Protection Of Nuclear Power Plants
One reason many people oppose Nuclear Power because they think Nuclear Plants are like enormous Nuclear bombs, just waiting to explode and wipe out civilisation. It is true that Nuclear plants and Bombs are both based on Nuclear reaction in which Atoms split apart, but that's generally where the similarity begins and ends.
To start with, very different grades of Uranium are used in Power plants and Nuclear bombs ( some use Plutonium, but that's a different story). Bombs need extremely pure enriched Uranium-235 which is made by removing contaminants (another Isotope of Uranium -238) from naturally occurring Uranium unless the contaminants are removed, they stop a Nuclear chain reaction from occurring. Power plants can work less purified, much more ordinary Uranium providing they add another substance called a Moderator. The moderator, made of carbon or water effectively converts the less pure Uranium so it will allow a chain reaction to happen. The important thing to know about the Moderator is that it makes a chain reaction possible to relatively impure Uranium and without it the reaction stops. So, if the reaction inside Power Plant starts to run out of control, energy is released and that the reactor overheats and may even explode - but in a relatively small entirely conventional explosion, not as Nuclear Bomb. In the situation, Moderator melts or burns, reactor destroyed and Nuclear reaction stops, there is no runway chain reaction. The worst situation is the reactor melts into a liquid, producing a hot radioactive glob that drops deep down into the ground, potentially contaminating water supplies. There are various other differences that stop Nuclear Power plants from turning into Nuclear bombs. In particular, Nuclear bombs have to be assembled in a very precise way and detonated so that they implode ( pushing nuclear material together so it reacts properly. These conditions do not occur in Nuclear power plants.
A different kind of power plant called a fast-breeder reactor works a different way producing its own Plutonium in a self sustaining process. Its chain reaction is much closer to what happens in a nuclear bomb and it does not work through a moderator. That is why a fast breeder reactor could, theoretically, run out of control and cause a nuclear explosion.
Here is a quick summary of Pros and Cons of Nuclear Power :
PROS -
1. One Nuclear plant will make 2-3 GW of power - as much as a large coal company or about 1000-1500 wind turbines working at full capacity.
2. They produce much lower carbon emissions than fossil fuel plants (Coal, Oil and Gas).
3. It is much more efficient to release energy by smashing Atoms apart than by "burning them" (releasing energy through chemical reaction is called combustion). That is why they need small amounts of fuel compared to fossil fuel plants.
4. Nuclear plants help reduce country's dependence on imported oil from Middle East. Countries without large fossil fuel supplies find nuclear an attractive option.
CONS -
1. Waste from Nuclear plants remains dangerously radioactive for many years, so it difficult to dispose off safely.
2. Nuclear plants are not sustainable or renewable forms of energy because they rely on mining limited resources of uranium.
3. Nuclear plants are expensive and take many years to construct usually in the face of public opposition. As also, at the end of their life, expensive to de-commission safely.
4. Since they need huge amounts of water, they are often built on by the sea coast making them susceptible to rising sea levels and earthquake tsunamis.
5. Plants can produce long range Air and Water pollution.
6. Nuclear by products can be used to make bombs and there is a risk of nuclear material being acquired by anti - nationals.
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To start with, very different grades of Uranium are used in Power plants and Nuclear bombs ( some use Plutonium, but that's a different story). Bombs need extremely pure enriched Uranium-235 which is made by removing contaminants (another Isotope of Uranium -238) from naturally occurring Uranium unless the contaminants are removed, they stop a Nuclear chain reaction from occurring. Power plants can work less purified, much more ordinary Uranium providing they add another substance called a Moderator. The moderator, made of carbon or water effectively converts the less pure Uranium so it will allow a chain reaction to happen. The important thing to know about the Moderator is that it makes a chain reaction possible to relatively impure Uranium and without it the reaction stops. So, if the reaction inside Power Plant starts to run out of control, energy is released and that the reactor overheats and may even explode - but in a relatively small entirely conventional explosion, not as Nuclear Bomb. In the situation, Moderator melts or burns, reactor destroyed and Nuclear reaction stops, there is no runway chain reaction. The worst situation is the reactor melts into a liquid, producing a hot radioactive glob that drops deep down into the ground, potentially contaminating water supplies. There are various other differences that stop Nuclear Power plants from turning into Nuclear bombs. In particular, Nuclear bombs have to be assembled in a very precise way and detonated so that they implode ( pushing nuclear material together so it reacts properly. These conditions do not occur in Nuclear power plants.
A different kind of power plant called a fast-breeder reactor works a different way producing its own Plutonium in a self sustaining process. Its chain reaction is much closer to what happens in a nuclear bomb and it does not work through a moderator. That is why a fast breeder reactor could, theoretically, run out of control and cause a nuclear explosion.
Here is a quick summary of Pros and Cons of Nuclear Power :
PROS -
1. One Nuclear plant will make 2-3 GW of power - as much as a large coal company or about 1000-1500 wind turbines working at full capacity.
2. They produce much lower carbon emissions than fossil fuel plants (Coal, Oil and Gas).
3. It is much more efficient to release energy by smashing Atoms apart than by "burning them" (releasing energy through chemical reaction is called combustion). That is why they need small amounts of fuel compared to fossil fuel plants.
4. Nuclear plants help reduce country's dependence on imported oil from Middle East. Countries without large fossil fuel supplies find nuclear an attractive option.
CONS -
1. Waste from Nuclear plants remains dangerously radioactive for many years, so it difficult to dispose off safely.
2. Nuclear plants are not sustainable or renewable forms of energy because they rely on mining limited resources of uranium.
3. Nuclear plants are expensive and take many years to construct usually in the face of public opposition. As also, at the end of their life, expensive to de-commission safely.
4. Since they need huge amounts of water, they are often built on by the sea coast making them susceptible to rising sea levels and earthquake tsunamis.
5. Plants can produce long range Air and Water pollution.
6. Nuclear by products can be used to make bombs and there is a risk of nuclear material being acquired by anti - nationals.
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