Nuclear09

Nuclear Power: Risks and Rewards

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What do you know about nuclear power and nuclear accidents?



What’s the big idea?



Chemical fuel


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Atomic Fuel

Forces = stored energy

Nuclear Power Plant


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Neutron bombardment Nuclear fissionUranium fuel

Cement Things = Reactors Always near water = Cooling lagoons

What you see What you don’t see

All together

Control rods capture neutrons- effect on reaction?What happens to * water?

*

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What if it gets out of control?

• Nuclear meltdown!

• Fuel heats up so much

it melts!


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Sarcophagus- pour some cement on it



Chernobyl • April 26, 1986

• Ukraine

• Multiple human failures

• Inadequate design

• 54 direct deaths





Blame game- nuclear technologyOr the USSR?

3 Mile Island

• March 28, 1979• Partial core meltdown• Structure mostly

contained radiation• Handled poorly• No long term effects

reported• Can it be safe?





Is it sustainable? • Limited amount of uranium oxide (most

used fuel)

• Cleaner burning- only emission is steam

• 1kg of uranium oxide gives the same amount of electricity as 16,000 kg of coal

• Currently 16% of electricity, if increased to 40% it would run out in 30 years





New Technology

• Boiler reactors- use up fuel but create some

• Breeder reactors- use up fuel but create more

• Nuclear fusion- doesn’t require uranium fuel







U.S. and Nuclear Power• Dwight Eisenhower thought we’d built so

many we’d never have to worry about energy again

• No new reactors built since the early 80s

• Currently 104 nuclear power plants in the U.S.



Where are they?



The Nuclear Era? • Stated Goals of Obama Administration

– reduce dependence on foreign oil

– not drill in ANWR

– reduce CO2 emissions

– not use Yucca Mountain for waste

– AND block commercial nuclear power expansion (“not optimal”)



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