Correcting the Santa Fe article and misconceptions (Score 1)

I exchanged email with Hyperion Power Generation (the maker of the new power generator). They indicate that the Sante Fe reporter made a mistake. The output is about 25-17 MW ELECTRIC [This statement was also consistent with the patent which talked about tens of MW in electricity.] They also said that the containment vessel will be dense enough that no radiation will escape even if it is not buried in the ground. So in addition to the regular electric generation there would be probably double that amount of thermal power. Which could be partially converted to electricity using thermoelectronics. 30-66% with better technology like powerchips. This is not radioisotope thermal generation. I have looked at the patent and it is a simplified variant of solid core nuclear reactors. Up to 50% of the fuel would be burned. It would provide for 20-50 times more efficient use of Uranium and allow for the use of Thorium. This technology make it three times cheaper and faster (less infrastructure and piping) to tap 1.1 trillion barrels of oil that is in the form of oil shale in the USA. Increasing US oil reserves by 30-40 times and perhaps eliminating the need for oil imports in 10-15 years. Helping to more economically unlock global oilsands and oil shale. Plus it would at the same time allow up a 100 year transition to a lot more nuclear power and renewables. It would be possible for a shorter transition with less air pollution and fossil fuel use as well by eliminating coal. Edward Teller tried to make Uranium hydride bombs but was only able to get the equal of 200 tons of TNT to explode. A nuclear power generation system would not have the bomb optimizations that Teller had so the reactors would be far safer. I have also examined using this reactor to power Vasimr plasma rocket engines to send rockets to Mars in 39 days.