Brian Morrison wrote:
On Sat, 12 Sep 2009 20:15:21 +0100
geoff wrote:

In message , Dave
writes
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

Most radiation is a lot less dangerous than people suppose it is.
I can vouch for that. In the aerospace industry, spent uranium is used
as ballast. (I think I am right in saying that it is heavier than lead.)
It depends on how much you have of it

It is denser than lead though

Yes, and although early 747s used it for aileron and elevator
mass balance weights it was phased out and replaced with other dense
material.

When the Korean Air crash near Stansted happened, there were concerns
over the mass balances burning and uranium being blown about in the
smoke. It was an early airframe which did used it.

Years ago at GEC we had an APG-65 radar scanner delivered to us, when
the safety officer discovered it used DU counterweights he went
ballistic and insisted that they be removed as it was a fire hazard. I
forget how it was resolved now, but I do remember than when the weights
were removed the four bar scan no longer worked as the motors and
gearboxes simply couldn't control the antenna position correctly.

Most heavy metals are pretty poisonous.


Lead, plutonium, uranium. Irrespecteive of any radiation issues.

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Brian Morrison wrote:
On Sat, 12 Sep 2009 20:15:21 +0100
geoff wrote:

In message , Dave
writes
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

Most radiation is a lot less dangerous than people suppose it is.
I can vouch for that. In the aerospace industry, spent uranium is
used as ballast. (I think I am right in saying that it is heavier
than lead.)
It depends on how much you have of it

It is denser than lead though

Yes, and although early 747s used it for aileron and elevator
mass balance weights it was phased out and replaced with other dense
material.

When the Korean Air crash near Stansted happened, there were concerns
over the mass balances burning and uranium being blown about in the
smoke. It was an early airframe which did used it.

Years ago at GEC we had an APG-65 radar scanner delivered to us, when
the safety officer discovered it used DU counterweights he went
ballistic and insisted that they be removed as it was a fire hazard. I
forget how it was resolved now, but I do remember than when the weights
were removed the four bar scan no longer worked as the motors and
gearboxes simply couldn't control the antenna position correctly.

Most heavy metals are pretty poisonous.


Lead, plutonium, uranium. Irrespecteive of any radiation issues.

indeed, the problem with DU in planes isn't the radiation, it's the
poisonous gases given off when it burns.

"Yeti" wrote in message
...

Lead, plutonium, uranium. Irrespecteive of any radiation issues.

indeed, the problem with DU in planes isn't the radiation, it's the
poisonous gases given off when it burns.

AIUI tungsten and other dense metals are more toxic when burnt.

DU has other uses too, like radiation shielding.

On Sep 11, 11:49*am, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:

You cannot lump the power sector with any random nuclear installation
and tar them with the same brush.

Unless you are Greenpeace of course.

Or the BBC.



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