Nuclear Power

By: Gabriel Reed

Radioactive Energy Source

In the United States and many other countries, most energy sources used for
doing work are nonrenewable: Petroleum, Hydrocarbon gas liquids, Natural gas,
Coal, and Nuclear energy

These energy sources are called nonrenewable because their supplies are limited
to what we can mine or extract from the earth.

Nuclear energy is produced from uranium, a nonrenewable energy source whose

atoms are split (through a process called nuclear fission) to create heat and,
eventually, electricity.
Fission

Fission occurs when a neutron slams into a larger atom, forcing it to excite
and split into two smaller atoms—also known as fission products. Additional
neutrons are also released that can initiate a chain [Link] opposite of
this process is fusion

When each atom splits, a tremendous amount of energy is released.

Uranium and plutonium are most commonly used for fission reactions in
nuclear power reactors because they are easy to initiate and control.

The energy released by fission in these reactors heats water into steam.
The steam is used to spin a turbine to produce carbon-free electricity.
Fusion

Fusion occurs when two atoms slam together to form a heavier atom, like
when two hydrogen atoms fuse to form one helium atom.

This is the same process that powers the sun and creates huge amounts of
energy—several times greater than fission. It also doesn’t produce highly
radioactive fission products.

Fusion reactions are being studied by scientists, but are difficult to sustain
for long periods of time because of the tremendous amount of pressure and
temperature needed to join the nuclei together.
Cost
Nuclear power is cost-competitive with other forms of electricity
generation, except where there is direct access to low-cost fossil fuels.

Fuel costs for nuclear plants are a minor proportion of total generating
costs, though capital costs are greater than those for coal-fired plants and
much greater than those for gas-fired plants.

Providing incentives for long-term, high-capital investment in deregulated

markets driven by short-term price signals presents a challenge in securing a
diversified and reliable electricity supply system.

In assessing the economics of nuclear power, decommissioning and waste

disposal costs are fully taken into account.
 Pros & Cons of Nuclear power

Pros of nuclear energy Cons of nuclear energy

Carbon-free electricity Uranium is technically non-renewable

Small land footprint Very high upfront costs
High power output Nuclear waste
Reliable energy source Malfunctions can be catastrophic
How Do Nuclear Power Plants Work?

Inside nuclear power plants, nuclear reactors and their equipment contain
and control the chain reactions, most commonly fuelled by uranium-235, to
produce heat through fission.

The heat warms the reactor’s cooling agent, typically water, to produce
steam. The steam is then channelled to spin turbines, activating an electric
generator to create low-carbon electricity.

Uranium-> Heats water-> Steam-> Turbine Spins-> Activates Electric

Generator-> Electricity
Nuclear Plants Around The World

31 countries generate electricity from nuclear energy.

Over 50 countries utilize nuclear energy in about 220 research reactors. In

addition to research, these reactors are used for the production of medical
and industrial isotopes, as well as for training.

A reactor under construction in Asia today may have components supplied

from South Korea, Canada, Japan, France, Germany, Russia, and other
countries. Similarly, uranium from Australia or Namibia may end up in a
reactor in the UAE, having been converted in France, enriched in the
Netherlands, deconverted in the UK and fabricated in South Korea.
Most and Least Countries With Power Plants

UNITED STATES has the Most with 94, with CHINA coming in second with
58, and FRANCE coming in third with 57 Nuclear Power Plants.

For the least there is a Four way tie with, SLOVENIA, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC
OF IRAN, KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS, ARMENIA all having 1
Nuclear Power Plant.
Three Mile Island

In 1979 at Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in USA a cooling

malfunction caused part of the core to melt in the #2 reactor. The TMI-2
reactor was destroyed.

Some radioactive gas was released a couple of days after the accident, but
not enough to cause any dose above background levels to local residents.

There were no injuries or adverse health effects from the Three Mile
Island accident.
Chernobyl

The Chernobyl accident in 1986 was the result of a flawed reactor design
that was operated with inadequately trained personnel.

The resulting steam explosion and fires released at least 5% of the

radioactive reactor core into the environment, with the deposition of
radioactive materials in many parts of Europe.

Two Chernobyl plant workers died due to the explosion on the night of the
accident, and a further 28 people died within a few weeks as a result of
acute radiation syndrome.
Chernobyl

The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic

Radiation has concluded that, apart from some 5000 thyroid cancers
(resulting in 15 fatalities), "there is no evidence of a major public health
impact attributable to radiation exposure 20 years after the accident."

Some 350,000 people were evacuated as a result of the accident, but

resettlement of areas from which people were relocated is ongoing.
Fukushima

Following a major earthquake, a 15-metre tsunami disabled the power supply

and cooling of three Fukushima Daiichi reactors, causing a nuclear accident
beginning on 11 March 2011. All three cores largely melted in the first three
days.

The accident was rated level 7 on the International Nuclear and Radiological
Event Scale, due to high radioactive releases over days 4 to 6, eventually a
total of some 940 PBq (I-131 eq).

All four Fukushima Daiichi reactors were written off due to damage in the
accident – 2719 MWe net.
Fukushima

After two weeks, the three reactors (units 1-3) were stable with water
addition and by July they were being cooled with recycled water from the
new treatment plant. Official 'cold shutdown condition' was announced in
mid-December.
Apart from cooling, the basic ongoing task was to prevent release of
radioactive materials, particularly in contaminated water leaked from the
three units. This task became newsworthy in August 2013.

There have been no deaths or cases of radiation sickness from the nuclear
accident, but over 100,000 people were evacuated from their homes as a
preventative measure. Government nervousness has delayed the return of
many.

Official figures show that there have been 2313 disaster-related deaths
among evacuees from Fukushima prefecture. Disaster-related deaths are in
addition to the about 19,500 that were killed by the earthquake or tsunami.
Citation

Sources of Energy Reactors By Country

Fission & Fusion Three Mile Island

Economics of Nuclear Power Chernobyl

Pros & Cons Fukushima

How Do Nuclear Power Plants Work

Nuclear Plants Around the World