Nuclear Energy

Introduction

Topic : Nuclear Energy

Nuclear Age Timeline

What Is Nuclear Energy?

When atoms split, or fission occurs, they produce large amounts of energy, which is called nuclear energy. This energy is released in the form of heat. As the atom fragments hit other atoms, they also split, producing more heat. A nuclear power plant uses this heat to produce electricity.

How a Nuclear Power Plant Works

Nuclear power plants run on uranium fuel. Uranium atoms split, producing energy that is converted to heat. The heat boils water, creating steam. The steam turns a turbine, which spins the shaft of a generator. Inside the generator, coils of wire spin in a magnetic field and electricity is produced.

Two types of nuclear power plants are used in the United States : the boiling water reactor and the pressurized water reactor.

The Amazing World of Nuclear Technologies

Radioactive materials benefit us in many ways. Besides producing electricity, they are used to diagnose and treat diseases, including cancer. They also are used to test new drugs for safety, to kill bacteria in food, to help explore for oil and gas, to breed farm crops that are more resistant to disease, to provide electricity for unmanned spacecraft and to power ships and submarines.

Reliable Electricity

A thriving global industry. A total of 439 nuclear power plants are operating around the world in 30 countries, supplying some 16 percent of the world's electricity. Twenty-six new nuclear plants are under construction in 11 countries.

Major national energy source. Nuclear energy is our nation's largest source of emission-free electricity and our second largest source of power. The 103 U.S. nuclear units supply about 20 percent of the electricity produced in the United States . The only fuel source that produced more electricity was coal.

Contributes to national energy security. As an integral part of the U.S. energy mix, nuclear energy is a secure energy source that the nation can depend on. Unlike some other energy sources, nuclear energy is not subject to unreliable weather or climate conditions, unpredictable cost fluctuations, or dependence on foreign suppliers. In fact, nuclear energy is a strong domestic as well as an international industry, with extensive fuel supply sources.

Ensures stable nationwide electricity supply. Nuclear power plants are large units that run for extended periods. They help supply the necessary level of electricity, or "baseload generation," for the electricity transmission network, or "grid," to operate. U.S. nuclear power plants are a key element in the stability of our country's electrical grid.

Long periods of operation. Nuclear power plants are designed to operate continuously for long periods of time. They can run about 540 days before they are shut down for refueling. The longest continuous run by a light water reactor is Brunswick Unit 1. which completed a 707-day run in 2002. The longest run of any type of reactor is 894 days, achieved by the Pickering 7 plant, a heavy-water reactor in Ontario , Canada (Canadian CANDU reactors can be refueled while operating).

Reduced refueling outage time. U.S nuclear power plants have been steadily reducing the period of time it takes to refuel, greatly cutting down on the time that they are not producing electricity. In 2003, the average refueling outage was 40 days, reducing by 62 percent the average refueling time of 104 days in 1990..

Infrequent unplanned automatic shutdowns. In the event of an imbalance in operations, the sophisticated safety systems of U.S. nuclear power plants are designed to shut down automatically well before any safety margins are exceeded. Unplanned automatic plant shutdowns, known as "scrams" or "trips" in the industry, are very infrequent. Various improvements in plant maintenance and training programs have decreased their number over the past decade, enabling plants to achieve longer continuous runs. During the 7,000 operating hours in 2003, the median number of unplanned automatic shutdowns was zero.

(Source: www.ecolo.org)

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