Nuclear Energy

Nuclear Energy

most striking development in sources of power in recent years.

Release of the atom

How long…..

Have we known about atomic power?

Ancient Greeks

included atomic theory as one of their philosophical studies

Knowledge about atoms was developed in the 17th century

Early 1900’s

theory became clarified

1940”s

atom was split resulting power was put to

work

Nuclear fission

the nuclei of heavy atoms are split under bombardment by neutrons

Nuclear fission

when a sufficient amount of fissionable material is brought together

chain reaction occurs

Nuclear fission

splitting atoms and releasing a tremendous amount of heat

Nuclear fission

approximately 20,000 times as much heat and energy is released from uranium fuels as from an equivalent amount of coal

Use of fission power

1945 first large scale use atomic bombs were used by

the US to knock Japan out of WWII

WWII

since then attention has been given to the peaceful uses of atomic energy

1980

the amount of electrical power generated by nuclear power plants was about 11% of the total electrical supplies in the US

Energy from fission

atomic energy in the US today is produced by the process known as nuclear fission

Fuel supplies

adequate supplies for nuclear power

major mineral sources for nuclear power

Uranium 238 Thorium 232

Fuel

from those - U 235 and Plutonium 239 can be produced

in the early stages of development US relied heavily upon imports of uranium

Fuel

from South Africa and Canada

1950’s and 60’s

western US deposits were developed

Bureau of Mines reported that -

.

“Domestic production is adequate to supply present and near-future domestic requirements.”

In 1981

US was still the world leading miner of uranium

Nuclear Fusion

Fusion is combining together the atoms are fused together

rather than split apart possibilities for nuclear fusion

are much greater than those for nuclear fission

Fusion

problems process is so difficult to

control that it is questionable whether commercial adaptation will ever be economically feasible

Problems

fusion requires extreme pressure and temperatures

as high as 100 million degrees

Problems

such heat was achieved by the Hydrogen bomb

by first setting off a fission explosion

Fuel for fusion

fusion reactors would be fueled by deuterium

an isotope of hydrogen available in almost unlimited

supply in sea water

US Government

demonstration fusion reactor hopes to have in operation

by 2015

LWR

Light Water Reactor use ordinary water have been in commercial

use since 1957

LWR

free from environmental problems of coal fired electric power plants

LWR disadvantages

potential of a reactor explosion

contamination form atomic wastes

construction costs and technical problems

Safety?

1974 report stated of Nuclear Power

Safety?

“its use poses serious environmental issues, including reactor safety, radioactive waste management and nuclear theft……..

Safety?

A very hazardous enterprise.”

Three Mile Island

March 28, 1979 Human and mechanical

failure led to the release of a considerable amount of radioactivity

Three Mile Island

evacuation of preschool children and pregnant women within five miles of the plant

Three Mile Island

Nevertheless 67 nuclear facilities are

expected to continued operating

90 were planned for construction by 1990

Safety Institutions

two Nuclear Safety Analysis

Center monitors performance of

safety

Safety Institutions

Institute of Nuclear Power inspects existing reactors

and evaluates them

Industrial Significance

peaceful use development of under-seas

and space nuclear power medical use of radioisotopes

Industrial Significance

research in nuclear physics ensnarled by many problems

technological, economic and social

Breeder Reactors

fast breeder reactors more efficient to operate

than LWR’s are undergoing experiment

Breeder Reactors

two types LMFBR Liquid Metal Fast Breeder

Reactor

Breeder Reactors

GCFBR Gas cooled fast breeder

reactor

Breeder Reactors

they produce more fuel than they consume

more efficient than LWR’s

Breeder Reactors

can use 50-70% of the uranium mined in contrast to only 2% by the LWR

Breeder Reactors

safety problems for the LMFBR may prove to be more sever than those of the LWR

1950’s

Atomic Energy Commission stated:

all new power plants under construction would be atomic powered

1950’s

nuclear energy would account for one half of all the electricity generated

1950’s forecast

does not seem likely to happen

it takes 10-12 years to get a nuclear plant in operation from the first time it is planned

1950’s forecast

no new plant orders were signed in the early 1980’s due to the Three Mile Island accident.

1974

American Scientists and Engineers completed a study

assessed the possibilities of accident risks in nuclear reactors…...

Conclusion……

“The odds of an American dying from a nuclear power accident are 300 million to one.”