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