Multimedia Presentation

on:
Nuclear Power
Plants
Presented by: Sean Michael Ligan
Process of Power
Generation
The power or the reaction comes from nuclear
fission. Nuclear fission occurs when a neutron
slams into a larger atom, causing it to excite and
split into two smaller atoms known as fission
products. (U.S. Energy Information Administration,
2020)

When this reaction occurs, a large amount of

energy is released which is the base of the power
generation for a nuclear power plant. The energy is
used to create energy which heats water and turns
(Office of Nuclear Energy, 2021)
it into steam that is used to drive turbines and
generate electricity. (World Nuclear Association,
2018)
Parts of a Nuclear Power Plant
(World Nuclear Association, 2018)
Parts of a Nuclear Power Plant
(World Nuclear Association, 2018)

Fuel
The basic fuel of a nuclear power plant
is Uranium, specifically Uranium-235.
Usually, pellets of uranium oxide are
arranged in tubes to form fuel rods
which are then arranged into fuel
assemblies in the reactor core
Parts of a Nuclear Power Plant
(World Nuclear Association, 2018)

Moderator
The material in the core that slows
down the neutrons released from
fission. This allows for more fission to
occur. The material is usually water,
light water, heavy water, or graphite.
Parts of a Nuclear Power Plant
(World Nuclear Association, 2018)

Control Rods
Made of neutron-absorbing material
such as cadmium, hafnium, or boron,
are inserted or withdrawn from the
core to either control or halt the rate
of reaction.
Parts of a Nuclear Power Plant
(World Nuclear Association, 2018)

Coolant
The coolant is a certain fluid that circulates
through the core to transfer the heat.
In light water reactors, the water moderator
functions as the primary coolant
In BWRs, there is a secondary coolant circuit
where the water becomes steam
PWR has two to four primary coolant loops
with powered pumps of steam or electricity
Parts of a Nuclear Power Plant
(World Nuclear Association, 2018)

Pressure
vessels/tubes
A robust steel vessel that contains
the reactor core as well as the
moderator and or coolant.
It may also be a series of tubes
holding the fuel and spreading the
coolant through the surrounding
moderator
Parts of a Nuclear Power Plant
(World Nuclear Association, 2018)

Steam Generator
It is part of the cooling system of
pressurized water reactors where
the high-pressure primary coolant
that brings heat from the reactor is
used to make the steam in the
turbine which generates electricity
Reactors have up to six loops that
each contain a steam generator
Parts of a Nuclear Power Plant
(World Nuclear Association, 2018)

Containment
It is the structure around the
reactor and associated steam
generators.
It is designed to protect it from
outside intrusion and protect the
outside from the effects of radiation
if any serious malfunction occurs.
A meter-thick concrete and steel
structure
TYPES OF NUCLEAR
POWER REACTORS
Pressure Water
Reactor
(World Nuclear Association, 2018)
Most common type
Its design originated from a submarine power
plant
It uses ordinary water as both the coolant and
moderator
The design is distinguished as having two circuits
A primary circuit that flows through the core
of the reactor under very high pressure
And a secondary circuit where steam is
generated to drive the turbine
200-300 vertical rods in the core, and a large
reactor with 150-250 fuel assemblies with 80-100
tons of uranium
The water in the core reaches 325 C, the pressure
has to be kept under 160 times atm to prevent it
from boiling which is kept in check by a
pressurizer
Boiling Water
Reactor
(World Nuclear Association, 2018)

The main difference between the pressurized

and the boiling water reactor is that there is
only a single circuit in the boiling water
reactor.
The water is kept at a lower pressure causing
it to boil in the core at 285c
12-15% of the water in the top of the core is
steam which makes the entire reactor run
with less moderation and lowers overall
efficiency.
It can also operate in a load-following mode
more readily than PWRs
A BWR fuel assembly consists of 90-100 fuel
rods and 750 assemblies in a reactor core
that can hold 140 tons of uranium.
Pressurized Heavy
Water Reactor
(World Nuclear Association, 2018)

Uses natural uranium oxide as fuel which

needs a more efficient moderator such as
heavy water
It produces much more energy per kg of
mined uranium but also produces a larger
amount of used fuel per output
Pressure tube reactors use a moderator
tank (calandria) containing fuel channels
(pressure tubes) cooled by pressurized
heavy water.
The primary coolant generates steam in a
secondary circuit to drive the turbines.
Reactors can be refueled progressively
without shutting down.
Advanced Gas
Reactor
(World Nuclear Association, 2018)

Advanced gas-cooled reactors (AGRs)

use graphite moderator and carbon
dioxide as coolant.
The fuel is enriched uranium oxide
pellets in stainless steel tubes. AGRs
have a high thermal efficiency of about
41% and can be refueled while
operating.
LOCATIONS AND
EXAMPLES OF
NUCLEAR POWER
PLANTS
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa
Nuclear Power
Station, Japan
(Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station, Japan, 2020)
Started in 1980
8,212 MW output
Nuclear, boiling water reactor
Largest-rated nuclear power station in the world
Has seven reactors that generate 8,212MW and can
provide electricity to 16 million households
Owned by TEPCO or Tokyo Electric Power Company
The 4.2km² site is located in the Niigata Prefecture city of
Kashiwazaki and the town of Kariwa, approximately 135
miles north-west of Tokyo, on the coast of the Sea of
Japan.
Bruce Nuclear
Generating Station,
Canada
(Bruce a and B Nuclear Generating Stations, n.d.)

Kincardine, Ontario
CANDU reactor type
8 reactor units
6,232 MW
1977 Bruce A and 1984 Bruce B
Lake Huron
Zaporizhzhia Nuclear
Power Plant, Ukraine
(Lu & Wahlquist, 2022)

Built between 1984 and 1995

Largest plant in Europe, ninth in the
world
6 reactors generating 5,700MW
powering 4M homes
⅕ of Ukraine's electricity
Dnieper River
PWR
 Nuclear Power Plant in the
Philippines
Bataan Nuclear
Power Plant In response to the 1973 oil crisis, the
Philippines began construction of a
nuclear power plant. The 621 MWe
Westinghouse unit at Bataan was
completed in 1984 but never
commissioned.
Held back by financial issues and
corruption, eventually leading it to never
be fueled.

(Nuclear Power Philippines | Philippines Nuclear Energy - World

Nuclear Association, n.d.)
 Economic and
Environmental
Issues/Considerations
 Economic
Issues/Considerations

LONG
HIGH CAPITAL DECOMMISSIONING
CONSTRUCTION COSTS
COSTS
TIMES
 Environmental
Issues/Considerations

NUCLEAR RISK OF
WASTE ACCIDENTS
Sustainability and Future
Potential
Sustainability Potential
Low-carbon energy source

High energy density

 Future Potential

Small modular reactors

(SMRs) (Liou, 2021)

Molten salt reactors

(Touran, 2023)
Fusion reactors (Barbarino, 2022)
Thank you
for listening !
References:
Bruce A and B Nuclear Generating Stations. (n.d.). Nuclearsafety.gc.ca.
https://nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/reactors/power-plants/nuclear-facilities/bruce-
nuclear-generating-station/index.cfm
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station, Japan. (2020, July 1). Power Technology.
https://www.power-technology.com/projects/kashiwazaki/?cf-view
Lu, D., & Wahlquist, C. (2022, March 4). Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant: everything
you need to know. The Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/04/zaporizhzhia-nuclear-power-
plant-everything-you-need-to-know
NRC: The Student Corner: How Does a Nuclear Power Plant Make Electricity? (2019).
Nrc.gov. https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/students/science-101/how-
does-nuclear-power-plant-make-electricity.html
Nuclear economics. (n.d.). Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA). https://www.oecd-
nea.org/jcms/c_12088/nuclear-economics
References:
Nuclear Power Philippines | Philippines Nuclear Energy - World Nuclear Association.
(n.d.). Www.world-Nuclear.org. https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-
library/country-profiles/countries-o-
s/philippines.aspx#:~:text=Bataan%20nuclear%20power%20plant
Office of Nuclear Energy. (2021, March 29). NUCLEAR 101: How Does a Nuclear
Reactor Work? Energy.gov. https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/nuclear-101-how-
does-nuclear-reactor-work#:~:text=The%20water%20in%20the%20core
U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2020, April 16). Nuclear power plants - U.S.
Energy Information Administration (EIA). Www.eia.gov.
https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/nuclear/nuclear-power-
plants.php#:~:text=Nuclear%20power%20comes%20from%20nuclear
World Nuclear Association . (2018). Nuclear Reactors | Nuclear Power Plant | Nuclear
Reactor Technology - World Nuclear Association. World-Nuclear.org. https://world-
nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/nuclear-power-reactors/nuclear-
power-reactors.aspx
References:
Liou, J. (2021, November 4). What are Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)?
Www.iaea.org; International Atomic Energy Agency.
https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/what-are-small-modular-reactors-smrs
Touran, N. (2023). Molten Salt Reactors. What Is Nuclear?
https://whatisnuclear.com/msr.html#:~:text=Molten%20Salt%20Reactors%20(MSRs
)%20are
Barbarino, M. (2022, March 31). What is Nuclear Fusion? Www.iaea.org; International
Atomic Energy Agency. https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/what-is-nuclear-
fusion