1. CHAPTER 17
Non-renewable Energy

2. Laws of Thermodynamics
1st Law: Energy is neither created nor destroyed, but converted from one form to another 2nd Law: When energy changes forms, it becomes less usable (usually released as heat)

3. Net energy yield:
The amount of energy gained minus the amount of energy used to obtain the energy.

4. Turbines!!
Any volunteers?

5. Nonrenewable Energy Resources
Oil resources
Natural gas resources
Methane Hydrate
Coal resources
Synthetic fuels made from coal
Nuclear fission

6. Evaluating Energy Resources
Renewable energy
Non-renewable energy
Future availability
Net energy yield
Costs
Environmental effects
Fig p. 352

7. North American Energy Resources
Fig. 17-9
p. 357

8. Oil – What is it? Petroleum (crude oil) Thick, gooey liquid
Fig p. 356
Petroleum (crude oil)
Thick, gooey liquid
consisting of hundreds of
combustible hydrocarbons
Made from buried, dead,
organic material

9. Oil – Where is it found? Deep underground
Oil shale: fine-grained sedimentary
rocks containing a combustible mixture
of hydrocarbons called Kerogen
Tar sand: mixture of clay, sand, water
and a combustible organic material
called bitumen

10. Oil – How does it work? The oil is refined and separated
Fig p. 356
The oil is refined
and separated
It is used by burning it –
by breaking the carbon bonds
Heat from burning it produces
heat and spins a turbine

11. Conventional Oil: Advantages
Relatively low cost (subsidized)
High net energy yield
Efficient distribution system
Refer to Fig p. 360

12. Conventional Oil: Disadvantages
Running out
Low prices encourage waste
Air pollution and Greenhouse gases
Water pollution
Refer to Fig p. 360

13. Oil - Wastes?
Other than air and water pollution, it releases CO2 into the atmosphere.

14. Natural Gas Mostly Methane Some Ethane Propane Butane
Hydrogen sulfide (highly toxic)

15. Natural Gas… Is found above crude oil
Can be burned to heat water and buildings and to generate electricity

16. Natural Gas Advantages
Ample supply: 120 years+
High net energy yield
Less air pollution than oil
Good fuel for fuel cells and gas turbines

17. Natural Gas - disadvantages
Nonrenewable
Methane can leak
Difficult to transfer between countries
Sometimes it is burned off/wasted
Required pipelines

18. Natural Gas – wastes?
CO2
Methane (through leaks)

19. Methane Hydrate Methane hydrate is methane trapped in water molecules
It is found under arctic permafrost and beneath the seafloor
It is known as “fire ice”
Same uses as natural gas

20. Methane Hydrate –pros & cons
Very abundant
Cons:
Adds a large amount of greenhouses gases into the atmosphere
Hard to get to
CO2 is the major by-product

21. Coal – What is it?
Coal is a solid fossil fuel formed in several stages buried remains of plants are subject to heat and pressure
Contains carbon & sulfur

22. Coal Formation and Types
Fig p. 364

23. Coal Coal is strip-mined in different areas
Burned to generate 62% of the world’s electricity

24. Coal Power Plant

25. Very high environmental impact
Trade-Offs
Coal
Advantages
Disadvantages
Ample supplies
(225–900 years)
Very high environmental impact
Severe land disturbance, air
pollution, and water pollution
High net energy yield
Low cost (with
huge subsidies)
High land use (including mining)
Mining and combustion
technology well-developed
Severe threat to human health
High CO2 emissions when burned
Air pollution can be reduced with improved
technology (but adds
to cost)
Releases radioactive particles and
mercury into air

26. Coal – wastes?
CO2 emissions
Releases radioactive particles

27. Synthetic Fuels
Synthetic fuels are coal converted into gaseous or liquid form
It is made through a process called “coal liquification”
Burned to generate heat

28. Large potential supply Low to moderate net energy yield
Trade-Offs
Synthetic Fuels
Advantages
Disadvantages
Large potential supply
Low to moderate net energy yield
Higher cost than coal
Vehicle fuel
Requires mining 50% more coal
High environmental impact
Moderate cost (with large government subsidies)
Increased surface mining of coal
High water use
Lower air pollution when burned than coal
High CO2 emissions when burned

29. Synthetic fuel - wastes?
Higher CO2 emissions than coal

30. Nuclear Energy
Let’s all say it together:
Nu (new)
Cle (clee)
Ar (er)

31. Nuclear Fission
Isotopes of uranium and plutonium undergo controlled nuclear fission
This breaks apart molecules, releasing heat
Uranium is mined

32. The Nuclear Fuel Cycle Fig. 17-24 p. 368
Small amounts of radioactive gases
Uranium fuel input
(reactor core)
Containment shell
Waste heat
Electrical power
Emergency core
cooling system
Steam
Control
rods
Useful energy
25 to 30%
Turbine
Generator
Heat
exchanger
Hot coolant
Hot water output
Condenser
Pump
Pump
Coolant
Coolant
passage
Moderator
Cool water input
Pump
Waste
heat
Pressure
vessel
Water
Shielding
Waste
heat
Water source
(river, lake, ocean)
Periodic removal
and storage of
radioactive wastes
and spent fuel assemblies
Periodic removal
and storage of
radioactive liquid wastes
Fig p. 368

33. Locations of U.S. Nuclear Power Plants
Red is operational Blue is decommissioned Green is Yucca Mountain

34. Trade-Offs Advantages Disadvantages Large fuel supply
Conventional Nuclear Fuel Cycle
Advantages
Disadvantages
Large fuel supply
High cost (even with large subsidies)
Low environmental
impact (without accidents)
Low net energy yield
High environmental impact (with major accidents)
Emits 1/6 as much CO2 as coal
Moderate land disruption and water pollution
(without accidents)
Catastrophic accidents can happen (Chernobyl)
No widely acceptable solution for
long-term storage of radioactive
wastes and decommissioning worn-out plants
Moderate land use
Low risk of accidents because
of multiple safety systems (except
in 35 poorly designed and run
reactors in former Soviet Union
and Eastern Europe)
Subject to terrorist attacks
Spreads knowledge and technology for building nuclear weapons

35. Nuclear Waste HIGHLY radioactive Lasts for thousands of years
Power plants are radioactive after its useful life

36. Dealing with Nuclear Waste
High- and low-level wastes
Terrorist threats
Underground burial
Disposal in space
Burial in ice sheets
Dumping into subduction zones
Burial in ocean mud
Conversion into harmless materials

37. Yucca Mountain Controversy
Wastes stored and guarded in one place
Possible long-term groundwater contamination
Security and safety concerns during waste transport to the site
Refer to Fig p. 374

38. Permanent Underground Disposal of Nuclear Wastes
Storage Containers
Fuel rod
Primary canister
Ground Level
Overpack
container
sealed
Unloaded from train
Personnel
elevator
Air shaft
Nuclear waste
shaft
Underground
Buried and capped
Lowered down shaft
Fig p. 373

39. Serious Nuclear Accidents
Three Mile Island (1979)
Chernobyl (1986): p. 350
Fukushima (2011)