Nuclear Energy: "Nuclear Power Is A Hell of A Way To Boil Water." - Albert Einstein
Nuclear Energy: "Nuclear Power Is A Hell of A Way To Boil Water." - Albert Einstein
Nuclear Energy: "Nuclear Power Is A Hell of A Way To Boil Water." - Albert Einstein
What is nuclear
energy?
NUCLEAR FISSION
Nuclear fission reaction, the nucleus of
a heavy radioactive element like uranium,
plutonium or thorium splits up into smaller
nuclei, when bombarded by low energy
neutrons. A huge amount of heat is
generated in this process, which is used in
nuclear power plants to generate electricity.
NUCLEAR FUSION
Nuclear fusion reaction involves the
combination or fusion of two light elements to form
a heavier element and release uncontrollable
energy. Thus it cannot be used to generate
electricity, unlike fission reaction. Did you know that
the suns energy is generated by nuclear fusion
reaction? The heat and light that we get from Sun,
is all due to the continuous reactions going on
inside it. We can now imagine how much energy
would be released in the nuclear fusion reaction,
that it is the source of suns energy
BRIEF INTRO
Nuclear power is the use of sustained
LIFE CYCLE
URANIUM
SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF A
NUCLEAR REACTOR
ADVANTAGES
Almost 0 emissions (very low greenhouse gas
emissions).
They can be sited almost anywhere unlike oil which is
mostly imported.
The plants almost never experience problems if not
from human error, which almost never happens
anyway because the plant only needs like 10 people
to operate it.
A small amount of matter creates a large amount of
energy.
A lot of energy is generated from a single power plant.
Current nuclear waste in the US is over 90% Uranium.
If reprocessing were made legal again in the US we
would have enough nuclear material to last hundreds
of years.
DISADVANTAGES
meant to calibrate
the instruments that
would measure the
actual nuclear bombs
to be tested later.
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Atomic Structure
Nuclear technology takes advantage of the
numbers of neutrons in
their nuclei.
Nuclei from the same
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smaller fragments.
The fuel used by the first
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reaction.
Each time a nucleus splits,
chain reaction
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Control Rods
Absorb all the neutrons
Cadmium, silver, indium rods all used
Secondary Coolant
Powers the steam generator (ie, the heat engine)
The Moderator
What does it do?
Absorbs energy from the fast neutrons
The moderator heats up
The neutrons become thermal neutrons
Two roles
Controls neutron energy
Transfer energy to secondary coolant
Nuclear Fuel
water cirulates
Probably the most common type world-wide
3-mile island is a PWR
moderator
Used in Canada
Fuel enrichment is not necessary
Fast Reactors
Fast vs Thermal Reactors
HWR and LWR designs are all thermal reactors
Thermal neutrons are used to sustain fission
Fast reactors
Do not need moderators
Uranium fuel must be highly-enriched perhaps even weapons
grade
Because of lower efficiency
Also because U-238 readily absorbs fast neutrons
Breeder Reactors
Un
238
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239
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239
92
239
U 93
Np 01
239
93
239
Np 94
Pu 01
Idea
Fast neutron capture by U-238 produces fissionable
Pu-239
Pu-239 undergoes neutron-activated nuclear fission
to continue producing energy
Breeder reactors are designed to maximize amount
of Pu-239 production
Amplifies reserves (but not inexhaustible)
Up to 60% of the energy content of the uranium can be
NUCLEAR FUEL
Nuclear fuel is any material that can
NUCLEAR FISSION
When a neutron strikes an atom of
Boiling Water
Reactor (BWR)
The Pressurized Water
Reactor (PWR)
NUCLEAR REACTOR
A nuclear reactor is a device in which
CONTROL RODS
Control rods made of a material that
STEAM GENERATORS
Steam generators are heat exchangers
STEAM TURBINE
A steam turbine is a mechanical device
COOLANT PUMP
The coolant pump pressurizes the coolant
FEED PUMP
Steam coming out of the turbine,
CONDENSER
Condenser is a device or unit which is
COOLING TOWER
Cooling towers are heat removal devices
ADVANTAGES
Nuclear power generation does emit relatively
DISADVANTAGES
The problem of radioactive waste is still an
unsolved one.
High risks: It is technically impossible to build a
DISADVANTAGES
Nuclear power plants as well as nuclear
Nuclear Reactors
The process of
converting nuclear
energy into
electricity is
similar to that of
using fossil fuels.
Water is boiled,
the steam is
passed through a
turbine, which
spins a generator.
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uranium-235.
Uranium ore is enriched and formed into fuel
pellets.
The fuel pellets are stacked into long, cylindrical
fuel rods.
Control rods, made of a neutron-absorbing
material, are placed amongst the fuel rods.
Can be removed and inserted to adjust the rate of the
chain reaction.
Withdraw
control
rods,
reaction
increases
Insert
control
rods,
reaction
decreases
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Cooling
Tower in
Byron, Illinois
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operating conditions, a
reactor releases very
little radioactivity.
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Nuclear Accidents
In 1979, a movie called The
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occurring uncontrollably.
An explosion ripped apart the containment
building, spreading radioactive fallout throughout
the area and into the atmosphere.
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plant:
The containment building was inadequate.
Graphite was used as a
moderator instead of
water. When the
meltdown occurred, it
ignited, releasing more
fallout.
A water storage pool
was located under the
reactor. If the core had
melted down into this
pool, an even greater
explosion would have occurred.
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permanently evacuated.
A 30km radius around the plant, called the
exclusion zone, has been designated as
uninhabitable to people.
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Fukushima
The most recent meltdown occurred following a
experienced a meltdown.
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the Pacific.
Top predators, like bluefin tuna, caught in the
Pacific have positively tested for small amounts
of radioactive fallout.
A single serving of tuna has less than half of the
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centers.
Plans to use Yucca have since
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