Nuclear Powered Vehicles: Cheap, Sustainable, and Potentially Deadly

Hello everyone, welcome back to another episode of side projects. My name is Simon and in today's video we are looking at

nuclear

powered

vehicles

. We've made a ton of videos not only on this channel but also on my other channels on similar topics.

nuclear

powered

aircraft carriers and all that kind of stuff and we wonder why more

vehicles

don't work well on nuclear power because it's really dangerous anyway. That's the history we're getting into today, so let's dive into almost 80 years after the invention of the first nuclear bomb. reactor where all the nuclear-powered ships, cars and planes are located.

Nuclear energy is cleaner than energy generated by fossil fuels, it also weighs less than fossil fuels and generates more substantial amounts of energy with a minimal amount of pollution, unlike For vehicles that run on gasoline, diesel, or the like, you could spend years driving a nuclear-powered vehicle before needing to refuel it. Highly enriched uranium is extremely powerful as an energy source, so a pound could power an aircraft carrier or submarine for a while. Experts at Stanford University have long believed that a nuclear-powered car would only need to be refueled once every five years, but the question remains: Where are all these ultra-clean, super-fast, cost-effective nuclear vehicles if Is its development being canceled by big oil companies?

Keeping your bottom line fueled by fossil fuels or the nuclear-powered Model Tesla is being held hostage by the environmental lobby, as it turns out that building a safe and functional nuclear-powered car might be a little more difficult than scientists originally anticipated. , it doesn't seem like this was a surprise to us today, but we really used to think that this was actually possible. This is not to say that nuclear powered vehicles don't exist, we definitely know they do, but they are far from common in today's video that we are going to try. Understand why this is the case and what the future could hold for this sector.

In the 1950s and 1960s, often called the atomic age, there was much optimism among businesses and governments regarding the future potential of nuclear energy. Many experts opined that nuclear reactors would put an end to energy shortages around the world. world and would lead to unlimited consumption with autonomous kitchens and flying cars becoming commonplace within decades, all powered by clean, green nuclear energy man, the future of the past was much better than the future of the future I want an automated kitchen I want a flying car, come on, we have promised these things. This collective euphoria was further fueled by the development of nuclear-powered ships and submarines in the mid-20th century.

The USS Nautilus, launched on January 21, 1954, was the world's first nuclear submarine, while the The first nuclear-powered merchant ship was the NS Savannah, launched on July 21, 1959. These innovations in submarine technology Transportation, combined with the generally optimistic outlook on nuclear power, inspired automobile designers and manufacturers to consider the possibility of four-wheeled atomic vehicles. In theory, these cars would be driven by a consistent reaction that would rarely need to be refueled and would not produce harmful byproducts. Many believed that nuclear cars, along with the new interstate highway system in the United States, would totally revolutionize mobility during these brief years of optimism and also naivety.

Many nuclear-powered car concepts were developed by automakers such as Ford Fiat and studebaker packard i have never heard of the latter since that optimism has diminished to a considerable degree thanks in part to devastating nuclear disasters like chernobyl fukushima and also three mile island still It doesn't hurt to take a trip down memory lane and see some of the creative nuclear-powered car concepts that the automakers of the atomic age came up with, so let's do it with all the new tips that the concept cars devised by auto designers in the 1950s and 1960s had. The Ford Nucleon is perhaps the most acquaintance.

A 3.8 scale model of this futuristic vehicle was built by Ford designers in 1958. The nuclear reactor that powers the Ford Nucleon would be located at the rear of the vehicle and would have its atomic energy. The core was periodically recharged. The model was partially developed as a research tool for scientists trying to reduce the size of nuclear reactors and make them safe enough for everyday civilian use. Ford designers predicted that nuclear power would have a range of approximately 5,000 miles, or 8,000 kilometers once that limit was exceeded. If reached, there would be no refueling, it would simply be replaced by a new reactor.

The scale model of the nucleon can be seen at the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan. The symmetrical arbor was designed in the mid-1950s by a now-defunct French researcher and company. development the company was interested in creating a passenger vehicle that would save fuel and require little maintenance according to the designers the gazebo was going to be powered by the jenna startin a 40 kilowatt nuclear thermal generator that used radioactive cartridges a gasoline hybrid electric vehicle Being made of fiberglass and plastic, the arbel needed to be lightweight, affordable, environmentally

sustainable

, and truly ahead of its time in every way imaginable except simply made of fiberglass or plastic.

Imagine if that thing fails with some of their other cutting-edge technologies. Features include glow-in-the-dark phosphorescent bumpers and rotating captain's seats. Yeah, I mean, they seem a lot less impressive than the fact that it would have a nuclear reactor inside it. What is your card? It has glow-in-the-dark bumpers. Unfortunately, or perhaps not, the French government did not support the use of nuclear fuel on public roads, which prevented the Arbel from becoming a full-size automobile designed by the resigned French automotive designer Robert Operon. The Simcoe Fulgar was a concept car that was shown for the first time. In 1959, at the Geneva Motor Show, the car would have been nuclear powered and included several specifications and features that were quite unknown in the automotive market at the time the model was produced by Simcar, a company created by the manufacturer.

Italian car fiat, apparently through the Futuristic Simcar Fulgar The car manufacturers wanted to show their vision of what cars would be like in the 21st century. The Fulgar would be guided by radar, incorporate voice control technology and be balanced by gyroscopes while only using two wheels. Well, they got two of them right. Not bad, the car was also supposed to have some kind of Autopilot-based driver assistance system, although exact details of this feature are not available. This innovative prototype developed by the Michigan-based Packard automobile company was manufactured in 1957 and unveiled at the South Bend Arts Center.

In 1958, drawing inspiration from the world of science fiction, the Astra was supposed to be entirely nuclear powered and feature a single wheel balanced by gyroscopes. It was displayed at several auto shows and was said to be able to float on water as they do. Simply inventing features to protect passengers from nuclear radiation, the car was to use a force field that contemporary designers described as an energy curtain. when you build a car your eas should be able to do this, you can't just invent such protective technologies. The energy curtain would also make car accidents a thing of the past.

The Astral was made of glass-reinforced plastic and was designed by Edward e Hermann, then director of interior design at Studebaker Packard. Currently, this iconic concept car can be found on display at Peterson Auto. Museum in Los Angeles designed by Greek-American industrial designer Alex Tremulis. The Ford Seattle Light 21 was Ford Motor Company's second attempt to develop a nuclear-powered automobile. It was first exhibited at the Seattle World's Fair on April 20, 1962. This concept car contained some innovative ideas that are now commonplace, such as interactive computer navigation, interchangeable fuel cell power units, and active fuel cell systems. Four-wheel steering, a compact nuclear propulsion unit that would be used as the primary power source for the vehicle's fingertip steering, and improved traction, were some of the other advertised benefits of the 21 Ford Seattleite because I generally prefer drive with your fingertips.

One of the many fascinating aspects was that this car was designed as a modular car with the front of the vehicle separating from the passenger compartment for greater fuel economy. Whenever necessary, I almost never saw it powered by a nuclear reactor, while nuclear powered cars were never successful due to a variety of factors discussed later in the video. Nuclear powered ships are somewhat more popular, I would say they are infinitely more popular because we have them and we don't have nuclear powered cars, as mentioned above, the USS Nautilus and the NS Savannah were the first two ships built with a nuclear power source. atomic Energy.

There are currently more than 150 nuclear-powered ships worldwide. world, although most of them are submarines, nuclear-powered warships, aircraft carriers and icebreakers are also included in their ranks, experts from the world nuclear association believe that the shortage of fossil fuels will likely make marine nuclear propulsion a lot Most common in the future the USS Nautilus developed by the United States had an almost unlimited range and could remain underwater for large periods of time, unlike its electric and diesel counterparts, this was because the submarine did not need to refuel or recharge their electric batteries, which made it unnecessary to surface regularly.

While most submarines were designed to float in service and submerge underwater on occasion, the Nautilus was designed to travel primarily underwater and resurface only when necessary or advantageous to do so, which really was the range and remarkable maneuverability offered by the nuclear submarines they soon had. an effect on naval strategy and tactics In 1958, a few years after its launch, the Nautilus became the first man-made ship to reach the North Pole traveling under the Arctic ice. Nuclear powered submarines could easily travel the world undetected because they did not need to refuel, had a nearly unlimited range and could remain underwater indefinitely, this essentially gave the nations that had them a clear advantage as they Enemy ships, both military and commercial, were vulnerable to submarine attack at all times and in virtually all parts of the world, unsurprisingly, therefore the Soviet Union developed its own nuclear submarine, the unimaginatively named K -19, just a few years after the launch of the nautilus.

The NS Savannah, on the other hand, was proposed by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1955 as a luxury nuclear-powered passenger cargo ship of which it was a part. his atoms for peace initiative which aimed to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy for technological advancement the construction of the ship was to be a joint project between the maritime administration the atomic energy commission and the department of commerce the ship consisted of two steam turbines and a nuclear reactor and underwent extensive sea testing upon completion to ensure safety, she finally departed on her maiden voyage on 20 August 1962. The nuclear actor powering the NS Savannah was housed in a vessel of cylindrical containment and used uranium oxide fuel to propel 32 fuel beams. were inserted into the reactor that would power the ship for three and a half years, designed to be white and sleek, the $46.9 million nuclear ship offered some of the best passenger amenities ever seen before the fuel core and The nuclear reaction will cost more than 28 million. building a facility that made the Savannah one of the most expensive ships built during the 20th century, there is no doubt that nuclear energy is infinitely cleaner,

cheap

er and more reliable than oil or natural gas compared to fuels fossils.

Nuclear reactors also offer significantly higher densityEnergy efficiency is further improved because nuclear vehicles do not need to transport fossil fuels, this minimizes the weight of the vehicle and saves a lot of space, allowing for much greater storage capacity powered by nuclear energy. A car could travel hundreds of thousands of miles. Without needing to refuel, a commercial airliner equipped with a small nuclear reactor could fly from London to Sydney without having to land halfway to refuel, a nuclear warplane, on the other hand, could remain in the sky almost indefinitely to establish air superiority over any battlefield, perhaps the greatest benefit would come from nuclear-powered cargo ships, however.

A large container ship can consume more than 10,000 liters of diesel in a single hour. All the cars in the world do not produce as much pollution as just 15 of today's largest cargo ships. Considering that there are thousands of container ships transporting goods around the world, replacing diesel with nuclear power as the main energy source could greatly minimize greenhouse gas emissions. The main problem with nuclear powered vehicles and the reason they have not become widespread is radiation. Nuclear radiation can, of course, be

deadly

or perhaps a drunk driver could cause a small nuclear holocaust. Appropriate nuclear shielding is, of course, possible.

Common shielding materials, such as lead and concrete, are often extremely heavy. Most cars and airplanes cannot afford to carry that extra weight without compromising their performance and efficiency. Furthermore, modern nuclear reactors are enormous, require large amounts of water for cooling, and must be kept inside sealed and fortified buildings to prevent containment leaks; Therefore, it is highly unlikely that one of those reactors will be installed inside a regular car or truck, at least in the foreseeable future. In the future there is still no reason to lose hope. Inventor Charles Stevens, of Massachusetts-based R&D company Laser Powered Systems, recently proposed an accelerator-driven thorium laser power generation system that could

potentially

power future emissions-free automobiles that would never need to be recharged. or refueled, since thorium is less reactive than uranium, the risks associated with that vehicle would be much lower, let's just hope that this nuclear powered concept car doesn't suffer the same fate as its predecessors, so I really hope you enjoyed the parallel projects from that video.

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