Cover Sheet
Christina Pacifico
Quad—Pardee #2004
1999 Burdett Avenue
12180, Troy, NY
Program Announcement: Sustainable Energy Pathways (SEP)
Solicitation: 11-590
NSF unit of consideration: NSF Environmental Research and Education—ERE
Nuclear waste as a heat source to accelerate the growth of algae
Budget: $600,000
Duration info: 3 years
Desired starting date: September 1st, 2012
Principal Investigator: Christina Pacifico
co-PIs: - John Baticelli—Yankee Atomic Electric Co. representative
- Lisa Long—Laboratory assistant
- Dakota Miller—Engineer
Awardee Organization Info:
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
110 Eighth Street
Troy, NY, 12180
Project Performance primary location:
First year: same place as awardee organization
Second year: Yankee Atomic Electric Co.
Third year: both places together
Project Summary
Christina Pacifico wishes to find sustainable ways in which to utilize nuclear waste and its heat
radiation. If she were to successfully receive funding for her proposal, Christina would research the best
ways in which nuclear waste could be used in order to speed up the growth of algae for the production
of biodiesel. Once sufficient research has been led, Christina wishes to build a device in order to grow
this algae.
Image 1: Portrayal of experimental device to be built
This device would be built with the help of an engineer and finally monitored in order to make sure
whether nuclear waste does indeed speed up the growth of algae.
This proposal possesses a great deal of intellectual merit as it could help find a better use for
nuclear waste. Moreover, this project would help grow vast amounts of algae which would help the
production of biodiesel, and finally, the dependence of society on other types of fuels, including fossil
fuels.
Table of Contents
Cover Page—Page 1.1
Project Summary—Page 2.1
Project Description—Pages 3.1-3.3
References Cited—Page 4.1
Biographical Sketch—Page 5.1
Budget—Page 6.1
Project Description
Over the years, electricity in the U.S. has been more frequently provided by nuclear power
plants. Today, 31 percent of U.S. electricity is powered by nuclear power. Nuclear power has become
more and more popular over time as 77 percent of electricity in France is now powered by nuclear
energy, and 14 percent of the world’s electricity is now powered by nuclear energy. Nuclear power can
actually be considered as one of the cleaner types of alternative energy sources. Nuclear power plants
do not produce greenhouse gases, there is not much land use involved when it comes to building
nuclear power plants. Moreover, research shows that there is a great deal of reserves of nuclear power:
it is said to be able to provide for 250 years of consumption. Finally, nuclear power can be seen as
environmental as well as safe as there is not much pollution involved, and the practices in nuclear power
plants do not cause any harm to workers.
However, nuclear power does still produce vast amounts of nuclear waste, which is stored in lead-lined
concrete pools of water today. The issue of storage has become more and more of a problem. Three
thousand tons of high-level waste is generated each year in the U.S. alone. Moreover, the issue of where
to store this nuclear waste creates a great deal of environmental injustice as many people do not want
to live near stored nuclear waste, especially because of the fact that nuclear waste can be very
radioactive.
Thus, I propose, to use radiation as a heat source in order to accelerate the growth of algae. Algae can
be used to make biofuels. It is very easy to grow, and there has been a great deal of speculation on
whether or not algae growth could be sped up through the application of an extra heat source apart
from the sun (needed in order to fulfill the photosynthesis). Not only will I be putting the waste to use,
but I will also be promoting the switch to alternative fuels through the growth of algae. I am aware that I
could have been able to choose from many other wastes including coal waste, however, I do not wish to
support the production of electricity through the burning of coal. As has been previously mentioned,
nuclear power can be considered much more environmentally friendly than certain energy sources
found today.
Shown below is an illustration of the chronological order in which the activities will be done as well as
their length.
1 year: Beginning
1 year
1 year
Total: 3 years
Research:
Build device on
Record results
Grant supports
-Best way to contain
Yankee Atomic
and monitor
between 3-5 years
waste
Electric Co.
gadget to
-extents of benefits
grounds with the
observe progress
for algae growth
use of their
-design of device
waste
September 1st 2012
Expected Time Table for the Project
As shown in the project summary, as well as the above time table, I would construct a device in order to
prove that the growth of algae can indeed be accelerated with the help of nuclear waste radiation.
Before beginning the construction, I would start with one year of research in which I would research the
best ways to contain the nuclear waste; it would probably be safe enough to contain the nuclear waste
in a lead-lined container. Moreover, not much heat is needed in order to heat up water; therefore, a
lead lining should be strong enough to contain the radiation and weak enough to let some heat escape
from the container. During my year of research, I would research the benefits this extra source of heat
would have on the algae. It should indeed make a difference on the behavior of the algae and its growth
in order to expose it to an extra heat source; however, more research could be of use in order to fully
understand the extents of the benefits. Finally, a detailed design of the device to be built will be made.
This design will be designed with certain things kept in mind: efficiency, few environmental impacts,
useful, and functional.
After one year of research, I wish to begin building the device on a nuclear power plant in which I have
gained access to work on: Yankee Atomic Electric Co. There, I would utilize their nuclear waste in order
to generate the extra heat source for the algae growth. I would get help from an engineer who would
help me build a reasonable sized tank as in order to put the algae and a tube of water circling both the
nuclear waste container as well as the algae tank.
Once the device has been built, algae will begin to grow, and research will be made in order to
determine whether or not this set-up would truly work out.
This project should be very straight forward and very easy to manage. There should not be any
complications involved in this project. Once this project is completed, I plan on sharing my information
to many other organizations in order to make it known that algae can be quickly grown, making it very
easy to feed society’s need for a reliable fuel source, namely, biofuels. The issue of environmental
injustice could also be resolved as small containers of nuclear waste would be made of use, making it
highly likely for the need for big storage areas in order to store nuclear waste.
Thus, a great deal of benefits can be obtained through the funding of my project.
References Cited
"Nuclear Power Is Sustainable and Supports Sustainable Development." Ed. Nuclear Society American.
Web. 20 Nov. 2011. <http://www2.ans.org/pi/brochures/pdfs/power.pdf>.
None. "Nuclear Waste." Oracle Think Quest. Web. 20 Nov. 2011.
<http://library.thinkquest.org/3471/nuclear_waste_body.html>.
Organization, World Nuclear. The U.S. Ranks First in Nuclear Power. Digital image.Ranking America. 5
Jan. 2009. Web. 20 Nov. 2011. <http://rankingamerica.wordpress.com/2009/01/05/>.
Smith, G. A. "A Nuclear Perspective." Natural Order — Science, Reason, and Rational Thought. 7 Apr.
2011. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. <http://naturalorder.ohio.com/2011/04/a-nuclear-perspective/>.
None. "Nuclear Waste Disposal." Nuclear Waste. 24 Jan. 2008. Web. 20 Nov. 2011.
<http://hillsclasses.wikispaces.com/Nuclear+Waste+>.
Institute, Nuclear Energy. "Nuclear Energy Institute - Nuclear Waste: Amounts and On-Site
Storage." Nuclear Energy Institute - Clean-Air Energy. Web. 12 Dec. 2011.
<http://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/nuclear_statistics/nuclearwasteamountsandonsitestorage/>.
"POWER YOUR CAR WITH ALGAE: Algae Biocrude by LiveFuels | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the
World." Inhabitat | Design For a Better World! Web. 12 Dec. 2011. <http://inhabitat.com/power-yourcar-with-algae-algae-biocrude-by-livefuels/>.
Chris. "Core Media Blog :: Oil from Algae?" Core Media Group: Welcome. 13 June 2008. Web. 12 Dec.
2011. <http://www.coremediagroup.org/core/?p=5>.
Biographical Sketch
Education: B.S. Mechanical Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
minoring in Sustainability studies.
Publications: None
Synergistic Activities: I work as an Engineering Processes Teaching Assistant at Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute. This has helped me become very good at problem solving when it comes to building certain
things. It has also made me very familiar with the various tools and machines involved in manufacturing
and machining. I am also taking a great deal of mechanical engineering classes including materials
classes teaching me the many things I need to know when it comes to materials as well as strengths of
materials. My sustainability minor has given me a great deal of knowledge when dealing with the
environment. I have also been very interested in learning as much as possible on the topics of the
environment.
Collaborators and other affiliations: I have the support of Yankee Atomic Electric Co., a place where I
can use nuclear waste as well as place the device I would like to build. This nuclear plant has agreed to
help me set up this experiment as well as implement this experiment if this does indeed work. I will be
getting a certain amount of help from an engineer who will help me build the device on the Yankee
Atomic Electric Co. premises. Moreover, I will be getting help when dealing with all the initial laboratory
experiments as well as the initial research needed in order to ensure a successful project. Thus, I have a
great deal of support and collaborators on the project.
Budget
Here is a Table describing the details for the budget of the project:
Cost Reasons
Amount of money given/spent over 3 year period
Engineer
Works 1 year: 80,000$
Yankee Atomic Electric Co.
In their own interest
Lab assistant/research assistant
Works 3 years: 100,000$
Myself
3 years: 120,000$
Lab materials
50,000$
Device-building materials
250,000$
TOTAL
600,000$
-The Engineer that will be helping me will be working only during the second third of the project: the
building of the device. He would be given a salary of 80,000 dollars for the entire year.
- Yankee Atomic Electric Co. will not be given any money, as it would be in their own interest, as they
would be the first nuclear power plant implementing this system.
- I would have a lab assistant that would help me in the research as well as the laboratory experiments
needed to be done prior to the building of the device. This lab assistant would be given a salary of
100,000 dollars for the 3 years of work.
- I would give myself a salary as well, of 120,000 dollars.
- There would be certain things needed in order to successfully perform laboratory experiments. These
costs should not exceed 50,000$.
- Finally, 250,000 dollars would be needed in order to build the device. This would bring the total budget
to around 600,000 dollars.