacement.

pfdietzOP5y ago

Beryllium has long been known to be problematic for fusion reactor walls, to be used sparingly if at all. Even lead (!) may have resource issues for widespread use of fusion.

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