Channel Title: Illinois EnergyProf Channel Description: Professor David Ruzic Abel Bliss Professor of Engineering Department of Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign https://cpmi.illinois.edu <video> Decarbonizing Air Travel ? Description: This video examines overall energy use, how electrification comes into play, and focuses on the energy used for air travel. It shows why liquid fuels are the most useful for long-haul fast air travel, and then describes how they could be made from biofuels. It ends with a cautionary note about the challenges ahead and the possible need for other solutions. </video> <video> Small Nuclear Reactors - Natrium Description: This video tells about the new exciting sodium-cooled, high-assay-low-enrichment-uranium (HALEU) fueled small nuclear reactor that was one of the winners of the DOE Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program competition and will be built over the next few years. It utilizes molten-salt storage of the heat generated by the nuclear reactor, so it can "follow-the-load". This type of system could be the future of nuclear power. The demonstration reactor is planned to be constructed at a retired coal power plant site in Wyoming, so the electrical generation equipment can be re-used. </video> <video> Running on Moonshine: Making Ethanol Fuel Description: In this re-upload, filmed outdoors on a sunny Illinois day, we look at the basics for how fuel (and alcohol) are made using corn. Do not try this at home! </video> <video> How to convert a microwave oven into a plasma-generating N-95 respirator decontamination unit Description: On October 13, 2021, our article on this subject was published in a peer-review journal: "A Plasma-Generating N-95 Respirator Decontamination Unit Created from a Microwave Oven" Plasma Medicine 11 (3): 1-18 (2021) This is a "how-to" video explaining how to convert a microwave oven, coat hanger, coffee cup and some household chemicals into a plasma-generating N-95 respirator decontamination unit. 30 seconds of plasma exposure was able to reduce the viral burden greater than 4 log to the detect-ability limit and reduced the biological spore indicators by greater than 7 logs. Filtration and fit tests were still passed after 10 decontamination cycles. The plans for the 3-D printed antenna holder featured in the video can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iMEPozdMg6LTxmygjH-MQxP-vnQCj6tD/view?usp=sharing Be sure to insert a ceramic tile into the holder before use! DISCLAIMER: The content is being released in this manner to maximize the potential public benefit during the SARS-CoV-2 (also known as CoVID-19) pandemic. The content has not been reviewed or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Interested readers are encouraged to contact the FDA and review available FDA materials. The Authors disclaim all express and implied warranties of merchantability and fitness of the content for a particular purpose, and disclaim all express and implied warranties regarding non-infringement of any patent, copyright, trademark, or other rights of third parties in the content or use of the content, or in the making, using, or selling products or services by any person or entity. People or entities attempting to use the content in any way, including creating products or offering services, assume all risk and responsibility related to those uses, including all legal and regulatory compliance, safety, efficacy, performance, design, marketability, title, and quality. The Authors assume no liability related to the actions of third parties and in respect of any infringement of any patent, copyright, or other right of third parties. The Authors’ names and logos are trademarks or other exclusive property of the Authors. Readers of the content shall not use the name or logo of any Author in any way for publicity, advertising, or other commercial purposes, including linked to the reader’s products or services. Readers of the content shall not make statements or representations that, in Author’s sole judgment, deliberately or inadvertently claim, suggest, or give the appearance or impression of a relationship with or endorsement by that Author. </video> <video> Modular Micro-Reactors – The Future of Nuclear Energy? Description: In this video Prof. Ruzic explains what modular micro-reactors are, and why they may be the future of nuclear power. In particular, their ability to be a non-carbon source of process or district heat makes them an ideal replacement for fossil fuel plants. In terms of electricity cost, they compete very well with diesel generation, and once mass produced could reach utility-scale prices. The micro-reactors are self-contained with their own containment, and passive safety features provided by the laws of physics. All wastes generated are contained in the fuel itself which will last for 20 years. At that point the whole reactor vessel is carted away, and a new one can be installed. </video> <video> So You Want to Build a Nuclear Reactor Description: Current status of Small Modular Reactor (SMR) projects sponsored by the US DoE is discussed. Advantages and differences of the X-Energy and TerraPower SMRs are included. For more detail, see the links in the video cards. Made in collaboration with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign American Nuclear Society Student Section. </video> <video> Shooting Lightning Across a Room? Description: This video is for fun, and is a collaboration with a former student who also has a YouTube channel. He looks up the history and reality of various science-related things from movies, video games etc. See: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheShuckmeister . His take on this subject can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S92ti5LUFxA Enjoy! </video> <video> Ukraine's Nuclear Reactors Description: The Ukrainian nuclear reactors are described. This video explains what to worry about, and what not to worry about when a nuclear reactor is in a war zone. </video> <video> Dispelling the Myths of Nuclear Energy (Live Lecture) Description: This is a lecture I give to high school seniors and college freshman emphasizing need for nuclear power, and countering the common objections to it. My individual videos on this channel have much more detail on each topic; this is meant as an overview. I gave this in front of a "live" Zoom audience, and since we were using the light board anyway we decided to release it as a video. I hope you enjoy it. </video> <video> What You Need to Know: Thorium Nuclear Power Description: We fixed the audio and re uploaded. Sorry for those who are getting the notification on this a second time! The long awaited Thorium video is here! I hope you all enjoy as I take a critical look at the benefits and drawbacks of this fascinating form of nuclear power. Does it hold the key to near limitless nuclear fuel? Or is it merely a technical curiosity? Watch and find out! </video> <video> How to Walk on Water Like an Engineer Description: In this fun video from the archives, I reveal the secret behind the magic trick in my profile picture! How many can guess it before I give it away? Let me know in the comments! </video> <video> What is in the COVID-19 Vaccine? Description: This video explains what is in all three US-approved COVID-19 vaccines and how they work. It also discusses the risks of COVID and the risks of the vaccines. Finally it briefly covers what is not in the vaccines. 0:00 What's in the Vaccines 9:41 What are the Risks? 16:18 What is not in the Vaccine </video> <video> Fusion Energy Breakthroughs Description: This video explains the recent fusion energy breakthrough from the US National Ignition Facility and then describes how magnetic fusion energy is actually closer to making fusion energy a reality. </video> <video> SMR -- Small Modular Nuclear Reactors - Gas-Cooled Description: This video tells about the new exciting gas-cooled small modular reactor that won the DOE competition and will be built over the next few years. This could be the future of nuclear power and be placed at every site where a coal power plant has been shut down. </video> <video> The Future of Lithium-Ion Batteries Description: Batteries power all of our modern electronics and increasingly our automobiles. What is in them? How do they work? What is keeping them from being better and how could they be made to hold more charge and last longer? This video explains all of that including some new exciting research in lithium-sulfur batteries at Illinois in conjunction with the company LYTEN. (Note: Car batteries have sulfuric acid in them, not hydrochloric -- I misspoke near the beginning of the video. Also, some internal combustion engines can last 300,000 miles, I just never have owned a car that long.) #Battery #Lithium-ion #Lithium-sulfur #Tesla #electric car #LYTEN </video>

Contacts and Links

Description

Professor David Ruzic
Abel Bliss Professor of Engineering
Department of Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

https://cpmi.illinois.edu

Videos from channel