Suppose you really want your own nuclear reactor, but the price is a bit steep, you don’t have enough space, and the NRC licensing requirements are just too much of a hassle. If that’s your problem, you can now build a 1:350 scale model of an EPR. The price is about $30, the finished model fits in an area 79 x 84 cm (31 x 33 inches), and no NRC license is required. The model kit contains printed sheets of heavy paper that you cut, fold, and glue to create the various components.
The complete model, with about 2900 parts, is astonishingly detailed, with reactor vessel, steam generators, piping, cranes, emergency diesel generators, even turbine rotors.
It is said to take 150 to 300 hours to construct. If that is too much work for you, you can use the same kit but build a simpler version in which some or all of the internal components are eliminated. The simplest version is an architectural model only, with about 220 parts. That version is said to require about 55 hours to complete. On the other hand, if you are really a serious model-builder, you won’t be satisfied with just one of these kits. You will want to build a three-unit plant!
The complete model would be an exceptional training tool. It would show spatial relationships within the plant far more vividly than drawings or even computer animations. It also might be a good gift for a high school student who is interested in nuclear engineering.
Technorati tags: Nuclear Energy, Energy, Electricity, Model Building, AREVA
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