Is there a chamber or something I can store the radiation in?
2006-07-18 11:39:25 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
Ben. The design of a nuclear aircraft would have to be similar to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier. The radiation in those big ships is contained in a huge lead shield, or wall. This shield holds in everything that is radioactive and dangerous.
That's one of the big problems with designing a nuclear airplane. The nuclear engine and the lead shields would be very, very heavy. Maybe too heavy for the plane to fly. A boat only needs to be made bigger. That is much more difficult for an airplane.
There is one more consideration for putting a nuclear plane in the sky. Many people worry about the radiation if a plane crashed, and the lead shield was broken.
Maybe some day you will be the designer of the first safe nuclear powered aircraft.
2006-07-18 11:49:56 · answer #1 · answered by Vince M 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You could store your nuclear fuel inside the aircraft and pass air that comes in from the front of the plane over the material. As the air heats due to its proximity to the radioactive material it will expand, and this expansion can be used as thrust. You would then eject the hot air and it will not be radioactive because it will have only received heat from the radiation, and not become radioactive itself.
The big danger with a nuclear powered aircraft is that if we built one, it would be only a matter of time before one crashed. It would be very difficult to construct a nuclear reactor that could survive a crash in an airplane.
2006-07-18 18:48:45 · answer #2 · answered by professional student 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nuclear airplane = improbable, and pretty ridiculous....
Something you might want to think about is Nuclear thermal, Pulsed Nuclear, and Nuclear Electric propulsion as they apply to spacecraft. Each of those has been designed in the theoretical sense, and both nuclear thermal and nuclear electric propulsion systems have already been built. A nuclear electric system is slated to be tried on a soon to be realized satellite mission.
2006-07-18 22:52:21 · answer #3 · answered by AresIV 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A nuclear power plant uses the decay of very heavy metal to heat water to produce steam to turn a turbine to produce electricity. The core is shielded with lead and concrete (also very heavy). You would have to drive electric motors (again HEAVY) your plane could never get of the ground! But keep thinking Ben!
2006-07-18 19:09:09 · answer #4 · answered by Sleeping Troll 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes.
2006-07-18 18:43:20 · answer #5 · answered by Vosh 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
HEY!!!!! nuclear aircraft is MY idea let it go or i will send my ASSASINS to get u!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2006-07-18 18:43:16 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋