Benefits of Nuclear Energy
 How Fission Works
 Nuclear Power Plant Basics
 Overview of Uranium Fuel Cycle
 Energy Lifecycle of Nuclear Power
 Generation IV Reactors
 Technical Challenges
 Conclusions

Continuous, reliable supply of energy
 Well-developed technology

› 12,700 reactor-years of commercial
experience
› Accounts for ~16% of world electricity
generation

Extensive fuel supply
› Breeder reactors
› Fissile materials other than Uranium


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
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Water or other moderator slows
neutrons, thermalizing them
Thermal neutron collides with U235
Unstable nucleus splits in two
Energy and neutrons are
released
Reaction repeats
A common type of Light Water Reactor (LWR)
http://www.eas.asu.edu/~holbert/eee460/pwrdiag.gif
http://www.arevaresources.com/nuclear_energy/datagb/cycle/cyclerep.gif
Energy Source
Contribution by
Mass
Conversion to
Energy
Energy
Contribution
Coal
0.467 grams
0.00676 KWHr/gram
0.0031 KW-Hr
Crude Oil
0.32 grams
0.011 KWHr/gram
0.0035 KW-Hr
Lignite
0.234 grams
0.0038 KWHr/gram
0.00089 KW-Hr
Natural Gas
0.115 grams
0.015 KWHr/gram
0.00173 KW-Hr
Hydro-Electricity
0.00146 KW-Hr
1
0.00146 KW-Hr
Wood
0.041 grams
0.0042 KWHr/gram
0.00017
Total
0.0107 KW-Hr
Based on 3090 MW Forsmark plant operating for 40 years.
http://nuclearinfo.net/Nuclearpower/TheScienceOfNuclearPower

Radioactive waste
storage/disposal
› Yucca Mountain
› Reprocess spent fuel

Safety
› Only fatalities from
commercial nuclear power
plant occurred at
Chernobyl
› Must overcome public fear
neutron
spectrum
(fast/
thermal)
coolant
Gas-cooled
fast reactors
fast
helium
850
Lead-cooled
fast reactors
fast
Pb-Bi
Molten salt
epithermal
reactors
Sodiumcooled fast
reactors
fast
temperature
pressure*
(°C)
fuel
fuel cycle
size(s)
(MWe)
uses
high
U-238 +
closed, on
site
288
electricity
& hydrogen
550-800
low
U-238 +
closed,
regional
50-150**
300-400
1200
electricity
& hydrogen
fluoride
salts
700-800
low
UF in salt
closed
1000
electricity
& hydrogen
sodium
550
low
U-238 &
MOX
closed
150-500
500-1500
electricity
1500
electricity
250
hydrogen
& electricity
Supercritical
waterthermal or
cooled
fast
reactors
water
510-550
very high
UO2
open
(thermal)
closed
(fast)
Very high
temperature
gas reactors
helium
1000
high
UO2
prism or
pebbles
open
thermal
http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf77.html
* high = 7-15 Mpa
+ = with some U-235 or Pu-239
** 'battery' model with long cassette core life (15-20 yr) or replaceable reactor module
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U-238 captures a neutron
and transmutes to Pu-239
Pu-239 is fissile like U-235
Increases efficiency of
uranium use >50x
Could use up depleted
uranium stockpiles &
plutonium from dismantled
weapons
http://www.atomeromu.hu/mukodes/tipusok/gyorsreak-e.htm
290 reactor-years of commercial
experience
 Monju (Japan) and Superphenix (France)
 Not economically practical
 More costly to construct
 More difficult to operate
 Proliferation dangers associated with
plutonium

Nuclear fission is a viable energy source
 It cuts down on CO2 emissions, improving
air quality
 New designs have made nuclear power
safer and more economically feasible
 Issue of radioactive waste will need to
be addressed
