Al Gore

[fishinwrench]

4 hours ago, Chief Grey Bear said:

[MOPanfisher]

Generally dams are designed to withstand a pretty substantial earthquake.  And they get checked regularly for changes in alignment etc.  Some have automated devices that use laser measurements etc.  I know very little to nothing about Bagnell however.

[MOPanfisher]

For nuke plants things like earthquakes and apparently Tsunamis are bad.  I doubt a tornado could do much to them except for minor damage.  Biggest threats to them otherwise seem to be multiple failures within as they have redundant systems.  Of course there are several different types of designs.  What I want is a reactor that i can load with everyone's trash and garbage, use it to produce electricity, compost, recyclables and clean water, at a low design and build cost, and cheap/easy to operate.  Is that too much to ask.  Some of the landfills that use the methane produced to run generators, heat buildings etc. Well that is awesome just not practical on a large scale sadly.

[tjm]

Incinerating refuse to power steam turbines seems a good idea, but I haven't heard much about that lately?

[Johnsfolly]

1 hour ago, MOPanfisher said:

What I want is a reactor that i can load with everyone's trash and garbage, use it to produce electricity, compost, recyclables and clean water, at a low design and build cost, and cheap/easy to operate.  Is that too much to ask.  Some of the landfills that use the methane produced to run generators, heat buildings etc. Well that is awesome just not practical on a large scale sadly.

When I was in 7th grade I did a project on how a household could contribute to their local energy requirements by contributing trash (and waste) to a neighborhood compost and methane production center. The house would recycle gray water (didn't know that term at the time). As you mentioned it is unlikely that a larger scale may not be practical. Even a small scale might not generate enough "fuel" to generate a sufficient amount of energy.

[Johnsfolly]

I will note that Al Gore may have never dreamed that when he invented the internet that he would get this much attention !

[snagged in outlet 3]

19 minutes ago, Johnsfolly said:

I will note that Al Gore may have never dreamed that when he invented the internet that he would get this much attention !

No, Wrench is mowing Als lawn😀

[MOPanfisher]

I wish I could economically set up a small wind turbin with solar panels on the south side of it and produce my own electricity.  Economically is the key.  Right now I wish a windmill was pumping water for me.

[tjm]

1 hour ago, Johnsfolly said:

When I was in 7th grade I did a project on how a household could contribute to their local energy requirements by contributing trash (and waste) to a neighborhood compost and methane production center. The house would recycle gray water (didn't know that term at the time). As you mentioned it is unlikely that a larger scale may not be practical. Even a small scale might not generate enough "fuel" to generate a sufficient amount of energy.

how much methane is produced by decomposing plastic? what percentage of our trash will even decompose at all?  I recall reading about a land fill excavation that found 50 or 70 year old hot dogs mostly intact.

[MOPanfisher]

I once postulated that in 50 years we will be mining landfills for the materials.  Springfield at one point was talking about having a Material Recovery Facility that would sort out anything valuable or recyclable and the compostables.  I say combine that with a prison and let the prisoners work it. Non violent offenders only, for every year worked a year is also taken of their sentence.  Heck include a max facility and execute the truly bad ones and compost them too.   Would never be economically feasible but so what, my painkillers are kicking in so it sounds like a good idea.