[LMB] reactor design

[James Nicoll]

On Sat, 5 Jan 2008, David McMillan wrote:

> Stewart Dean wrote:
>> Found the NYTimes article I mentioned...from 1988...more than a few :( years
>> http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE3DA1039F936A25752C1A96E948260
>> It /is/ uranium fueled but with the uranium is in high temperature
>> encased pellets instead of fuel rods.  Thorium sounds better tho.
>>
>> Re the graphite rods for safety shutdown...using these to immediately
>
> 	Graphite?!?  Are you certain?  B/c I could have sworn that graphite was
> a reaction *enhancer* -- IIRC, it slows down neutrons that would
> otherwise have been going to fast to stay inside the core and trigger
> more fusion reactions.  I thought the control rods were made out of

 	Fission

> cadmium or some similar neutron-capturing material.

 	As I recall, the graphite was used as a tip on the control rods 
because it made a good lubricant.