Advanced
Technology Combatting Nuclear Waste
Science & Engineering
Okay,
you are sitting in class and just before the professor enters the room and your
phone or laptop device shuts down. This is not good, all the magic at your
fingertips has disappeared and you need this tool for the big test next week.
Now what? Just imagine never worrying about replacing batteries or being
tethered to a wall like some wild dog on a leash, only to consume more
electrical power. The future is now here and the researchers at Bristol
University, UK may have found a way to harness nuclear waste into some type of
synthetic man-made diamond.
In
the 1950’s the United States took a savage approach using nuclear energy by
powering the city of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Sure, this may have been a good
idea at the time. Furthermore, this was beyond our technology at the time and
now finding a way to store spent fuel has become a daunting task during the
twenty-first century. Spent nuclear fuel holds valuable radioactive isotopes
that are essential for industrial or medical use or could be processed into more
energy.
On
November 25, 2016 a fresh perspective to change the world was spearheaded by
Professor Tom Scott and his research team at the University of Bristol. Scott’s
area of research includes Geochemistry and Metallurgy of uranium and has
successfully published over 60 papers and holds three patents and is the recipient
of the 2014 RAEng ERA award for innovating extreme dose radiation detection
system made from a synthetic gas-like man made diamond. This recent development
could harvest nuclear energy as a power cell for satellites, high-altitude
drones or even a Moon colony in the next 100 years.
Despite
their low-power, relative to current battery technologies, the life-time of
these diamond batteries could revolutionize the powering of devices over long
time periods. The actual amount of carbon-14 in each battery has yet to be
decided but one battery, containing 1gram of carbon-14, would deliver 15 Joules
per day. This man-made diamond battery could
hold about 2 volts of electricity, which is equivalent to a small AA battery. Standard alkaline AA batteries are designed
for short timeframe discharge: one battery weighing about 20g has an energy
storage rating of 700J/g. If operated continuously, this would run out in 24
hours. Using carbon-14 the battery would take 5,730 years to reach 50 per cent
power, which is about as long as human civilization has existed.
Under
those circumstances, we must examine the drawbacks of such a device and the responsibilities
connected with environmental laws, and human exposure. The first question that comes to mind is the
structural integrity and the atomic bonds associated with Nickel-63. According
to the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, a fingernail is approximately 2.5 and a
real diamond ranks a 10 on mineral resistance. So, to help understand this
diamond battery, Wright Times reached out to the Environmental Club for more
answers.
“The
science is valid,” explains Dr. John P. Tandarich, Club advisor. “On the other
hand, this is a pie-in-the-sky idea and this battery has not been built yet,”
adds Dr. John. Environmental Club officers include: Bethany Salgado (Club
President), Ian Santillan (Vice President), Elena Sandoval (Secretary) and club
treasurer, Tyrone Suplac and together they are implementing new ways of
reducing the amount of chemicals that escape out of household dryer ventilation
systems.
In
this final analysis, researchers and the world’s top scientists still have a long
way to solve our nuclear waste problem. In addition, we can do our part as well
by conserving energy and cutting back on our own carbon footprint. Simple task
such as turning off lights, riding a bike to school or work and recycling
unwanted materials could be a step in the right direction for a cleaner habitat.
The diamond battery is a good idea. But at the same time, do not expect to find
this product at a local hardware store. Hopefully one day scientists can
resolve our nuclear waste problem so that all of can breathe cleaner healthier
air in the future.
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