Recycling Wind Turbine Systems with Subcritical Nuclear Power Systems

Abstract

This short article proposes reusing wind turbines as part of subcritical nuclear power systems. The authors point out that wind turbines endanger birds and bats, create visual pollution and leave fibreglass and carbon fibre blades, cables and other composite components that pose environmental and recycling problems, which they link to what they term crematory contamination of the turbine motors. They suggest that Olive frame or Triga subcritical systems could be used to recycle turbine components, especially the central component, by directing a permanent, controlled water flow onto the cut turbines, possibly cycling the water of artificial lakes, which they argue would protect the ecosystem while producing more energy than wind. Because existing turbine magnets are made for small energies, they recommend yttrium magnets for rotors and indium for stators. The authors estimate that a single Olive frame subcritical could deliver 1 MWh thermal per turbine with 10 kilograms of depleted uranium, 8 kilograms of Th232 or 6.4 kilograms of uranium mine tailings, as oxides, and give further estimates for an added water-cycling layer, for sunflower cement plutonium and for water motors, the latter producing 1.8 MWh electrical at 180 RPM. They also discuss the flexibility of these systems, the risk of their use for eliminating corpses, and the detection of such practices through power losses on the networks.

Abstract prepared by the editorial office from the full text of the article; the authors did not supply one.