Nuclear

Energy
Justin Alpern, Jacqi Kelly, Joseph Chieng
POE Block 3

What is Nuclear Energy?

Technically nonrenewable, but could be argued as
renewable
Renewable: source can last indefinitely
Indefinitely: lasting past the end of the Sun and Earths
relationship
All the Uranium on Earth could last for 5 billion years
(indefinitely), but it would require a lot of resources to do
so, and would still produce harmful toxic waste.

Fission

2 Different Types of Nuclear

Energy Fusion

Current main process

Atoms of materials such as
Uranium are split,
producing massive
amounts of energy
Produces toxic waste that is
harmful to the
environment

Multiple atoms collide together

at high speed to create a
single, different atom
Produces uncontainable
amounts of energy and heat
Cold fusion: theoretical
process to make fusion
possible on Earth

How Nuclear Energy is

made usable
Nuclear plants produce electricity using
process called nuclear fission
Hospitals use radiation to determine
condition of patients organs or to treat
them
Radioisotope thermal generators used in
space missions

Costs of Energy
Nuclear Energy
2008
between $6 billion and $9
billion per 1100 MW
2015
$1880 for 1 kg of Uranium
as UO2 reactor fuel

Biomass
2011
$3,000 - $4,000 kW

Special Needs
To transport used radioactive waste:
the shipper must use approved highway routes
spent fuel must be protected against radiological
sabotage
time and date of shipment must be protected
special containers must be used to protect
against accidents

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doccollections/fact-sheets/transport-spenfuel-

How Much is Nuclear Energy

Used?
Provides over 11% of the worlds electricity

World Electricity
Production in 2012 by %
http://www.worldnuclear.org/uploadedImages/or
g/info/world_electricity_producti
on.png?n=8003

435 reactors operable in 31 countries with 375,000 MWe

of total capacity, 70 more under construction
56 countries operate 240 research reactors
Nuclear
180 more reactors power 140 ships and submarines
Electricity
Production
per year from
1971 to 2013

http://www.worldnuclear.org/uploadedImages/org/info/Nuclear_Elect

Technology that makes

Nuclear Energy more
Possibility of thorium fuel
efficient
Decreased nuclear waste
Cleaner
Molten Salt Reactor
Less expensive
High resistance to meltdowns
Small Modular Reactors (SMR)

Environmental Issues
no real way to dispose of waste
elements composing waste remain
hazardous for 10 times their half
lives
groundwater and soil contamination
soil and water containing hazardous
waste

http://cdn.powermag.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/04/520004de
2cc68-

http://sitemaker.umich.edu/sec003g
roup5/files/gaseous-effluent.gif

References
"Biomass for Electricity Generation." Biomass for Electricity Generation. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2015.
<https://www.wbdg.org/resources/biomasselectric.php>.
"Environmental Impacts of Nuclear Proliferation: Remediation of Waste." Environmental Impacts of Nuclear Proliferation:
Remediation of Waste. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2015. <http://sitemaker.umich.edu/sec003group5/remediation_of_waste>.
"Is Nuclear Energy Renewable Energy?" Is Nuclear Energy Renewable Energy? N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2015.
<http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2012/ph241/chowdhury2/>.
"Plant Construction Costs." Islands for Offshore Nuclear Power Stations (1982): 79-80. PSR. Web. 01 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.psr.org/nuclear-bailout/resources/nuclear-power-plant.pdf>.
"Shipping Requirements." NRC. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2015. <http://www.nrc.gov/materials/transportation/shipping.html>.
"World Nuclear Association." Nuclear Power Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2015. <http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Current-andFuture-Generation/Nuclear-Power-in-the-World-Today/>.
"World Nuclear Association." Other Uses of Nuclear Technology. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2015. <http://www.worldnuclear.org/Nuclear-Basics/What-other-things-can-nuclear-technology-be-used-for-/>.

"Small Modular Nuclear Reactors." Small Modular Nuclear Reactors. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.energy.gov/ne/nuclear-reactor-technologies/small-modular-nuclear-reactors>.
"World Nuclear Association." Nuclear Power Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Current-and-Future-Generation/Nuclear-Power-in-the-WorldToday/>.
"Small Modular Reactors: Safety, Security and Cost Concerns (2013)."Union of Concerned
Scientists. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2015. <http://www.ucsusa.org/nuclear-power/nuclear-powertechnology/small-modular-reactors#.VhSj9bRVhHw>.
"World Nuclear Association." Other Uses of Nuclear Technology. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.world-nuclear.org/Nuclear-Basics/What-other-things-can-nuclear-technology-be-usedfor-/>.