nuclear energy

Nuclear energy:

by Ahmad al hajjar Aaalhajjar.c.e@gmail.com. Nuclear energy

NUCLEAR ENERGY :

NUCLEAR ENERGY

Nuclear energy:

Nuclear energy Energy released from atomic nuclei in significant amounts. In 1919 Ernest Rutherford discovered that alpha rays coudd split the nucleus of an atom. This led ultimately to the discgvery of the neutron and the release of huge amounts of energy by the process of nuclear fission. Nuclear energy is also released as a result of nuclear Fusion. The release of nuclear energy can be controlled or uncontrolled. Nuclear reactors carefully control the release of energy, whereas the energy release of a nuclear weapon or resulting from a core meltdown in a nuclear reactor is uncontrolled.

Top 10 Facts About Nuclear Energy :

Top 10 Facts About Nuclear Energy 1. There are 104 commercial nuclear power plants producing 20 percent of all electricity and over 70 percent of the emission-free electricity generated in the United States.  They are located at 64 sites in 31 states. 2. More than 400 nuclear power plants worldwide produce 16 percent of the world’s electricity—while reducing CO2 emissions by more than 2 billion metric tons per year. 3. Nuclear energy supplies electricity each year to serve 60 million homes. 4. Nuclear energy has one of the lowest environmental impacts of any electricity source. For example, a wind farm would need 235 square miles to produce the same amount of electricity as a 1,000-megawatt nuclear power plant.

Top 10 Facts About Nuclear Energy :

Top 10 Facts About Nuclear Energy 5. Nuclear energy is by far the nation’s largest source of electricity that does not emit any controlled air pollutants, providing 73 percent of the electricity from all carbon-free sources, including hydroelectric, wind and solar. 6. Nuclear power plants provide low-cost, predictable power at stable prices and are essential in maintaining the reliability of the U.S. electric power system. 7. Nuclear power plants are able to produce abundant and low cost energy source because they use an enriched form of uranium for fuel. One uranium fuel pellet – the size of the tip of your little finger – is equivalent to 17,000 cubic feet of natural gas, 1,780 pounds of coal, or 149 gallons of oil.

Top 10 Facts About Nuclear Energy :

Top 10 Facts About Nuclear Energy 8. The economic activity of a U.S. nuclear plant generates on average around $20 million in state and local tax revenues. 9. You would have to live near a nuclear power plant for over 2,000 years to get the same amount of radiation exposure that you get from a single diagnostic medical x-ray. 10. There are nearly 100 different nuclear medicine imaging procedures available today. An estimated 10 to 12 million nuclear medicine imaging and therapeutic procedures are performed each year in the United States.

HOW IT WORK?:

HOW IT WORK?

Nuclear Power Reactors :

Nuclear Power Reactors Most nuclear electricity is generated using just two kinds of reactors which were developed in the 1950s and improved since. New designs are coming forward and some are in operation as the first generation reactors come to the end of their operating lives. Over 16% of the world's electricity is produced from nuclear energy, more than from all sources worldwide in 1960.

The Nuclear Fuel Cycle :

The Nuclear Fuel Cycle The nuclear fuel cycle is the series of industrial processes which involve the production of electricity from uranium in nuclear power reactors . Uranium is a relatively common element that is found throughout the world. It is mined in a number of countries and must be processed before it can be used as fuel for a nuclear reactor . Fuel removed from a reactor, after it has reached the end of its useful life, can be reprocessed to produce new fuel . The various activities associated with the production of electricity from nuclear reactions are referred to collectively as the nuclear fuel cycle. The nuclear fuel cycle starts with the mining of uranium and ends with the disposal of nuclear waste. With the reprocessing of used fuel as an option for nuclear energy, the stages form a true cycle .

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Wastes :

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Wastes Wastes from the nuclear fuel cycle are categorized as high-, medium- or low-level wastes by the amount of radiation that they emit. These wastes come from a number of sources and include: low-level waste produced at all stages of the fuel cycle; intermediate-level waste produced during reactor operation and by reprocessing; high-level waste, which is waste containing fission products from reprocessing, and in many countries, the used fuel itself.

Safety of Nuclear Power Reactors &:

Safety of Nuclear Power Reactors & Chernobyl accident

Safety of Nuclear Power Reactors :

Safety of Nuclear Power Reactors From the outset, there has been a strong awareness of the potential hazard of both nuclear criticality and release of radioactive materials. There have been two major reactor accidents in the history of civil nuclear power - Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. One was contained without harm to anyone and the other involved an intense fire without provision for containment. These are the only major accidents to have occurred in more than 12,700 cumulative reactor-years of commercial operation in 32 countries. The risks from western nuclear power plants, in terms of the consequences of an accident or terrorist attack, are minimal compared with other commonly accepted risks. Nuclear power plants are very robust.

Achieving optimum nuclear safety :

Achieving optimum nuclear safety To achieve optimum safety, nuclear plants in the western world operate using a 'defence-in-depth' approach, with multiple safety systems supplementing the natural features of the reactor core. Key aspects of the approach are: high-quality design & construction equipment which prevents operational disturbances developing into problems redundant and diverse systems to detect problems, control damage to the fuel and prevent significant radioactive releases provision to confine the effects of severe fuel damage to the plant itself.

Chernobyl accident :

Chernobyl accident The Chernobyl accident in 1986 was the result of a flawed reactor design that was operated with inadequately trained personnel and without proper regard for safety. The resulting steam explosion and fire released at least five percent of the radioactive reactor core into the atmosphere and downwind. 28 people died within four months from radiation or thermal burns, 19 have subsequently died, and there have been around nine deaths from thyroid cancer apparently due to the accident: total 56 fatalities as of 2004. An authoritative UN report in 2000 concluded that there is no scientific evidence of any significant radiation-related health effects to most people exposed. This was confirmed in a very thorough 2005-06 study .

Comparison of accident statistics in primary energy production.:

Comparison of accident statistics in primary energy production. Normalized to deaths per TWy electricity Who? Immediate fatalities 1970-92 Fuel 342 workers 6400 Coal 85 workers & public 1200 Natural gas 883 public 4000 Hydro 8 workers 31 Nuclear

Nuclear Power in the World Today:

Nuclear Power in the World Today ELECTRICITY GENERATION

Nuclear Power in the World Today:

Nuclear Power in the World Today The first commercial nuclear power stations started operation in the 1950s . There are now some 436 commercial nuclear power reactors operating in 30 countries, with 372,000 MWe of total capacity . They provide about 15% of the world's electricity as continuous, reliable base-load power, and their efficiency is increasing . 56 countries operate a total of about 280 research reactors reactors and a further 220 reactors power ships and submarines .

Facts and numbers:

Facts and numbers Sixteen countries depend on nuclear power for at least a quarter of their electricity.  France gets around three quarters of its power from nuclear energy, while Belgium, Hungary, Lithuania, Slovakia, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovenia and Ukraine get one third or more.  Japan, Germany and Finland get more than a quarter of their power from nuclear energy, while the USA gets almost one fifth.

Facts and numbers:

Facts and numbers Today, only eight countries are known to have a nuclear weapons capability. By contrast, 56 operate civil research reactors, and 30 have some 440 commercial nuclear power reactors with a total installed capacity of over 370 000 MWe. This is more than three times the total generating capacity of France or Germany from all sources. Some 30 further power reactors are under construction, equivalent to 8% of existing capacity, while over 90 are firmly planned, equivalent to 27% of present capacity.

Facts and numbers:

In addition to commercial nuclear power plants, there are more than 280 research reactors operating, in 56 countries, with more under construction. These have many uses including research and the production of medical and industrial isotopes, as well as for training. Facts and numbers

Nuclear Energy in Iran :

Nuclear Energy in Iran A large nuclear power plant is nearing completion in Iran. The country also has a major program developing uranium enrichment, and this was concealed for many years.

Nuclear Power in Pakistan :

Nuclear Power in Pakistan Pakistan has a small nuclear power program, with 425 MWe capacity, but plans to increase this substantially. Pakistan's nuclear weapon capabilities of has arisen independently of the civil nuclear fuel cycle using indigenous uranium. Because Pakistan is outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, due to its weapons program, it is largely excluded from trade in nuclear plant or materials, which hinders its development of civil nuclear energy

Nuclear Power in the USA :

Nuclear Power in the USA The USA has over 100 nuclear reactors providing almost 20% of its electricity. These have a high level of performance. There have been 17 licence applications to build 26 new nuclear reactors since mid 2007, following several regulatory initiatives preparing the way for new orders. Extension of reactor lifetimes from 40 to 60 years is enhancing the economic competitiveness of plants, while both ownership and operation of these is becoming concentrated. Both government and industry envisage significant new nuclear capacity by 2020.

NUCLEAR ENERGY IN JORDAN:

NUCLEAR ENERGY IN JORDAN

Why Jordan is need to nuclear energy:

Why Jordan is need to nuclear energy Jordan currently generates most of its energy from fossil fuels, 95 per cent of which it imports from neighboring Arab countries. The National Nuclear Energy Strategy covers electricity production from uranium, processing nuclear waste , research and capacity building nuclear energy and securing funds for the project

FACTS ABOUT NUCLEAR ENERGY IN JORDAN:

FACTS ABOUT NUCLEAR ENERGY IN JORDAN According to the Kingdom of Jordan's Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC), the country now wants to construct two more nuclear power plants within the coming years.  This means Jordan now wants to construct a total of four nuclear power plants. Jordan estimates that nuclear power could generate 60 percent of the Kingdom's energy needs by 2035.

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JAEC's Chairman, Khaled Toukan, said the commission is bidding for offers to build the plants and is in the process of creating a shortlist JAEC is examining whether to construct the new plants east of the Jordan Valley. Already, the Kingdom's University of Science and Technology is scheduled to begin construction this September of the country's first nuclear research reactor.  According to Toukan, the reactor will be fully operational within five years .

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Jordan is looking to sign nuclear assistance agreements with Spain, Romania, and Argentina by the end of the year.  Negotiations with the United States are said to be nearing completion.  Should all negotiations be completed successfully, Jordan will have 11 different country aiding its nuclear power program. “ We want to establish a strong foundation for a process that will run for a century, therefore it is imperative to establish cooperation with many countries,” said Toukan . “We are taking off on all fronts - mining, the nuclear plant and the nuclear research reactor - with full transparency and international cooperation, emphasizing all our rights under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty,” Toukan said.

WHAT ABOUT THE ECONOMIC TERM?:

WHAT ABOUT THE ECONOMIC TERM?

The Economics of Nuclear Power :

The Economics of Nuclear Power Nuclear power is cost competitive with other forms of electricity generation, except where there is direct access to low-cost fossil fuels. Fuel costs for nuclear plants are a minor proportion of total generating costs, though capital costs are greater than those for coal-fired plants and much greater than those for gas-fired plants. In assessing the cost competitiveness of nuclear energy, decommissioning and waste disposal costs are taken into account.

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Facts on the Environment . Advantages of Nuclear Energy . Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy

Facts on the Environment    :

Facts on the Environment Nuclear power produces no controlled air pollutants during  daily operations, unlike many other electricity sources. The use of nuclear power to generate electricity avoided emissions of nearly as much carbon dioxide as is released from all U.S. passenger cars combined. According to the University of Wisconsin, the life cycle emissions of nuclear energy are lower than coal, natural gas, hydropower, biomass, and solar. The only electricity sources with lower life cycle emissions are wind and geothermal. Nuclear energy accounts for 90 percent of all electric utility savings in carbon dioxide emissions since 1973. Water discharged from a nuclear power plant contains no harmful pollutants and meets regulatory standards for temperature designed to protect aquatic life. Nuclear power plants require less land area than all other energy sources – which aids conservation and wildlife efforts across the US. Many nuclear plants actually have wildlife sanctuaries onsite, because of the negligible impact on the surrounding area.

Advantages of Nuclear Energy:

Advantages of Nuclear Energy The Earth has limited supplies of coal and oil. Nuclear power plants could still produce electricity after coal and oil become scarce. Nuclear power plants need less fuel than ones which burn fossil fuels. One ton of uranium produces more energy than is produced by several million tons of coal or several million barrels of oil. Coal and oil burning plants pollute the air. Well-operated nuclear power plants do not release contaminants into the environment.

Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy :

Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy The nations of the world now have more than enough nuclear bombs to kill every person on Earth. Nuclear explosions produce radiation. Nuclear reactors also have waste disposal problems. Reactors produce nuclear waste products which emit dangerous radiation. Nuclear reactors only last for about forty to fifty years.

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