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Shafaq News
4 days ago
- Science
- Shafaq News
Iraq, China partner for first nuclear training reactor
Shafaq News/ Iraq is preparing to sign an agreement with China's Atomic Energy Authority, marking the construction of its first nuclear training reactor, the head of the Iraqi Atomic Energy Commission and Minister of Higher Education, Naeem al-Aboudi, announced on Sunday. In a press conference, al-Aboudi described the facility as a subcritical reactor intended for academic and research purposes. The project aims to build the capabilities of students and researchers in nuclear physics and peaceful radiation technologies. 'This is a milestone for Iraq's scientific infrastructure and a step toward restoring our nuclear research capacity on peaceful terms,' he stated. Al-Aboudi also confirmed that three sites at the Al-Tuwaitha complex, southeast of Baghdad, have been declared free of radioactive contamination. These include the French LAMA laboratories, an Italian-built radioisotope production facility, and the Tammuz-2 research reactor. Radiation surveys were carried out using rigorous scientific methods, with results showing no traces of hazardous radioactive material.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Government purchases machine that mimics the process used to power the sun and stars: 'Demanding requirements'
The United Kingdom has purchased an exciting piece of technology from Swedish company Freemelt, marking a major investment in what the country hopes will be a future of clean, limitless energy. The U.K.'s Atomic Energy Authority spent roughly $800,000 on an eMELT machine. This machine allows the organization to begin in-house production of 3D-printed tungsten tiles, which are essential for fusion energy. Metal AM reported that the machine will support feasibility studies and proof-of-concept for fusion energy. "UKAEA's investment in eMELT is an important confirmation that our … technology meets the demanding requirements in fusion," Freemelt CEO Daniel Gidlund said in a statement. The Atomic Energy Authority's mission is to research and deliver fusion energy to the U.K. Fusion energy is a relatively new field of study in green energy but also one of the most exciting. It mimics the process used to power the sun and stars by fusing atoms together, causing a reaction that unleashes huge amounts of energy. Accomplishing this feat takes large amounts of heat and pressure, as the atoms naturally want to repel one another. It doesn't create the radioactive waste that is a byproduct of fission, which is used in nuclear power plants. This makes it the "holy grail" of green energy, as it could provide "limitless" amounts of clean energy if scientists can crack it. Tungsten plays a key role in the fusion process because it has an extremely high melting point. By making machinery that allows for the easy development of tungsten tiles, Freemelt could help bring the dream of clean fusion energy closer to reality. "Tungsten is one of the most challenging materials to process, and our technology enables the production of complex components with high quality," Gidlund said. Still, there is a long way to go before this energy becomes widespread and commercially viable. Only in recent years have researchers reached "ignition" — the point at which a fusion reaction generates more energy than what was put in. The International Atomic Energy Agency estimates fusion won't be ready to create widespread electricity until the back half of this century. To reach that point, tons of tungsten will be necessary. Freemelt says that large reactors will require more than 1 million tungsten tiles to operate properly, while smaller fusion machines will still need at least 100,000 tiles. Should the U.S. invest more in battery innovations? Absolutely Depends on the project We're investing enough We should invest less Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
South China Morning Post
26-01-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Should Hong Kong end Japanese seafood import ban after Chinese test results?
Published: 8:30am, 27 Jan 2025 Updated: 8:35am, 27 Jan 2025 A fresh debate is brewing in Hong Kong over whether to lift a ban on seafood imports from parts of Japan after Chinese tests of seawater samples near the snowballed Fukushima nuclear power plant showed no signs of negative impact on marine life. Japanese restaurant operators in Hong Kong called for an immediate review of the ban, but a food safety expert and a legislator said the city should be cautious and protect public health by waiting until more test data was available. Simon Wong Ka-wo, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, said on Friday a review of the ban was long overdue. 'People travel to Japan to eat seafood there. That makes a mockery of the import ban,' he said. The catering sector expressed hope after China's Atomic Energy Authority announced on Thursday that its tests of seawater samples collected near the Fukushima plant found no negative impact on marine species. Mainland China and Hong Kong imposed seafood import restrictions in August 2023 in response to Japan's decision to start releasing into the ocean some of the 1.34 million tonnes of treated waste water from the plant, which was damaged in the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.
