Blocking Radiation
Blocking Radiation
On this page http://www.chemicalforums.com/index.php?topic=5389.0
someone asks "What makes lead so good at blocking radiation? Does it have to do with the structure it takes in its solid form?" and gets the response "Lead has a high density of electrons"
Just speculating... what is the relative density of electrons inside a capacitor compared to lead, and could highly charged parallel plates provide similar blocking of the radiation ?
someone asks "What makes lead so good at blocking radiation? Does it have to do with the structure it takes in its solid form?" and gets the response "Lead has a high density of electrons"
Just speculating... what is the relative density of electrons inside a capacitor compared to lead, and could highly charged parallel plates provide similar blocking of the radiation ?
In theory there is no difference between theory and practice, but in practice there is.
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Run the numbers.BenTC wrote:k.
Lead is Atomic Number 82, an atomic weight of 207, and a density of 11.35 g/cm^3. A mol of lead masses 207 g, a volume of about 18cm^3, and contains 82 * 6.022x10^23 electrons. That works out to 2.7x10^24 electrons per cubic centimeter.
A coulomb of charge is the charge of about 6.2x10^18 electrons, so the electron charge in 1 cm^3 of lead would be about -440,000 coulombs (balanced, of course, by an equal positive charge from the protons.
Got any capacitors which can pack that charge into a cubic centimeter?
Lead also has a dirty little secret as a radiation shield. It is counterproductive when dealing with betas (high-energy electrons). Those will produce x-rays when they strike high-Z nuclei or encounter all those shells of electrons.
For betas you want something low-Z, like a layer of plastic.
OSHA may want you to cover up the lead anyway.
For betas you want something low-Z, like a layer of plastic.
OSHA may want you to cover up the lead anyway.
If Widom and Larsen have a correct theory for LENR, maybe there's application to radiation shielding:
"Absorption of Nuclear Gamma Radiation by Heavy Electrons on Metallic Hydride Surfaces"
http://www.newenergytimes.com/v2/librar ... rGamma.pdf
"Absorption of Nuclear Gamma Radiation by Heavy Electrons on Metallic Hydride Surfaces"
http://www.newenergytimes.com/v2/librar ... rGamma.pdf
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I understand an ideal cosmic radiation shield would be a couple inches of lead or something, AND a couple of yards or more of foam or something like that.
This is a bit easier than it seems, depending on your ship design. I'm thinking of a modular design centered around a central truss. The entire thing would be coated with foam, with viewing portals and sensors reaching through. This might actually make up the bulk of the mass, depending on how you build your ship.
This is a bit easier than it seems, depending on your ship design. I'm thinking of a modular design centered around a central truss. The entire thing would be coated with foam, with viewing portals and sensors reaching through. This might actually make up the bulk of the mass, depending on how you build your ship.
Evil is evil, no matter how small
The most important secret in the Naval Nuke community had nothing to do with reactor design. It was how the shielding was designed. Fortunately I am unable to remember a thing about it.kunkmiester wrote:I understand an ideal cosmic radiation shield would be a couple inches of lead or something, AND a couple of yards or more of foam or something like that.
This is a bit easier than it seems, depending on your ship design. I'm thinking of a modular design centered around a central truss. The entire thing would be coated with foam, with viewing portals and sensors reaching through. This might actually make up the bulk of the mass, depending on how you build your ship.
What is open knowledge is that the Russian Subs give their personnel high radiation doses and the American subs low doses.
It is all about optimizing volumes and weights.
When ever a TV crew visits Boomer Nuke Subs you will notice that visits to the rocket launch area are are prominent but you never see the reactor area.
Engineering is the art of making what you want from what you can get at a profit.
It was not a subject that interested me and it has been almost 45 years. All I remember is that I was sworn to not give details.djolds1 wrote::twisted:MSimon wrote:The most important secret in the Naval Nuke community had nothing to do with reactor design. It was how the shielding was designed. Fortunately I am unable to remember a thing about it.
Ummmhmmm. Yeah. Riiiiiiiight. :)
Engineering is the art of making what you want from what you can get at a profit.
Nor would I dream of asking you for said details. Some lines are not crossed, ever; allegiance matters. Beyond that, learn to laugh Simon - the emoticons were supposed to clue you.MSimon wrote:It was not a subject that interested me and it has been almost 45 years. All I remember is that I was sworn to not give details.djolds1 wrote:
Ummmhmmm. Yeah. Riiiiiiiight.
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
Vae Victis
Well yeah. But do you know what was going through my mind? Being brought up on charges. Nothing like the threat of hanging to concentrate the mind.djolds1 wrote:Nor would I dream of asking you for said details. Some lines are not crossed, ever; allegiance matters. Beyond that, learn to laugh Simon - the emoticons were supposed to clue you. :wink:MSimon wrote:It was not a subject that interested me and it has been almost 45 years. All I remember is that I was sworn to not give details.djolds1 wrote::twisted:
Ummmhmmm. Yeah. Riiiiiiiight. :)
Engineering is the art of making what you want from what you can get at a profit.