Hi Salting The Earth: New Molten Salt Reactor Looks For Commercial Success.

Hi Salting The Earth: New Molten Salt Reactor Looks For Commercial Success.

Nuclear power has always been a delicate subject, and recent contamination issues such as those in Fukushima have put “traditional” nuclear power under the microscope again.

Thankfully, there’s an alternative: salt. Not the shaker kind or the sea variety, but molten uranium or thorium suspended in liquid and used to generate anywhere from 29 to 290 megawatts of electricity.

This isn’t a new technology, but new iterations have real potential in an evolving power market. The question is: What can this seasoned nuclear option bring to the table?

From Water to Salt:

In the late 1940s, American Naval researchers started looking for ways to put nuclear power plants into air craft carriers and submarines. The answer? Pressurized water reactors that used high pressure – on the order of 160 atmospheres – to keep hot water in liquid form even at 330 degrees Celsius.

The benefit? Lots of hot steam for electricity and propulsion. Downsides? The reactor was heavy, hard to maintain, and if something went wrong, radioactive components came blasting out with 160 atmospheres of force. In submarine jargon, that equates to “we’re all going to die.”

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory meanwhile, went looking for a lighter, less strip-the-flesh-from-your-bones way of getting nuclear reactors into airplanes – and they came up with the molten salt reactor (MSR).

Here’s how it works: Molten salts of uranium or thorium are mixed with water and undergo a continuous nuclear reaction, but without high pressure. If breached, there’s no sudden explosion and no risk of meltdown since the fuel medium is already liquid.

In addition, MSRs produce far less waste material than water-powered plants when decommissioned, and over 80 percent of MSR waste is short-lived. Despite their benefits, salt-based options lost out to other technologies in the early 1970s.

The Great White North:

Just as fashion trends re-emerge after a few decades of dormancy, so it is with nuclear power generation.

Power company Terrestrial Energy has plans to build prototype, low-enriched uranium MSR reactors in Canada over the next few years. The company is tweaking standard design by eliminating graphite as a high-temperature moderator and instead using a sealed reactor space with room for two modules: one in use and one cooling off.

Each unit will last seven years and used reactors will provide recyclable materials. Canadian performance-based licensing means the company should be able to achieve government approval in just a few years and then transition to U.S. applications.

Stay Salty:

The bottom line: In combination with solar, wind and natural gas power sources, MSRs makes more sense than highly pressurized and radioactive water.

Sure, consistent power plant maintenance is crucial to avoid the spectre of nuclear contamination but using a more familiar medium like salt cuts down on public superstition – no need to toss this one over your shoulder.

Hi Considerations for Choosing an Industrial Ventilation System!.

Hi Your Choices for Consideration of an industrial ventilation system!!!

Industrial Ventilation Fan Systems can be a necessary component to any commercial or industrial operating company.  These ventilation systems benefit not only the productivity of your employees and machines, but can affect your company’s bottom line as well.  When considering ventilation systems for your building, there are five key factors to consider:

1.  Objectives of the Ventilation Fan System;

These are generally multi-faceted, from personnel comfort and employee health to increased production efficiency and more.  For example, are you looking to provide general ventilation for fume or odor removal, or are you looking for personnel cooling because of heat stress on employees? Ensure your objectives are overcoming the biggest problems and accomplishing the most important benefits.

2.  Budget;

Availability of money to finance the system is a key factor that must be considered early in the planning stage. The funds available will affect the objectives you set and influence the system of ventilation selected. Expenses include equipment, as well as mechanical and electrical installation costs.  In some cases you may set out a ventilation plan that takes two or more years to complete due to limited funding. 

3.  Practical Limitations within the Building;

There are certain limitations in any production environment. The location of heat-generating equipment, partitions such as pallet racks or machinery within the building, or large cross-sectional areas are a few. Other circumstances may be air circulation obstructions such as machinery, raw materials, or finished goods.  We see a lot of what we call “short circuits,” where ventilation fans are placed next to wall openings or loading dock doors.  Thus, air is brought in thru the openings and then discharged by the fan before it's had a chance to provide cooling within the structure.

4.  Common Sense Factors;

In planning a ventilation system, taking advantage of the location of exhaust fans and prevailing wind direction will aid the system’s efficiency.  Economy of “long dimension” is helpful in reducing the cross-sectional area of a building, thus minimizing needed air velocity. Significance of noise production of a ventilation system must be taken into account. Additionally, you will always want to use the cleanest, coolest air source to circulate through the building. Other considerations include other production equipment that depends on airflow to perform its intended purpose such as paint booths, dust and fume extraction systems, make-up air systems, etc.  

5.  Benefits of a Ventilation Fan System;

All companies want to realize economies from good planning.  The greatest benefit that can come from a well-designed ventilation system is that it achieves its basic purpose and design.  A system where all components work together is essential. Replacement of exhaust air with “make-up air” fans may be necessary. Good planning will also recognize the necessity for proper air distribution and circulation through an occupied building, not just exhausting bad air.

These five considerations, when accounted and planned for properly, will ensure a unified industrial ventilation system that accomplishes tangible benefits for a company’s productivity and profitability. There are many industrial ventilation fan system design manufacturers including Hammam Industries & Co. in Egypt who supply, install, maintain & service the fan system design equipment. Visit the web site click link here. Hammam Industries & Co. also specialize in providing all needs for air pollution & climate control projects & solutions.

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Saudi hospitality sector unveiled.

Hi Saudi hospitality sector worth $18.1bn by 2016;

A rise in the number of pilgrims visiting the Kingdom for Hajj and Umrah, are boosting domestic tourism growth, with Saudi residents making 22.5 million overnight trips per annum. Tourism receipts for Hajj and Umrah currently account for around 3% of GDP and, according to tourism officials, the country gained a reported $16.5bn from tourism in 2012, representing a 10% increase on the previous year.

The largest hospitality market in the GCC, Saudi Arabia also accounts for the bulk of international tourist arrivals, at 46% according to an October 2012 GCC Hospitality Industry Report from Alpen Capital, representing a 50% year-on-year increase against 2011 figures.

"The Kingdom is investing heavily in it's infrastructure as expansion plans for the new $7bn Jeddah airport project move ahead, with the airport projecting annual passenger volume of up to 80 million passengers within the next two decades," said Mark Walsh, Portfolio Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions, organizer of Arabian Travel Market.

The Red Sea port of Jeddah is the gateway to Makkah and Medina, a favored destination for domestic tourism in the summer, as well as a commercial trading hub for the west coast of Saudi Arabia.

In addition, Riyadh the capital city and seat of the government, is also experiencing increased demand from business travelers. Saudi government investment into key infrastructure projects including airport expansion, railways and roads, is pegged at around $80bn between now and 2022, with investment into major tourism initiatives forecast to grow at a CAGR of 6.9%.

According to the Alpen report, tourist arrivals are expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.0% between 2012 and 2022, driven by strong growth across all sectors, with occupancies set to jump from 67.5% in 2011 to 74.2% by 2016 and a US$30 increases in ADR to US$258.4.

"In tandem demand for hotel rooms means that aggressive development and expansion plans for a number of major international hotel groups is also on the short-term agenda. InterContinental Hotels Group has said that Saudi Arabia is one of the markets representing the most opportunity for its Middle East business to grow in 2013, with two new properties set to open in Riyadh this year, and a total of eight hotels by 2018," said Walsh.

Hotel room supply in the Kingdom is expected to increase at a CAGR of 1.5% between 2011 and 2016, increasing from 243,117 rooms in 2011 to 262,049 in 2016, with 69 properties currently in the planning or construction phase.

"The tourism sector is now the country's second largest industry, with around 8% of total jobs, and industry growth presents a huge opportunity for job creation in the local market, with Takamul [an SCTA affiliate] organizing a number of job fairs around the country and working hand in hand with tourism companies to attract young Saudis looking to embark on a career in hospitality," added Walsh.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai and set to celebrate its 20th anniversary, the show has grown to become the largest showcase of its kind in the region and one of the biggest in the world.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai and set to celebrate its 20th anniversary, the show has grown to become the largest showcase of its kind in the region and one of the biggest in the world.

New to the 2013 event, ATM is launching the Digital and Technology Day focusing on online travel developments and showcasing headline speakers from across the industry. 

Taking place again this year is the New Frontiers Award, which was created to recognise outstanding contributions to tourism development in the face of overwhelming adversity. 

Industry Careers Day will wrap up the week providing the opportunity for visitors looking to make a career move to meet with the exhibitors' HR contacts looking for their next recruit.