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NUCLEAR ENERGY
Or How The World Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Alternative Energy Source
Sophia Khan and Dom Bolton
Dec. 2, 1942: Chicago-Pile 1 Uranium Renewable Reactors and power plants
WHAT IS NUCLEAR ENERGY?
BUT I THOUGHT…
FRIENDLY TERMS Fission: nuclear reaction which splits massive
nuclei into smaller ones while releasing energy
Kyoto Protocol: reduce greenhouse gases
HOW IT WORKS
HOW IT WORKS (cont.) Core: encased in metal, high temperature and
pressure Fuel assemblies: differ, long rods, release large
amount of neutrons high energy Control Rods: cadmium, heavy neutron
absorbers, level of absorption, power up or down Moderator: slows down neutrons, coolant
HOW IT WORKS (cont.) High pressure steam Goes to turbines Generates electricity Closed in by thick concrete
URANIUM Ore mined Then crushed And Uranium extracted 85% total radioactivity (from radon gas)
INSIDE A REACTOR 75 000 tons of uranium = 17% of world’s
power requirements Levels of water cooling
Light, Heavy, Pressurized, Boiled Generation III and III+ Increase efficiency
Higher temperature Higher pressure
THE FUTURE
Different generations Worldwide
440 reactors in 31 countries 367 gigawatts = 16% of world's electricity Next 15 years: 60 new plants = 17% electricity
China Goal: 4% electricity from nuclear energy By 2020: 41 power plants
BENEFITS
Powerful Durable Clean
THE ENERGY CRISIS
Never-ending search U.S. Dept. of Energy predicts 75% in
electricity use 2000-2020 Electricity: 1/3 of greenhouse gas emissions Problem for current nuclear reactors: coal-
fired
DOWNFALLS Uranium Mining
Lead-210 and Polonium-210 Limited: 3 256 000 tons left
Nuclear Waste and Storage Continue to release radiation Canada: 200 million pounds
Disasters (Chernobyl) Breeder reactors and plutonium
Non-renewable 42 years of reserves left
TO GET THE BALL ROLLING…
103 plants = 20% electricityUS Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC)Initial cost high, but low laterBurn more fuelFuel flexibility
Plutonium, thorium, LEU, MOX
NEW GENERATION IVs COMING SOON
2030