WHO would have thought that nuclear power could be used to make fertiliser? It will if a new direction in US research proves a success. The Department of Energy (DOE) is expanding its development of nuclear reactors that churn out large amounts of waste heat, which could be used in a number of other industries.
On 18 September, the DOE announced that its Next Generation Nuclear Plant project will receive a $40 million boost in funding. The gas-cooled reactors involved will run at temperatures in excess of 800 °C, more than twice that of existing light water reactors. The heat is valuable for industrial processes that…
