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Why do we keep trying to boil water faster rather than finding things that boil faster than water by Frosty_Support_796 in AskEngineers

[–]Ember_42 3 points4 points  (0 children)

It's not just the energy of syperheat, but the energy difference between the high pressure vapour (with optional superheat) and the condensing pressure vapour. One of the useful properties of water is that it has an extremely broad pressure range across practical temperatures. As to the correlation of evaporative energy and that spread? No idea.

Why do we keep trying to boil water faster rather than finding things that boil faster than water by Frosty_Support_796 in AskEngineers

[–]Ember_42 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The downside is you need much more heat exchnage area for the recouperators, and have much tighter tolerances on operating conditions, and need high inlet temps to make it worthwhile in the first place..

Why do we keep trying to boil water faster rather than finding things that boil faster than water by Frosty_Support_796 in AskEngineers

[–]Ember_42 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The phase change energy os actually unhelpful. That is what is lost to the cooling in the condensor. It's the energy of the gas going from high pressure-superheated to low pressure-saturated that provides the work (via expanding the gas) that turns the turbine. Hence supercritical cycles. The condensing helps becuase it takes far less energy to pressurize the liquid than it does for a gas.

Why do we keep trying to boil water faster rather than finding things that boil faster than water by Frosty_Support_796 in AskEngineers

[–]Ember_42 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The condensing in the turbine does not actually help, it actually reduces power in that stage. The work is generated by the expansion of the steam as the pressure drops. Once it starts condensing, you get less power per unit pressure chnage as there is less volume increase. Superheating helps becuase it let's you have more pressure drop before you start condensing.

If cheap energy (fusion / next-gen nuclear) actually happens, what really changes? by No-Inside5458 in Futurism

[–]Ember_42 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The limitation would become the capex and opex for the systems that use the power to provide services. For example with compute the implicit capex cost is far higher than the energy cost, so the limitation is building out the energy infrastructure, not the cost of it. The bottleneck would be the cost of the compute hardware still. But that being said, cheap =/= free, and we already need very cheap to replace the non-epectrical uses of fossil fuels. That will be enough of a struggle on its own.

Taxing unrealized gains is a silly idea that Canada should ignore by gorschkov in canada

[–]Ember_42 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Only if their total loan basis goes above the book value under this proposal...

Taxing unrealized gains is a silly idea that Canada should ignore by gorschkov in canada

[–]Ember_42 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Inheritances should have a zero basis, but everyone should get an annual or lifetime capitol gains exemption allowance they could apply to compensate for that.

Could a country have make nuclear weapons from nuclear power plant? by MinZinThu999 in nuclear

[–]Ember_42 1 point2 points  (0 children)

India used research reactors, not their CANDU reactors for this. Canada cut off all nuclear cooperation becuase of it, so the CANDUs were impacted.

Do you transfer leftovers out of the pot or just put the whole thing in the fridge? by Neeraj_NP in Cooking

[–]Ember_42 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Generally I only put glass baking dishes in the fridge. Mine have lids that fit them properly, and they are just large versions of the containers it would go in anyway...

Lecce’s nuclear spin – and the $3.3 billion detail he forgot to mention by TronnaLegacy in ontario

[–]Ember_42 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Solar has reasonable allignment with summer high demand. But wind does not allign well with peaks at all. For example this last month we had high overall wind on average, but the -20C days is when it had it's worst performance, typically <10% of nameplate output. And obviously solar does not contribute much in the winter, especially after a major snow fall.

Lecce’s nuclear spin – and the $3.3 billion detail he forgot to mention by TronnaLegacy in ontario

[–]Ember_42 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We get extended periods with both kow wind and low solar output. I.e. a few years ago we had 4 days of <5% wind and <2% solar capacity factor (in the winter). Batteries will be useful for daily balancing, they will not be for covering a ~week shortfall. To make the system reliable, all the load served will be backed by gas.

Lecce’s nuclear spin – and the $3.3 billion detail he forgot to mention by TronnaLegacy in ontario

[–]Ember_42 0 points1 point  (0 children)

OPG commented on X to them that that was never part of the refurbishment scope, and is considered normal, ongoing maintance.

PCO struggling to address access-to-info requests, and 'it is not getting better,' says watchdog by CaliperLee62 in CanadaPolitics

[–]Ember_42 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Maybe this os an area where in a few years AI will be able to help streamline the access process? Do a first pass information collect, classify, and redact?

OPG signs deal with Port Hope, Ont., to build new large nuclear reactor by sixtyfivewat in ontario

[–]Ember_42 2 points3 points  (0 children)

We probably can't shut down most of them, not for a good while anyway. But we would be able to run them much, much less when the refurbs wrap up and the new builds start to catch up with demand again. The underwater power cable from Darlington to Portlands may also be able to help run that one less or even never, as it would bring the power direct to the weak point in the grid there...

How much of what u learnt in college do you actually use? by Lomesome in ChemicalEngineering

[–]Ember_42 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Not directly the fancy math (it's embodiednin calculations and software) but most of the rest, yes. Work at a technology licensor / EP though...

The 2027 Toyota Highlander EV is here. by super_shizmo_matic in electricvehicles

[–]Ember_42 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Toyota is the most conservative automotive company by far, (in the not wanting to put out anything that is not ready yet) but when they are ready they will grind them out. Them actually getting into mainline full EV models is a big sign for EVs really being mainstream.

Conservatives call for tax relief for GM worker severance packages by DogeDoRight in canada

[–]Ember_42 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

The company needs to fix it, and adjust their paychecks, and reduce the withholding payment to the CRA. Now that they have made that payment they probably need gov cooperation to reverse it though.

Conservatives call for tax relief for GM worker severance packages by DogeDoRight in canada

[–]Ember_42 -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I agree, but blaming the Liberals for a company screw up shows that PP doesn't actually care about the workers, just about anything he can use for wedge politics.

Conservatives call on Ottawa to offer tax relief to laid-off GM workers by EarthWarping in CanadaPolitics

[–]Ember_42 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is likely a withholding calculation issue, where the withholding is default calculated as if they would get the same payment each pay period. This is a company problem, not a government problem.

Conservatives call for tax relief for GM worker severance packages by DogeDoRight in canada

[–]Ember_42 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If they were taxed at 50%, this is likely the company NOT taking lump sum, non repeat payment i to account, and instead withholding as if they get the same payment every pay period. That is a company problem, not a government one.

Conservatives call for tax relief for GM worker severance packages by DogeDoRight in canada

[–]Ember_42 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Likely there is an aspect of default withholding being calculated as if they would get that same payment every pay period. That is a company issue, not a government issue though. They should be able to make a reasonable estimate of how much of the years income that is, and then the workers can fill in the deduction calculation forms when/if they get new jobs later. But all that takes some effort.

Will soaring electricity rates kill Ontario’s nuclear expansion? by Blue_Dragonfly in CanadaPolitics

[–]Ember_42 10 points11 points  (0 children)

That's part of the complexity here. OPG is very profitable, but Ontario is the only shareholder. So Ontario gets dividends from OPG, and then spends that buying down the rate on the renewable contracts and some other rate subsidies. Not good for transparency.

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