Ella Simon, Alex Horb, Grant Steiner Nuclear Energy Ella Simon, Alex Horb, Grant Steiner
Nuclear Energy Nuclear Energy: Energy released when atomic nuclei undergo a nuclear reaction such as the spontaneous emission of radioactivity, nuclear fission, or nuclear fusion Fission: Nuclear change in which the nuclei of certain isotopes with large mass numbers (Uranium-235 and Plutonium-239) are split apart into lighter nuclei when struck by a neutron. This process releases more neutrons and a large amount of energy. Radioactive Waste: waste products of nuclear power plants, research, medicine, weapon production, or other processes involving nuclear reactions.
Nuclear Power Plants Extraction: Open pit mining is used to remove near-surface deposits and requires the removal of rock and soil to access the uranium ore. Conversion: Highly complex and costly system designed to perform the relatively simple task of boiling water that produces steam that spins a turbine and generates electricity. Use of a controlled nuclear fission reaction that makes the process so complex. These reactions take place mostly in light-water reactors, which lose about 75% of high-quality energy available as waste heat in the cycle. Other components of the process results in a net energy loss of about 92%
Nuclear Fuel Cycle Due to large amts of energy needed for this process, the nuclear fuel cycle has a low and possibly negative net energy yield and must be heavily subsidized by government to complete in the open marketplace. Includes the mining of uranium, processing and enriching the uranium to the uranium to make fuel, using it as a reactor, and safely storing storing the resulting highly radioactive wastes.
Chernobyl Site of the world’s most serious power plant accident. (April 26, 1986) Two explosions in reactors caused a fire that lasted 10 days. by 2005, 56 people had died prematurely from exposure to radiation released by this accident
Advantages Low emissions of CO₂ and other air pollutants. Much lower land disruption from surface mining, compared to coal (1/6 as much) Low risk of accidents in modern plants.
Disadvantages Cost ($14 billion to build a nuclear power plant). In order to exist, these power plants require huge subsidies, tax breaks, and loan guarantees, from the US government. Nuclear power is now the world’s slowest-growing form of commercial energy. Safety: there is no consensus on how to safely store the highly radioactive waste for thousands of years Promotes spread of nuclear weapons
Other Nations and Supply Most nuclear power development takes place in France, China, Russia, and Japan, where governments fund and control its development At today’s current rate of consumption, we are expected to be able to extract uranium for over two hundred years
Sources http://keeptheban.org/?page_id=744 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nuclear-disaster-at-chernobyl http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Nuclear-Fuel-Cycle/Uranium-Resources/Supply-of-Uranium/