I suspect refurbishing decades old PWR reactors would be far more expensive than just building new ones, for example a SpaceX Merlin engine costs $1 million and a Blue Origin BE-4 costs $15 million. Nasa argued it would be 'cheaper' to reuse Shuttle components for the Space Launch System (SLS). Refurbishing Shuttle RS-25 engines has cost Nasa $50 million dollars per engine, restarting a production line is costing $100 million for each new RS-25 engine.
Bit of a difference between a foreign startup you can’t control getting very close to them and RR, a company they can control and who isn’t reliant on them, doing a project for them.
This really isn’t the gotcha you think it is, sorry.
TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world 11 months ago
In this case though, RR does have the experience and means to do it. They already make SMRs for submarines.
bernieecclestoned@sh.itjust.works 11 months ago
There’s 12 sat in old subs in Plymouth at the moment. Not sure they are RR though?
I’ve often wondered if they could be repurposed
plymouthherald.co.uk/…/devonport-dockyards-12-nuc…
stevecrox@kbin.social 11 months ago
Wikipedia lists all 12 subs as having Rolls Royce Pressured Water Reactors.
Your PWR reuse idea is is kind of where Rolls Royce is looking to go with Small Modular Reactors (https://www.rolls-royce.com/innovation/small-modular-reactors.aspx).
I suspect refurbishing decades old PWR reactors would be far more expensive than just building new ones, for example a SpaceX Merlin engine costs $1 million and a Blue Origin BE-4 costs $15 million. Nasa argued it would be 'cheaper' to reuse Shuttle components for the Space Launch System (SLS). Refurbishing Shuttle RS-25 engines has cost Nasa $50 million dollars per engine, restarting a production line is costing $100 million for each new RS-25 engine.
bernieecclestoned@sh.itjust.works 11 months ago
Thanks
InvertedParallax@lemm.ee 11 months ago
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klimov_VK-1
TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world 11 months ago
Bit of a difference between a foreign startup you can’t control getting very close to them and RR, a company they can control and who isn’t reliant on them, doing a project for them.
This really isn’t the gotcha you think it is, sorry.
InvertedParallax@lemm.ee 11 months ago
RR literally gave the soviet union their realistic jet engine program because they wanted a few bucks.
The damage to the west was incalculable.