I've been to a Nuclear non-powerplant reactor today :D

[Daan Timmer]

I am seeing all green and glowy now

J/K

I sadly haven't been able to send over the pictures from my cellphone to my comp

But it is really cool to see. Especially the idea of standing 8mtrs away from a nuclear core. (That is working at that time).
I've seen the blue light really cool. It looks a bit like UV light but then cooler and you're eyes don't hurt when you watch directly in the source

2 images from the University itself:





One of my photo's look just like this (taken from the same position):

[Purno]

Whoa, cool.
I expected it wasn't allowed to make photos on such trips.
Due terrorism/espionage.

[Daan Timmer]

Well it is an experiment place where only experiments take place. (nothing on humans nor animals). Just on products, food products or such things, just for the science

And it is not as *huge* as realy nuclear power plants. For example:

A microwave/oven has a power of 2KW.
This nuclear plant has a power of 2MW.
And a real nuclear powerplant has a power of 2000MW

So it can't do much harm

Nor can you *just* enter the building... The silo itself is shielded off for 100% from the outside. There are 2ways to get in, and those doors open remotly. (In the control chamber).

So you first would have to bypass the security guard at the entrance.
Then you have to unlock the (doors) to the control chambre. After that you need special keys to open up the other doors

It is easier to get from the inside to the outside, just press *open* and voila

[LilDood]

Probably in case something goes wrong.... Homer Simpson style....

[XeryusTC]

Which of the 3 (or 2, I don't recall the exact number of nuclear plants we have in holland) was it? I can't remember which is which .

[Daan Timmer]

Which of the 3 (or 2, I don't recall the exact number of nuclear plants we have in holland) was it? I can't remember which is which .

been to delft experimental plant

[RPharazon]

Mmmmm. Love that Cherenkov Radiation.
The blue glow is explained by Wikipedia like so:

Cherenkov radiation (also spelled Cerenkov or sometimes Čerenkov) is electromagnetic radiation emitted when a charged particle passes through an insulator at a speed greater than that of light in the medium. The characteristic "blue glow" of nuclear reactors is due to Cherenkov radiation.

While relativity holds that the speed of light in a vacuum is a universal constant (c), the speed of light in a material may be significantly less than c. For example, the speed of light in water is only 0.75c. Matter can be accelerated beyond this speed during nuclear reactions and in particle accelerators. Cherenkov radiation results when a charged particle, most commonly an electron, exceeds the speed of light in a dielectric medium through which it passes.

A common analogy is the sonic boom of a supersonic aircraft or bullet. The sound waves generated by the supersonic body do not move fast enough to get out of the way of the body itself. Hence, the waves "stack up" and form a shock front. Similarly, a speed boat generates a large bow shock because it travels faster than waves can move on the surface of the water.

All in all, that's awesome to actually visit a real-life nuclear reactor.

[Wile E. Coyote]

Wow! It's really cool to see it! (Altough I'm happy there is no nuclear power plant in Serbia. )

[Shidas]

My old high school was positioned next door to a reactor, it was a research facillity for medical equipment and stuff so yeah.. people say we glow green at night haha.. but its YELLOW GOD DANM IT!! haha

[DeletedUser21]

And a real nuclear powerplant has a power of 2000MW

That will be 2GW
[/nitpicking]


Looks very cool tough!

[RPharazon]

1.21 Jigawatts!

I don't really know what a watt does.
Can anyone make a comparison, like "A flashlight runs on n Watts."

[Geo Ghost]

That would be quite an experience to see a reactor like that!
Being myself, i'd be abit nervous that close to something so dangerous (well, when its unsafe/unguarded i mean)
Gives abit of a shiver down your spine just thinking about it

[Daan Timmer]

1.21 Jigawatts!

I don't really know what a watt does.
Can anyone make a comparison, like "A flashlight runs on n Watts."

Well, my computer USES 400WATT

Watt = joules/second

Joules = amount of *heat* produced.

afaik.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watt

One watt is one joule of energy per second.

1 W = 1 J/s = 1 newton meter per second = 1 kg·m2·s−3

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joules

The joule is a derived unit defined as the work done or energy required, to exert a force of one newton for a distance of one metre, so the same quantity may be referred to as a newton metre or newton-metre (also with meter spelling), with the symbol N·m or N m. It can also be written as kg·m2/s2. However, the newton metre is usually used as a measure of torque, not energy.

As a rough guide, 1 joule is the absolute minimum amount of energy required (on the surface of Earth) to lift a one kilogram object up by a height of 10 centimetres.

One joule is also:

* The work required to move an electric charge of one coulomb through an electrical potential difference of one volt; or one coulomb volt, with the symbol C·V.

* The work done to produce power of one watt continuously for one second; or one watt second (compare kilowatt-hour), with the symbol W·s

[RPharazon]

Thanks.
Maybe that reactor produces enough energy to overclock some of the latest intel processors without creating city-wide blackouts!

[Daan Timmer]

Thanks.
Maybe that reactor produces enough energy to overclock some of the latest intel processors without creating city-wide blackouts!

It doesnt produce any energy
However, if an energy creating unit would be connected to it, then it can produce that much energy

[Hobgoblin]

1.21 Jigawatts!

I don't really know what a watt does.
Can anyone make a comparison, like "A flashlight runs on n Watts."

can't believe i remember this but wasn't that back to the future you were quoting 1.21jigawats was the required power to make the delorien time travel well that and 88 miles per hour

[Flamelord]

Watts are the number of Volts multiplied by the number of Amperes.

[Shidas]

Watts are the number of Volts multiplied by the number of Amperes.

Nice now i know what Watts are! thanks Flamelord

[Blackandy]

We went around a nuclear powerplant 2 weeks ago didn't get to go inside tho (I wanted to steal some uranium j/k)

[orudge]

I visited Wylfa nuclear power station in Anglesey a few years ago. Was really interesting. And conveniently enough, a question came up in the pub quiz a few Sundays ago, "On what island is Wylfa nuclear power station, recently announced to be closing by [some year], located?", or something similar. I was the only one in our team to know it.