Nuclear Fission

Hillary Call
 Outline
 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
 Benefits of Nuclear Energy
 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
How Fission Works

 Water or other moderator slows

neutrons, thermalizing them
 Thermal neutron collides with U-235
 Unstable nucleus splits in two
 Energy and neutrons are released
 Reaction repeats
 Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR)
A common type of Light Water Reactor (LWR)

http://www.eas.asu.edu/~holbert/eee460/pwrdiag.gif
Uranium Fuel Cycle

http://www.arevaresources.com/nuclear_energy/datagb/cycle/cyclerep.gif
 Energy Lifecycle of Nuclear Power
Contribution by Conversion to Ener Energy Contributio
Energy Source gy n
Mass
0.00676 KW-
Coal 0.467 grams 0.0031 KW-Hr
Hr/gram
Crude Oil 0.32 grams 0.011 KW-Hr/gram 0.0035 KW-Hr
0.0038 KW-
Lignite 0.234 grams 0.00089 KW-Hr
Hr/gram
Natural Gas 0.115 grams 0.015 KW-Hr/gram 0.00173 KW-Hr
Hydro-Electricity 0.00146 KW-Hr 1 0.00146 KW-Hr
0.0042 KW-
Wood 0.041 grams 0.00017
Hr/gram
Total     0.0107 KW-Hr

Based on 3090 MW Forsmark plant operating for 40 years.

http://nuclearinfo.net/Nuclearpower/TheScienceOfNuclearPower
Challenges
 Radioactive waste
storage/disposal
› Yucca Mountain
› Reprocess spent fuel
 Safety
› Only fatalities from commercial
nuclear power plant occurred at
Chernobyl
› Must overcome public fear
 Generation IV Reactors
neutron
temperature size(s)
  spectrum coolant pressure* fuel fuel cycle uses
(°C) (MWe)
(fast/ thermal)

Gas-cooled fast electricity

fast helium 850 high U-238 + closed, on site 288
reactors & hydrogen

50-150**
Lead-cooled closed, electricity
fast Pb-Bi 550-800 low U-238 + 300-400
fast reactors regional & hydrogen
1200

Molten salt fluoride electricity

epithermal 700-800 low UF in salt closed 1000
reactors salts & hydrogen

Sodium-cooled U-238 & 150-500

fast sodium 550 low closed electricity
fast reactors MOX 500-1500

Supercritical open
water-cooled thermal or fast water 510-550 very high UO2 (thermal) 1500 electricity
reactors closed (fast)

Very high UO2

hydrogen
temperature gas thermal helium 1000 high prism or open 250
& electricity
reactors pebbles

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
Fast Breeder Reactors
 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
 Fast Breeder Reactors
 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
 Conclusions
 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