Tabletop nuclear reactor for kids - plausible?

[DDE]

https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.popmech.ru%2Fdiy%2F12536-atomnyy-konstruktor-reaktor-na-stole%2F&edit-text=

Key parameters/contents of the... ahem... 14+ toy set:

• Six zirconium-coated unrefined (80%) plutonium-239 fuel rods
• Lead-lined airtight fuel rod transport container
• Exterior reactor hull - tempered, chemically treated glass
• Interior reactor hull - stainless steel
• Reactor hull top with airtight control rod and steam line openings
• Reactor stand
• Boron carbide control rod
• Stirling engine with inductive electric generator (2 W)
• 1 Kg of boric acid neutron poison (aquarium sold separately)
• Two hazmat suits
• Gamma-spectrometer
• Helium neutron counter
• Thorium sulfide for experimental U-233 production

Assembly sequence.

1. Suit up
2. Assemble reactor hot zone
3. Fully insert the control rod
4. Fill the reactor hot zone with distilled water (sold separately)
5. Attach the Stirling engine
6. Load the reactor into the boron-doped containment aquarium
7. Start pulling the fuel rod out until neutron counter goes off
8. Insert the fuel rod by 1 cm to maintain stable criticality

Aside from the premise, was there anything those jesters got wrong?

[StrandedonEarth]

Hmmm, wasn’t there supposed to be a final step of “Die of acute radiation poisoning” ?

I mean, a hazmat suit won’t make much difference if you keep standing there next to an operating nuclear reactor, will it?

Edit: It’ll just help you live long enough to complete the experiment, no?

Edited February 3, 2018 by StrandedonEarth

[sh1pman]

5 minutes ago, StrandedonEarth said:

Hmmm, wasn’t there supposed to be a final step of “Die of acute radiation poisoning” ?

I mean, a hazmat suit won’t make much difference if you keep standing there next to an operating nuclear reactor, will it?

Edit: It’ll just help you live long enough to complete the experiment, no?

Obviously, assembling a nuclear reactor is a super terrible idea. Definitely don't do it.

 

Unless you like fun.

[DDE]

52 minutes ago, StrandedonEarth said:

I mean, a hazmat suit won’t make much difference if you keep standing there next to an operating nuclear reactor, will it?

Supposedly an aquarium of borated water is sufficient rad shielding. That was part of my head-scratching.

[magnemoe]

Not for kids obviously,
For one the plutonium is pretty much weapon grade. 

however an tiny nuclear reactor would be an good replacement for rtg, easy to get more power, it would last longer and you could control output.
Downside is increased complexity. 

[DDE]

4 minutes ago, magnemoe said:

For one the plutonium is pretty much weapon grade. 

Allegedly "reactor-grade" plutonium is so difficult to refine it's nigh-impossible.

[YNM]

3 hours ago, DDE said:

unrefined (80%) plutonium-239

Wouldn't it be better spent on RTGs for outer space missions ?

Unless they can put this on the spacecraft directly and outlasts standard RTGs...

 

But to be honest, the first nuclear reactor was just a "pile" of stuff inside a makeshift masonry room which only powers a single lightbulb...

Edited February 3, 2018 by YNM

[Zeiss Ikon]

 

Edit:

Quote

Editor's note: this article was published in the April issue of the magazine and is an April Fool's Day.

 

Edited February 3, 2018 by Zeiss Ikon

[ThatGuyWithALongUsername]

1 hour ago, sh1pman said:

Obviously, assembling a nuclear reactor is a super terrible idea. Definitely don't do it.

 

Unless you like fun.

The Boring Company Nuclear Reactor?

                                      ^not a

...

(Let's not give them any ideas...)

 

EDIT: Aww...

Edited February 3, 2018 by ThatGuyWithALongUsername

[YNM]

11 minutes ago, Zeiss Ikon said:

Edit:

12 minutes ago, Zeiss Ikon said:

Editor's note: this article was published in the April issue of the magazine and is an April Fool's Day.

Hard to tell from a translation, but March 30 is close indeed...

Spoiler

 

[DDE]

10 minutes ago, YNM said:

Hard to tell from a translation, but March 30 is close indeed...

I kept it in the tags.

Granted it's in a very light grey, but...

4 hours ago, DDE said:

those jesters

@Zeiss Ikon

[Scotius]

Now that's a toy i would expect to find somewhere in Fallout world Can you imagine mulchstorm that would erupt in our atom-fearing world, if someone would try to market such a thing?

[DDE]

2 minutes ago, Scotius said:

Can you imagine mulchstorm that would erupt in our atom-fearing world, if someone would try to market such a thing?

Dunno about mulch, but the guys that made the joke claimed to have gotten at least 200 letters to the tune of "I want one".

Also, I was hoping to resurrect this hoax somewhere else. You know, engage in some fake news since I've got nothing better to do.

And it would be rather... topical, given the country of origin of this story.

[sh1pman]

3 hours ago, DDE said:

Also, I was hoping to resurrect this hoax somewhere else. You know, engage in some fake news since I've got nothing better to do.

And it would be rather... topical, given the country of origin of this story.

Careful, you gonna get sanctions for that 

[TheSaint]

What, you guys have never heard of The Radioactive Boy Scout?

[NSEP]

if it can't power my personal DIY ion powered spacecraft, no thanks!

[YNM]

40 minutes ago, TheSaint said:

What, you guys have never heard of The Radioactive Boy Scout?

60 grand of Superfund... wow.

I wonder whether the sir is still doing stuff.

Edited February 4, 2018 by YNM

[TheSaint]

7 hours ago, YNM said:

60 grand of Superfund... wow.

I wonder whether the sir is still doing stuff.

Actually, he passed away some time ago. Although there was some indication at the time of his death that he was suffering from radiation poisoning. So he may have been continuing his experiments.

[monstah]

On 03/02/2018 at 6:07 PM, sh1pman said:

Careful, you gonna get sanctions for that 

Why? People here usually respond well to April Fools' pranks.

...

 

...right?

[DDE]

11 hours ago, monstah said:

Why? People here usually respond well to April Fools' pranks.

It's not the people here that worry me.

[Green Baron]

THIRSTY telescope discovered traces of cold beverages ...

Research institute invented the rotary current accumulator ...

:-)

Edited February 5, 2018 by Green Baron

[KG3]

23 hours ago, TheSaint said:

What, you guys have never heard of The Radioactive Boy Scout?

Thanks for posting this.  I remember when it happened but there were few details in the press.  

[kerbiloid]

Spoiler