SUNFLOWER OIL REFINERY - PART I

*This was a group project i worked on during my 1st year of Chemical Engineering at Newcastle University. This project won the "Best Project" award sponsored by BP as it was a simple yet comprehensive project outlining the refinery process, mass balancing and providing a preliminary cost analysis to produce 20,000 tonnes of refined Sunflower Oil.
 
Introduction

Refining of sunflower oil is an essential industry process for removing free fatty
acids from the oil, for optimasing a uniform colour and for removing unpleasant
smells that the raw oil may have. This can done by combining different continuous
batch processes such as neutralisation, de-colourisation, hydrogenation and
de-odourisation.

In this refinery the removal of free fatty acids (FFA) is carried out by reacting this
acid with Sodium Hydroxide. This will then form a soap which is washed out with
de-mineralised water and removed by two centrifuges. Subsequently, to impart
an uniform colour, fullers earth is added and a vacuum is applied. Then the sunflower
oil remaining was filtrate. The next process is hydrogenation process. The
Sunflower oil has 6 saturation points, i.e. each oil molecule requires 6 hydrogen
atoms to be fully saturated . 65% of the product is fully saturated and the rest is
mono-saturated (i.e. only 3 hydrogen atoms required). In this process a Nickel
catalyst is used to speed up the reaction. Finally is the de-odourisation process
where the hydrogenated sunflower oil is heated up, moved from one open tank
to another 5 times, de-odourised and cool down.

A detailed heat and mass balances were calculated in order to get the sunflower
oil flow rate required to produce 20,000 tones in 6,000 hour per year. This calculations
also give information of the amount of chemical that are needed. Therefore
the production costs can be found.

As in many other chemical processes, the chemicals used and produced in this
refinery can be hazardous for people and can have an impact on the environment.
Therefore, in this project, a safety analysis an a environmental impact were
done in order to prevent any accidents and to take safety actions and disposed
the waste produced in the most appropriate way.

REFINERY PROCESS 
To refine Sunflower oil it is necessary to follow different chemical processes such
as neutralisation, hydrogenation, de-colourisation and finally de-odourisation. In
order to determine the required feed flows, temperatures of the streams and
composition, mass and energy balances must be applied. The calculations were
based on 1000 kg of feed and then scaled up to get the 20,000 tonnes product
desired.

The description of the feed materials composition, targeted products and available
services are shown below.

Feed -Raw Oil (Composition by percentage)
97.7% -Sunflower Oil
1.5% -Free Fatty Acid
0.5% -Colour Compound
0.3% -Odour Compound

Other Feed Materials
• 5 Mol/dm3 of NaOh
• Fullers Earth
• Clay adsorbent
• Nickel Hydrogenation Catalyst
• Hydrogen

Available Services
• Steam at 1000 kPa ≈10 Bar
• Demineralised water at 20℃
• Cooling Water at 20℃
• Three phase elecrical suply at 415V

Product -Hydrogenated Oil 
Required: 20,000 tonnes/year → 2283.105 kg/hr

Composition by percentage
99.87% -Hydrogenated Sunflower Oil
0.03% -Free fatty acid
0.05% Colour Compounds
0.05% -Odour Compounds

Plant operates 6000 hr/yr

Product flowrate = Required production / Plant Operation
Product flowrate = 20, 000, 000 [kg/yr] / 6, 000 [hr/yr]
                             = 3333.33kg/yr

• Assume conversion Rate = 100%
• Proposed solution using 1000 kg/hr as feed flow rate

Final Flow rate of Product = 984.6931 = 985 kg hr−1

Required Flow = Product required/working hours
Required Flow = 20, 000, 000/6000
                          = 3333.33 kg hr−1

The calculations were done on a basis of 1000 kg. However, to calculate the initial
flow rate that will produce 3333.33 kg hr−1 , a multiplying factor was calculated.
This factor indicates the amount by which the initial flow rate should be
increased to obtained the desired amount of product. Also this factor can be
multiplied by any of the flow rates at any given point if the composition is
needed, but all the results were kept in percentages so that this will not be
needed.

Multiplyingfactor = required outlet/Outlet calculated flow rate = 3.384

Therefore the initial flow rate needed to produced 20,000 tones per year in 6000
working hours is:
Initial flow rate = 1000 X 3.384kg hr−1= 3384 kg hr−1

Click HERE for PART II of the Sunflower Refinery which discusses the PROCESSES.
And Click HERE for part III which discusses the timing of the processes and preliminary cost of plant.

Wanted: Glycerine By-Product

Introduction

Worldwide market for biodiesel is poised for explosive growth in the next decade. The sharp rise in biofuels has created an increasing supply of glycerol.

Glycerine also known as Glycerol has many commercial and industrial uses, and is generally considered a relatively valuable product. In order to both improve the economics of biodiesel production process and put this waste stream to good use, new markets must be found. There are several ways in which this might happen, but biodiesel producers need to make this a priority if they are to reap the benefits of this unused resource.

Biodiesel is a fast growing product in both the United States and Europe as government policies seek to spur the development of renewable transportation fuels. In the US alone since 2004, biodiesel production has grown from 75 million gallons per year to 650 million gallons per year in 2008 (Biodiesel 2020, 2008). While the production of biodiesel is beginning to have an effect on the liquid fuels market, it has already had an enormous effect on the market for another product, glycerol.

When bio-crude goes through the transesterification process to become biodiesel, a significant amount of glycerol is produced as a by-product of the chemical reaction. This transesterification process yields 100kg of glycerol for every metric tonne of biodiesel produced, a 10% yield (Glycerol Challenge, 2009). Total world biodiesel production in 2008 was estimated to be roughly 12.24 million metric tonnes, and this number is rapidly growing (Biodiesel 2020, 2008). This means that 1.224 million metric tonnes of crude glycerol was produced from the biodiesel conversion processes alone. The total world market for refined glycerol was estimated to be roughly 900,000 metric tonnes in 2005 (Impact of Biodiesel Production on the Glycerol Market, 2006). It is apparent that we are already facing a global glut of glycerol, a glut which is certain to worsen before it can improve.

Compare this market effect to the market for one of the major by-products of the distillation of ethanol from corn, dried distillers grains and solvents (DDGS). DDGS are commonly used in animal feeds around the world, and have select additional uses. With the recent ramping up in corn-based ethanol production throughout the world, mostly occurring in the U.S., DDGS stocks have risen sharply. However, looking at overall potential U.S. demand for DDGS, there seems to still be some room for market growth in this area, which will continue to keep the economics of ethanol more attractive until it hits this ceiling and DDGS prices begin to fall. The table attached below shows the global markets for both glycerol and DDGS (Christiansen, 2009). 

These estimates are a simplification, as the true markets are slightly different, but they depict the overall trend accurately. The crude glycerol market is tapped out at the moment, but not necessarily for the reasons that we might initially suppose.

Economic Factor 

This market glut has had a mixed effect on prices of glycerol worldwide depending upon whether one looks at the crude or refined product. Glycerol taken from the biodiesel production process is about 80% pure, whereas refined glycerol is at 99.5% purity, after undergoing a highly energy intensive refining process. With the rapid rise in the availability of crude glycerol worldwide due to biodiesel production, there has been a refining bottleneck, as current refineries have hit the limits of their capacity. As such, the prices for refined glycerol have not varied inversely with biodiesel production, as might be expected. Instead, prices halved between 2003 and 2006, while growing 69% between July 2007 and July 2008 as a result of other exogenous factors (Soyatech, 2008). Prices for crude glycerol, on the other hand, have fallen through the floor, dropping close to zero and even negative as producers are forced to pay to have it taken away from their plants and incinerated (Impact of Biodiesel Production on the Glycerol Market, 2006). This may only be a short term trend, however. Glycerol is not a waste product, and in fact has been a staple chemical compound in the world economy for many years. There is reason to believe that as refining capacity catches up to the supply of the crude product, and new uses for glycerol are found, its price may rebound, potentially improving the economics of biodiesel production.

Uses of Glyrecol 

Glycerol is used for a variety of purposes across many different industries. The following is a list of current uses of glycerol:

• Food – glycerol is used as an artificial sweetener, especially in low-fat foods, since it is better for blood pressure than sugar. It is also used as a thickening agent and an ester in shortenings and margarine. It also can be used as a substitute ingredient in animal feed.
• Basic Materials – Glycerol be used as a substitute for petroleum-based polypropelene, a textile, and in both rigid and flexible industrial foams. It is also used as a building block for many different kinds of industrial chemicals.
• Pharmaceuticals – Used as an additive in cough syrup, toothpaste, skin care, hair care soap and many others.
• Explosives – The compound nitroglycerin, made with glycerol, is commonly used in all types of explosives.
• Other – Used as an ingredient in antifreeze, hydraulic fluids, plasticizers (List assembled from many different sources)

While glycerol appears to be quite a versatile substance, one that might be able to withstand slack demand in any one or two categories, it is unclear whether any of these markets possess the necessary elasticity to soak up the extra supply due to biodiesel production. The falling price of crude glycerol could cause some glycerol-based products to substitute for other similar products derived from other sources, but this market shift is not guaranteed to happen, and its magnitude is impossible to predict. But the bottoming of the glycerol market has led to increasing focus on finding these substitutes.

Other Uses

Sheeps being fed Glycerine

  ->As Animal Feed

 

For instance, researchers at the University of Arkansas’ Center of Excellence for Poultry Science have initiated studies that substitute glycerol in chicken feed. The study showed that up to 5% substitution of glycerol in chicken feed showed no negative effects on growth. Given the immense volume of the global poultry feed market, not to mention the entire animal feed market, this is a huge potential growth area for refined glycerol. While this will not necessarily provide direct benefits to a biodiesel producer, since this application depends upon a low price of crude and refined glycerol, this does provide larger economic benefits to society.

-> Energy Feedstock

An even greater upside to the bottoming of glycerol prices has been exploration into its use as an energy feedstock for example as fuel for diesel engines. As reported in TCE magazine in an article "(E)mission Impossible" by Paul Day, John McNeil and Felix Sirovski. 

Problems with using it as a fuel in diesel engines: Glycerine seems to be barely combustible, too viscous and if combusted, produces lots of toxic acrolein which ends up clogging the exhaust with polymers. But these guys have an actual standard 40 kWh Deutz engine running on glycerine by just increasing both the inlet air temperature during engine operation from 60°C to 200°C and mass flow. This overcomes the problem glycerine poses on the diesel engine.

In fact, it was found that glycerine is a better fuel, Firstly because it is not toxic as mentioned before that it is used as a sweetener in liqueurs. Secondly, it is water soluble, easy to wash away if spilled. Thirdly, it is nearly impossible to ignite under normal conditions which gives it a two thumbs up for safety. As for Its viscosity, at 90°C, the viscosity drops dramatically to a level similar to fuel oil of 13 centistokes.

Compare glycerine to other fuels, its calorific value is not that high. Its a mere 16.2MJ/kg whilst diesel has 42MJ/kg and Biodiesel has 37.8MJ/kg. The comparison of prices does not look too bad, in fact, it could be relatively cheaper fuel especially with Renewable Obligation Certificates(ROC) in the UK and other Renewable commitments in Europe. 

Conclusion

The above post suggest that there is still potential for the economics of the biodiesel conversion process to improve if more markets can be found for crude and refined glycerol. This is a valuable and versatile feedstock with many different uses, not only for high-value uses, but also potentially as an energy feedstock which needs for research. It is important that biodiesel producers focus as much on their by-products are their core products if they seek to maximize the value and efficiency of the conversion process. Glycerol production is only going to increase, so it is important for us to find something useful to do with it.

Future uses of silk

Silk Material Science

I came across this field of Silk material science a few weeks ago. When i read the articles and reports on some of the amazing stuff coming from TUFTS University, i had to share it with the world.

The main person behind this research:

Background
Fiorenzo Omenetto is a Professor of Biomedical Engineering and leads the laboratory for Ultrafast Nonlinear Optics and Biophotonics at Tufts University and also holds an appointment in the Department of Physics. Formerly a J. Robert Oppenheimer Fellow at Los Alamos National Laboratory before joining Tufts, his research is focused on interdisciplinary themes that span nonlinear optics, nanostructured materials (such as photonic crystals and photonic crystal fibers), optofluidics and biopolymer based photonics. He has published over 100 papers and peer-review contributions across these various disciplines.

Since moving to Tufts at the end of 2005, he has proposed and pioneered (with David Kaplan) the use of silk as a material platform for photonics, optoelectronics and high-technology applications. This new research platform has recently been featured in MIT's Technology Review as one of the 2010 "top ten technologies likely to change the world."

Read more about his research by clicking the link here. They are specifically interested in engineered and biomimetic optical materials (such as photonic crystals and photonic crystal fibers) and novel/unconventional organic, sustainable optical materials for photonics and optoelectronics.

In particular, there is close collaboration with their own biopolymer expert, they have pioneered silk optics and are re-inventing silk as a green material for photonics and high technology applications.

TED Talks video

The video below shows Fiorenzo Omenetto  who shares 20+ astonishing new uses for silk, one of nature's most elegant materials -- in transmitting light, improving sustainability, adding strength and making medical leaps and bounds. On stage, he shows a few intriguing items made of the versatile stuff.

I think we have a promising future ahead of us, we need to spend more effort and time into research that could revolutionize the world we live in. Tell me what you think?

Ethics in Chemical Engineering

To be honest, the topic of ethics is hardly talked about unless something goes terribly wrong because it is extremely BORING. I mean everyone actually knows it, and follows it but not everyone pays enough attention to it in their daily duties. Later on in the post, there is a video which i found really interesting. Seth Godin talks about how things are broken whether its in or out of our control. 


But first, as a chemical engineer or any other profession, there are certain ethics that we should follow. These ethics are not taught in universities but they are assumed to be already present in the person 

Chemical Engineers should uphold and advance the integrity, honour and dignity of the engineering profession. They should have these goals in mind:

1. To be honest, impartial and serve their employers, clients and the public with fidelity.
2. Strive to increase the competence and prestige of the engineering profession.
3. Use their knowledge and skill for the enhancement of human welfare.

How should they achieve these goals above? I encourage all engineers to join a professional body even if it costs them something every year. It not only shows their commitment to their profession but also shows their interest in keeping up to date and networking with others. Chemical engineers should join the following associations, they usually have a guideline for ethics that need to be followed in your profession: 

Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemE)
Energy Institute (EI)
Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore (SEAS)

In order to achieve these goals above, they would need to perform the following:

1. Prioritise health, safety and welfare of the public and protect the environment in performance of their professional duties.

2. Formally advise their employers or clients if they think that a consequence of their duties will adversely affect the present or future health or safety of their colleagues or the public.

3. Always accept responsibility for their actions, seek and heed critical review of their work and offer objective criticism of the work of others.

4. Issue statements or present information only in an objective and truthful manner.

5. Act in professionally with each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees, avoiding conflicts of interest and never breaching confidentiality.

6. Treat fairly and respectfully all colleagues and co-workers, recognizing their unique contributions and capabilities.

7. Perform professional services only in areas of their competence.

8. Build their professional reputations on the merits of their services.

9. Continue their professional development throughout their careers, and provide opportunities for the professional development of those under their supervision.

10. Never tolerate harassment.

11. Conduct themselves in a fair, honorable and respectful manner.

If Chemical Engineers follow these code of ethics in their professional career, they will prosper and achieve more than they can ever imagine. 

Now that we are finished with the boring stuff, lets enjoy this humorous talk by Seth Godin, who is an entreprenuer and blogger. The topic is " Why are so many things broken " Seth Godin gives a tour of things poorly designed, 7 reasons they are that way and how to fix them.

The full video can be found on TED Talks website by clicking this link here. 
If you have just watched the video, you will agree with me that he actually makes sense. Its frustrating to see that sometimes engineers overlook things, and it gets broken. Lesson from this is, if you see something is broken, fix it! or stand up and tell someone that is responsible for it to fix it. 
Thanks for reading.

Biofuel Part IV - Sustainability Issues

SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES

http://www.rodomotion.com/2010/08/20/52/

When we are dealing with sustainability there are three common areas that to be discussed namely social, economic and environmental. The diagram above clearly represents the three parts of sustainability, with a brief description of each. Also observe how they overlap and depend on each other to some extent. Sustainability is actually a complex issue hidden by its apparent simplicity.

SOCIAL & ECONOMIC ISSUES

The industrial revolution in UK and USA and rest of the world has changed our social structure and standards of living for the better(mostly). The changing of energy source has a great impact on people’s lives and social behaviour. For example during the industrial revolution, coal was the primary fuel used to provide towngas to power street lights and power most of modes of transport. There is a historic relationship between coal mining and the development of industrialized countries today.

Non-industrialised countries however does not have this progressive stages as they jumped into relatively cheap oil being available in the 1950s which also happens to be the same time many countries obtained independence from colonialism. The world has since moved on from coal to petroleum based fuels which may not be much cleaner but it has made cheap fuel available to the average car owner leading to great changes in lifestyle[1].

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

The production of biofuels could unintentionally lead to negative environmental and social impacts. Potential competition with food crops may lead to increased commodity prices and increased demand for land may lead directly to deforestation to make way for new plantations. Biofuel production are also associated with social concerns such as labour rights, land conflicts and health concerns related to improper use of agrochemicals. Looking on the bright side of it, biofuel demand can create local economic benefits and bring about employment opportunities[2].

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Agriculture & Forestry

Production of biomass to be used to convert to energy is closely related with wider policies and practices for agriculture and forestry. The main consideration with such use is to make sure it is ecologically sustainable. It has to be renewable source of energy which means areas cleared to be used must be regrown later on. Biomass production for energy must not be at the expense of growing enough food to feed the world population which is only ethical[3].

We also have European Union and the USA facing problems with agriculture such as over-production of food, which is actively, encouraged by agriculture 1 subsidies. Such subsidies increase general taxes and the resulting surpluses affect world trade to the advantage of developing countries. In order to solve this problem, the European Union set aside land to maintain it unproductively or for growing biomass for energy. Such policies uphold the social benefits of an economically active rural population while at the same time bring environmental benefits by substituting biofuels for fossil fuels.

A major byproduct of agriculture and forestry is the waste biomass that is just thrown away but second generation biofuel technology can be used to convert these waste cellulosic biomass into useful bioethanol. The undesirable outputs of agriculture such as manure from intensive piggeries or farm animals can be biodigested to produce syngas bringing economic and environmental benefits for the rural population. Successful biofuel production facilities can utilize concentrated flows of biomass such as sawdust from sawmilling, straw from crops, and manure from penned animals and sewage from municipal works.

Developments in energy conversion from local crops are most likely going to be socially acceptable at the same time biomass used to replace fossil fuel use will bring about greenhouse gas benefits. Therefore it is desirable to achieve sustainable agriculture and forestry[4]. However greenhouse gas benefits of biofuel will depend on the system of cultivation, processing and transportation of feedstock.

Pollution

Biofuels fall under the renewable energy category as it is extracted from the flow of energy which already exists in the environment. The energy is then returned to the environment as it burns very efficiently producing nothing more than carbon dioxide and water. Minimum amount of air, water, thermal pollution may occur from material and chemical aspects but it is still in favour over fossil and nuclear fuels[5].

OTHER RELATED ISSUES

Food vs. Fuel debate

This is very appropriate

The main problem associated with first generation biofuel technology is the usage of food crops for the production of biofuels. It can be seen from history that liquid biofuels have been based on biomass obtained from grain, sugar and oil crops which are all important food crops, generally grown on the most fertile agricultural land available[6].

World population increases every year which means more food has to be produced to feed the increased population, those displaced by wars and those are just too poor to feed themselves. It is ironic because in European countries and the USA every year there are crop production surpluses going to waste while in some developing countries where people are starving, crops are exported out to developed countries for revenue. This is slightly out of topic and I am not trying to defend biofuel production but the reason why there is still a proportion of the world population starving everyday is because food is not efficiently distributed around the world.

However increasing worldwide demand for food indicates that these crops should not be diverted significantly for energy production, as we need to set our priorities right which is to eradicate world hunger. In order for biofuel production to be a major contributor to world energy supplies, the feedstock and land cannot be related to food. For example there is a need to push for a cheaper, more energy efficient process for producing bioethanol from easily available lignocellulosic materials such as corn stalks, straw, wood, sawdust and other woody residues rather than from food crops[7]. This will be widely accepted by everyone including the most cynical critique of biofuels.

Support for Biofuels

Bioethanol from corn...literally

There needs to be support from the public and governments of the world to bring biofuels to a whole new level and to reduce usage of fossil fuels. Biofuels industry has the potential to create over a million jobs in the US alone and add over $50 billion to the economy each year[8]. Governments can encourage the use of biofuels by having smaller tax on biofuels than on fossil fuels. This will not be useful if the amount of biofuel blended in the total fuel mix is small unless there is a mandatory requirement for all transport fuels to be sold with a certain percentage of biofuel. Policy changes towards biofuels should be encouraged such as introducing subsidies to producers of biofuel as part of the general agricultural subsidies[9].

 

CONCLUSION

The only constant in this world is change and the influence of modern science and technology will always ensure to older technology. It is hard to predict the long term effects of changing our energy supply but the sustainable nature of biofuels should be a great boon for the world in providing a better socio-economic stability[10]. The only way out of the current situation is to move forward and embrace biofuels technology.

---

[1] Twidell J., Weir T., Weir A.D., Renewable Energy Resources (2006) Taylor and Francis (2006) Chapter 1.6 Social Implications

[2] Department of Transport – Carbon and Sustainability reporting within the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation, Jan 2008 Section 2: Biofuels and the Environment pp 18. http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/environment/rtfo/govrecrfa.pdf

[3], [4] Twidell J., Weir T., Weir A.D., Renewable Energy Resources (2006) Taylor and Francis (2006) Chapter 11.11.1 – Bioenergy in relation to agriculture and forestry: pp 389

[5], [6], [7] Twidell J., Weir T., Weir A.D., Renewable Energy Resources (2006) Taylor and Francis (2006) Chapter “ food vs. fuel”

[8] Tickell J., Roman K., Tickell K., From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank (2000) Biodiesel America, The Solution: Renewable Fuels pp 21

[9], [10] Twidell J., Weir T., Weir A.D., Renewable Energy Resources (2006) Taylor and Francis (2006) pp393 

Follow up with this four part series on BIOFUELS by clicking the link below:
Part I, Part II , Part III, Part IV

Germany vows to shutdown Nuclear Plants by 2022

One of Germany's ageing nuclear power plant

I suppose it is very appropriate to bring up this topic now, especially after Japan's untimely disaster with earthquakes and tsunamis, and just as the whole world was beginning to recover from 2008 economic crisis. Germany's coalition government announced a reversal of policy that will see its nuclear power plants being phased out by 2022.

Protesting Nuclear energy in Germany

Personally i am not opposed to nuclear power because i believe they can be built and operated safely. We should learn from our mistakes and build better, efficient, safer nuclear plants rather than completely phasing them out. Some things can be prevented such as Chernobyl disaster, which was down to human errors and design flaw, while some things just happen to be unpredictable.

More importantly, the lessons that we can learn from Fukushima Daichii would be not to build along fault zones and at the sea level (even if the view is really breath-taking). Instead we could easily build them to survive Tsunami, earthquakes and terrorist attacks as we have done for Skyscrapers surviving earthquakes and reactors being placed in submarines to survive any kind of weather condition. They can be engineered to be fail-safe, with passive cooling or built to produce only elements of faster decoy.

Tectonic plate movement is common near Fukushima or Sendai

The Nuclear plant was just next to the sea

However, i am not a blind supporter of nuclear energy. I believe there can be so much more done to make nuclear energy safer. How about putting in more money to research into using Thorium based fuel. 

More importantly, it is not the markets that have been spooked but public opinion and the governments that react to that opinion - at least in democracies. Germany is not going to extend the operating life of ten of their aging reactors. US and China will actually be reviewing safety procedures and future projects.Surely, the cost of construction has gone up as a result of Fukushima and public opinion has hardened, but as we saw in Chernobyl, time does allow fears to subside and the reality is nuclear power will continue to provide a significant percentage of power supply in many countries. But not all forms of nuclear power are equal and do not carry the same inherent risk of meltdown. China is investing considerable sums in developing a technology using radioactive thorium that was first conceived back in the 1960s by US physicists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory but, supporters say, lacked funding because it didn’t have the benefit of creating weapons-grade fissile material as a by-product. In those Cold War days, weapons production was as important as energy production. There are potentially two thorium nuclear energy production technologies; the approach to be developed by China will be a thorium-based molten salt reactor. The fail-safe requires no external power or intervention. If the reaction begins to overheat, a plug in the base of the containment vessel melts and the contents simply drain under gravity into a pan. As a Telegraph article quotes former NASA engineer Kirk Sorensen saying, the reactor saves itself. Read more about Thorium nuclear power by clicking here.

Hearing this actually makes me angry because we sometimes prioritise weapons technology over building for safer energy. But lets not point fingers now and lets see what impact will this policy have on current economy.

Economic implications

Germany phasing out their nuclear plants obviously is a good news for Oil&Gas and especially shale gas. Also neighboring countries has unique opportunity to build up nuclear power and sell it to Germany. The bad news is consumers in the whole EU are going to pay substantially more for power and economy as a whole will suffer because of this policy. This is the politic reality and I doubt we can do anything with that especially if the Germans think this is an irreversible policy. 

Germany's decision to abandon this path may result in the EU paying a hefty amount for their electricity needs because renewable energy (i am sorry to say but lets be realistic here) is expensive. Soon i will talk about renewable energy and its practicality in another post. Till then, lets ponder on the future of nuclear energy, should we go thorium based fuel or nuclear fusion?

Leave a comment below, if you have an alternative idea or just want to find out more about nuclear energy.