...OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IN KUDANKULAM What is Nuclear Power? Nuclear power, or Nuclear energy, is the use of exothermic nuclear processes, to generate useful heat & electricity. The term includes the following heat producing processes – nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion. Uses 1. Nuclear power is a low carbon method of producing electricity & in 2011 nuclear power provided 10% of the world's electricity. 2. Many military and some civilian (such as some icebreaker) ships use nuclear marine propulsion, a form of nuclear propulsion. 3. A few space vehicles have been launched using full-fledged nuclear reactors: the Soviet RORSAT series and the American SNAP -10 A. 4. Both Fission and fusion appear promising for space propulsion applications, generating higher mission velocities with less reaction mass. (Due to the much higher energy density of nuclear reactions: some 7 orders of magnitude (10,000,000 times) more energetic than the chemical reactions which power the current generation of rockets). 5. International research is continuing into the use of nuclear fusion, and additional uses of process heat such as hydrogen production (in support of a hydrogen economy), desalinizing sea water, and for use in district heating systems. What is Nuclear Reactor? A nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Nuclear reactors are used at nuclear power plants for generating...
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...I am all for nuclear power plants because even though they cause some deaths, are actually not that harmful to the human race due to the Nuclear proliferation safeguards that have been in place since 1970 after Chernobyl, Fukushima, and Three Mile Island happened. The smoke that comes out of the cooling tubes is actually water vapor and it is helping the environment, by putting back oxygen in our environment. In a recent study regarding Nuclear power plants they actually showed that it is more helpful to the environment than anything other power source and also there are fewer deaths than anything as well, so it is virtually safer than your space heater that you may have in your house because you are more likely to die with that in your house...
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...re-licensed Nuclear Power Plants as their licenses expire and move away from Nuclear Power as soon as possible”. Our class was divided into two sides based on our positions on the continuum. In our discussion, one of the arguments expressed from the agreeing side of the main statement was that Nuclear Power Plants are prime targets for terrorism. A few of those classmates mentioned how terrorists can take advantage of the powerful radioactive waste and create weaponry, or even attack the plant itself, to cause harm and conflict amongst the innocent residents in that area. This point is also mentioned in a short TEDTalks video. Another argument expressed from the agreeing...
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...Nuclear tools are strikingly powerful. For each kilogram of petrol, nuclear fission gives about a million times more vitality than chemical fire or high explosive. (Saha, 2004) However, this splitting process has the need of free neutrons that are only present within a working receptacle. If not, then there is only radioactive growth and this radioactivity cannot spread by contamination, like fire or disease. In a severe nuclear accident in a common area, the heat unleashed by this perish can put an end to a reactor. A lot of people who get radiation treatment have skin changes and some weakness. Other side effects depend on the part of your body being cured. Skin changes may include dryness, burning, peeling, or blistering. These changes take place because radiation therapy compensates healthy skin cells in the treatment area. In 2011 about 19,000 people were lost...
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...In a world where energy is desperately needed, nuclear power plants have risen up as a possible solution. However, there have been controversial discussions as to whether or not harnessing this energy is worth the incredibly high risk. This is further magnified by two devastations that have occurred in the past, both of which were the result of malfunctioning nuclear reactors. One was the Fukushima incident in Japan, a series of explosions in the aftershock of a natural disaster. The second was at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, which released tons of radioactive materials and destroyed many lives. The power plant in Chernobyl, Ukraine, was the pride of the Soviet Union. One midnight test, on April 26, 1986, went terribly wrong under the control of junior scientists. Due to miscommunication, only six control rods were present in the core as the water supply was cut off, and the reactor became overheated. Soon enough, it exploded; the roof was blown off and a large fire ensued. In all, eight thousand people died from the explosion, both directly and indirectly. The rate of thyroid cancer in nearby areas increased by one hundred times. It didn't just affect Ukraine, either—ten days later, a toxic cloud from the reactor reached Japan and America. A...
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...Nuclear Reactor Power Plant Control Systems Mechatronics Professor 13 October 2013 Table of Contents Heading Page # Introduction History Safety Control Systems Coolants Pressurizer Moderator Control Rods Regulations Disposal Conclusion Works Cited Introduction Control systems are an integral part of the nuclear reactor and without the implementation of an effective control system along with constant monitoring and maintenance catastrophic accidents will occur. This report will introduce the important control systems found in many of the most common nuclear reactors along with an explanation on how they work and how they're implemented. First we must go back into the histories to gain a better understanding of why these control systems are so important and consequences that resulted when control systems are not implements or not used properly. History To know the history of nuclear power plants, one must first understand what a nuclear power plant is. A nuclear power plant is very similar to that of any other steam-electric power plant, in that water is heated and the steam from the water turns turbines, thus creating electricity. The major difference is how the power plant generates heat. The source of the heat from nuclear power plants comes from nuclear fission, rather than from coal, oil or gas. In 1934, a physicist by the name of Enrico Fermi conducted the first experiments that resulted...
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...effects on our environment. Greenhouse gases and other air pollutants are released from the burning of fossil fuels. Additionally, the continued use of fossil fuels will eventually deplete its supplies. In the interest of preserving the environment and maintaining the supply of fossil fuels throughout the world, we must look for alternative methods that will provide us the electricity that we are so dependent on. A Fossil Fuel Alternative Nuclear energy is perhaps one of the most economical and reliable sources of energy in the United States and probably the world. Out of all the forms of energy, it has the least environmental impact – air, land, and water – if handled properly. Nuclear power plants do not emit harmful gases, like nitrogen oxide or any other greenhouse gas. Various forms of wildlife and even endangered species are able to thrive around nuclear power plants because neither the cooling water that is discharged from the plant nor the emissions contain pollutants that are harmful to the environment. Also, nuclear power plants can produce large amounts of energy in a smaller space, so they require less land for sitting and operation. The fission of one ton of uranium can produce up to 44 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity; it would take burning over 20,000 tons of coal to produce the same amount of electricity...
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...Uncertainty and Disadvantage of Nuclear Power NE 471 Dr.Chang South Carolina State University ANTRON CALDWELL ABSTRACT The future global economy is likely to consume increasing amounts of energy considering the increasing demand for cheap, clean and reliable energy from developing countries such as India and China. Though there are technologies capable of supplying this energy these energy sources come at the expense of increased ozone damaging CO2 emissions. CO2 emissions are believed to be a significant contributor to the rise in the average temperature of the Earth’s climate known as global warming. In the United States electric power plants emit about 2.2 billon tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) each year, which is about 40% of the nation’s total carbon emissions (NRDC, 2014). It is generally accepted by climate scientist that if annual carbon emissions are not reduced by at least 80% by the year 2030 then there will be an increase of greater than 2°C (35.2°F) which is considered an acceptable safe level or approximately 4°C (39.2°F) by the year 2100 in the Earth’s climate temperature (Carrington, 2013). These increases in the Earth’s temperature would be catastrophic, however measures taken by the government through the Clean Air Act to regulate emissions from stationary and mobile sources, and groups such as the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC) have somewhat reduced the emissions from stationary sources such as power plants and mobile sources such as motor...
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...2012 The Nuclear Solution The need for electricity has risen to an all time high, as the number of electronic devices in use increases along side that of America’s growing population, consumption has began to exceed that of production. In order to meet these demands energy needs to be produced in a more efficient and effective manner. Although there is no shortage of renewable resources such as water, wind, and the sun, these resources have yet prove their ability to provide us with the extensive amount of energy we require. On the other hand nuclear power has shown great success and I believe may be the solution to the energy crisis. Nuclear power plants split uranium and plutonium atoms, a process known as fission, to produce high amounts of heat within a reactor, turning water into steam used to power generators (Introduction to Nuclear Energy). Twenty percent of America's energy already comes from nuclear power (Alexander); thus arising an essential question, why have we not expanded this technology? America should turn to nuclear power as its primary source of energy because it will help stimulate the economy, create new advancements in nuclear technology, limit the stress put on our environment, and is much more safe than once believed. Increasing the number of nuclear power plants would be positive to the economy in an array of ways. Some people argue that the cost of nuclear power plants are more expensive to build compared to fossil fuel or gas based plants (Ferguson)...
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...Ph.D. ENR 2100 July 10th , 2015 Nuclear Legacy 1.a) United States in New conducted the first nuclear test in Mexico just south of the Los Alamos National Laboratory in 1945 (Lower and Lower). When the Cold War broke out shortly after the United States used their bombs on Japan, Russia spent all their energy on trying to overtake the United States in the arms race. By 1961, the Russians have taken the lead. At that time, the United States were capable of advanced targeting methods for their nuclear arsenal. To compensate, the Russians chose to widen the area of their nuclear bomb’s effectivity. There is a a 50-60 megaton Soviet atomic bomb codenamed Tsar to get the culmination of this competition (Lower and Lower). 1.b) A New York Times article titled Obama’s Youth Shaped His Nuclear-Free Vision reads, to achieve the goal of global denuclearization for Mr. Obama is very crucial. (Broad and Sanger A1). He thought that it is too naive to keep developing the advanced nuclear weapons in order to stop the countries like Iran and North Krean. The most powerful man in the world having this kind of opinion is a great step towards the stoppage of production of nuclear weapons. This, however, looks like it’s the most that can be done right now with nuclear weapons. Nuclear testing sites such as Los Alamos National Laboratory fields and the Novaya Zemlya are still largely left deserted. When it comes to cleaning up of ecosystems affected by nuclear waste, it seems like Russia and the...
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...Informative Speech: Nuclear Energy Purpose: The purpose of this speech is to inform others about the production, utilizations and impacts of nuclear energy. I. INTRODUCTION A. Attention Getter: When most people think of nuclear energy, the first thing that comes to their minds is a devastating bomb explosion or a nuclear power plant meltdown. But, in reality, nuclear energy is a sustainable energy source that has an enormous variety of uses. B. Thesis: The uses of nuclear energy range from being a clean, renewable energy source to cutting edge medical procedures. C. Credibility: The world's first exposure to nuclear energy came with the detonation of two atomic bombs in Japan in 1945. Scientists perceived a positive aspect of these terrible events; they hoped that the power of nuclear energy could be harnessed for human good. Those hopes have been recognized, but to only a small extent. Starting in the 1970s, opposition to nuclear power rose. D. Preview: I will be talking about only a fraction of the production, applications and effects /rewards of nuclear energy. Including: i. What nuclear energy is and how nuclear energy is made. ii. Uses of nuclear energy. iii. Advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy. Transition: First, Let’s explore what nuclear energy is and how it is made. BODY First Main Point II. Nuclear energy is any method of doing work that makes use of nuclear fission or nuclear fusion reactions. The term refers to both the uncontrolled...
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...103 April 23, 2014 America Should Switch to Nuclear Energy from Fossil Fuels America currently mainly uses fossil fuels as its main source of energy. America should switch to nuclear energy as an alternative to fossil fuel energy. The most common fossil fuels used today are oil, coal, and natural gas. These sources of energy are being depleted and America will soon have to find a new source of energy. The future is facing towards nuclear power. Nuclear energy is more efficient, it is a cleaner burning fuel, it is more economically sound and is a safe source of energy despite what pop culture says. According to the U.S Department of Energy, most of the fossil fuels we use today were formed millions of years prior to the first dinosaur. This means that the world’s main source of energy was created hundreds of millions ago; this source of energy in not renewable quick enough to be in demand for the world increasing population. “Sixteen of the world’s twenty largest oil fields have already reached their peak level of …whilst the golden age of oil field discovery was nearly 50 years ago.”(Ecotricity, 2013) The life span of fossil fuels and The Earth’s population are not proportional; the earth will run out usable fossil fuel sooner than later. The use for nuclear energy is relatively new compared to the use of fossil fuels; the Chinese first used coal as an energy source around 2000 B.C (Heinberg, 2003), and the first controlled nuclear reaction wasn’t until 1942. (Williams, 2006)...
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...Nuclear Energy Research Paper Global warming is a major issue in today’s world that affects many people, animals, economies, and society as a whole. What is global warming? Global warming is the rising average temperature of Earth’s atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. It’s been constantly rising over the past 100 years because of major contributions which include: greenhouse gases (especially CO2) being emitted, industrialization, burning of fossil fuels, and the increase in population. Global warming was first discovered in 1896 by a Swedish scientist named Svante Arrhenius who proposed an idea that there is a relation between atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and temperature. He later then described, by comparing carbon dioxide levels, infrared absorption, surface temperature of the earth, and human activity, that global warming would rise. Other scientists didn’t believe this idea stating that natural forces would cancel out human activity that releases carbon dioxide. It wasn’t until 1988 that it was finally acknowledged that global warming is present because of how much warmer it was than the 1800s. Since then, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was founded which looks at scientific, technical, and socio-economic information that relates to human induced climate change and figures out plans and ideas to decrease and slow down the rate at which the climate is getting hotter. However, there are still disagreements to this day whether or...
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...Causes & Effects of Nuclear Energy Read more : http://www.ehow.com/info_8208166_causes-effects-nuclear-energy.html Nuclear power is often hailed as a powerful and important alternative energy source in the quest to reduce dependency on fossil fuels. Through fusion and fission, nuclear power has many important uses such as power and national security, but it also has some controversial effects on human health and the environment. Cause: Weapons Nuclear weapons are created through nuclear fusion reactions, which occurs when two light atoms are fused at high speeds to create a larger atom with a heavier nucleus. This reaction releases monumental amounts of energy and creates large explosions. The most famous examples of nuclear weapon use were the hydrogen bombs dropped on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, in 1945. The creation and retention of these weapons was also a main factor in the Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union. Many nations believe these weapons increase national security by dissuading other nations from attacking them. Effect: Radiation While the bombing on Japan did cause serious physical damage due to the initial explosion, the health effects of radiation from nuclear weapons can be more devastating than the original explosion. Ionizing radiation from weapons causes living cells to sicken or mutate, causing nausea, vomiting, open sores, skin irritation, burns, ulcers, internal bleeding, hair loss and cancer. Acute exposure...
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...Nuclear Engineering and Design 240 (2010) 2820–2830 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Nuclear Engineering and Design journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/nucengdes Assessment the safety performance of nuclear power plants using Global Safety Index (GSI) Ayah E. Abouelnaga ∗ , Abdelmohsen Metwally, Naguib Aly, Mohammad Nagy, Saeed Agamy Alexandria University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Nuclear and Radiological Engineering, Alexandria, 21544, Egypt a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t The safety performance of the nuclear power plant is a very important factor enhancing the nuclear energy option. It is vague to evaluate the nuclear power plant performance but it can be measured through measuring the safety performance of the plant. In this work, the safety of nuclear power plants is assessed by developing a “Global Safety Index” (GSI). The GSI is developed by introducing three indicators: probability of accident occurrence, performance of safety system in case of an accident occurrence (during an accident), and the consequences of the accident. The GSI is developed by tracking the performance of the safety system during a design basis accident such as loss of coolant accident (LOCA). This is done by using the PCTran simulation code in simulation a PWR LOCA and introducing four indicators: the sensation time, the response time, and the recovery time together with Core Damage Frequency (CDF). Then Fuzzy Inference System is used for obtaining...
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