Standards

Nuclear Energy
Advantages and Disadvantages

Changing Views
Nuclear Energy
50s and 60s
Energy of the future Clean and plentiful Cheap

70s and 80s

120 planned plants canceled 40 partially constructed

Today
17% of energy

Nuclear Energy
Energy w/in nucleus of an atom 1 million times stronger than chemical bonds Uranium (U) used a fuel

Nuclear Fission
Nuclei of uranium bombarded with neutrons Nuclei split Release energy Uncontrolled fission rxn atomic bomb

How does it work?

Reactor in thick pressure vessel Surrounded by cooling fluid Surrounded by thick concrete walls

How does it work?

Metal fuel rods containing U bombarded with neutrons Control rods absorb some neutrons to slow rxn

How does it work?

Rxn heats closed loop of water Boils water in a 2nd loop Steam turns turbine in generator

Advantages
Concentrated energy No greenhouse gases Less radiation than coal-burning plants No reliance on fossil fuels

Why arent we using it?

Expensive
Nuclear power - $3,000 per kilowatt Wind power - $1,000 per kilowatt Natural gas - $600 per kilowatt

Why arent we using it?

Storing waste
Waste remains dangerous for 1,000s of years Waste sites must be geologically stable USA has researched a site for 2 decades Hope transmutation: recycle waste

Safety
Chernobyl 1986 (Ukraine)
Engineers turned off safety devices (Derp!) Explosion Radiation in the air Old design

Three Mile Island 1979 (PA)

Human error, blocked valves, broken pumps Smaller leak

300 safety improvements

The future
Nuclear fusion???
2 atoms combine, release large amounts of energy Powers stars Challenges:
High temps 100 million C High concentrations Must be properly contained

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