Liquid metal cooled reactor Clementine was the first liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor and used mercury coolant, thought to be the obvious choice since it is liquid at room temperature. However, because of disadvantages including high toxicity, high vapor pressure even at room temperature, low boiling point, producing noxious fumes when heated, relatively low thermal conductivity, and a high neutron cross-section, it has fallen out of favor. Sodium and NaK (a eutectic sodium-potassium alloy) do not corrode steel to any significant degree and are compatible with many nuclear fuels, allowing for a wide choice of structural materials. They do, however, ignite spontaneously on contact
Room Temperature (album) Room Temperature (album) Room Temperature is a live album by Peter Hammill, originally released on Enigma Records in 1990. On its initial release, the album was only available in North America. It was subsequently re-released on Hammill's own Fie! label. The album documents Hammill's 1990 tour of Europe and North America. Hammill's group for this tour consisted of Stuart Gordon on violin and former Van der Graaf Generator bassist Nic Potter on bass. There was no drummer, hence some of the songs on these recordings have a stripped down, chamber music feel. The group was briefly billed as the Peter