Peaceful nuclear explosives to make electrical energy:

PACER Revisited

A study and project called Pacer suggested exploding a 20 kton nuclear explosive in a steam filled, earth walled cavity once every three hours

to produce 1000 MWe of power. In a series of papers this idea was revisited replacing the steam filled, earth walled cavity with a steel lined

underground cavity using molten salt droplets to cushion the effects of the explosive and absorb its energy. The yield chosen was typically

2 ktons once every 20 minutes to produce the same 1000 MWe of power. If such explosives could be initiated with 20 tons [84 GJ] of fission

yield for a total of 2 ktons then the resulting power system would be 1% fission and 99% fusion.

• R.W. Moir. “PACER Revisited” Fusion Technology 15 (March 1989) 5 pages

• Call, Charles and R.W. Moir. “A Novel Fusion Power Concept Based on Molten-Salt Technology,” Nuclear Science & Engineering 104 (1990)

10 pages

• Szoke, Abraham and R.W. Moir. “A Practical Route to Fusion Power,” Technology Review (July 1991) 8 pages

• Szoke, Abraham and R.W. Moir. “A Realistic Gradual and Economical Approach to Fusion Power,” Fusion Technology 20 (December 1991)

10 pages

• Sahin, Sumer, R.W. Moir, Unalan, S. “Neutronic Investigation of a Power Plant Using Peaceful Nuclear Explosives,” Fusion Technology 26

(December 1994) 16 pages