Nuclear power is a valuable achievement and a great danger to mankind, which, unfortunately, was proved by Fukusima (Japan) tragedy in 2011. Such global events make leading world countries focus on a serious problem: to stop using nuclear energy or to improve the reactors and increase their reliability. In June 2011, a round table meeting called "New Generation Nuclear Reactors" was held at the Ural Research and Development Institute of Man. M. Bychkova, correspondent of the Science of Ural newspaper, deals with some of the discussed topics and ideas in her article. There are no alternatives to nuclear power in Russia yet, due to the size of our country we cannot rely on other fuel sources, such as wind mills or solar batteries. We cannot follow Germany, which decided to stop using nuclear power: the only thing that would suit us is to find solution to this urgent problem. Academician Valery Chereshnev, chairman of the round table, President of the Ural Research and Development Institute of Man and Head of the Committee for Science and Science-Intensive Technologies of the RF State Duma, put for- Reactor. стр. 11 ward the strategy "To Outdistance Without Catching Up" for the development of nuclear power industry. Solid state nuclear reactors (heat emitting elements containing nuclear fuel) with water as a heat carrier are the most popular today. The relative simplicity of design, low power consumption to pump water and cost efficiency are basic advantages of such units. But in case of emergency they can lead to a tragedy, like at Fukusima; no one can ignore the fact that solid state nuclear reactors have repeatedly shown insufficient internal safety. That is why Sergei Raspopin, Professor of the Department of Physics and Technology of the Ural Federal University, proposed a project of a melted active zone designed by his colleagues for consideration of the participants of the round table. A distinctive characteristic of a ne ... Читать далее