brendude13 said:
Why isn't nuclear energy that popular? From what I know about energy sources, it seems to be the best option. |
I'll stick to the problems in using nuclear energy in a car.
The biggest one is cooling. Water is great for cooling. A constant supply of cold water is needed to keep things under control in a nuclear reactor. This is why nuclear plants are placed near rivers. A submarine have access to cold water as well. However, in a car this isn't possible. I'm not sure if there could be an alternate way to keep the fuel at the right temperature.
Then there's the problem of size. I'm not sure if it's posssible to make a reactor that fits in a car. Some security measurements cannot be implemented in a car due to size as well. Even if it's doable, with the decrease in size efficiency will decrease as well and there's no way around it.
Size is a problem, and weight probably as well.
Fuel must be handled with extreme care. Not only it is radioactive, it needs to be submerged in water permanently to keep it at a reasonable temperature. Otherwise the temperature will increase and it can start a fire. Used fuel is even hotter and more dangerous.
If the vessel where the fuel is stored is damaged (in a traffic accident, for example), the water surrounding the fuel may escape. If this happens the temperature will increase, the fuel will start a fire, melt the vessel and escape (and the area surrounding the car will be affected with radioactivity).
