...One of the major environmental impacts the production of technetium-99m can have is from a meltdown of a nuclear reactor. Even though this is a very rare occurrence in history, the damage the meltdown of a reactor can produce is catastrophic and needs to be taken seriously. When a nuclear reactor does not have a viable source to cool it down during nuclear fission, nuclear meltdown will occur. From this nuclear meltdown, major catastrophic events can occur. Radiation leakage from the plant into the surrounding area from these meltdowns can cause extreme Biological and Ecological Impacts. Cancer Induction, Genetic Damage to Future Generations and Apoptosis are three of the most extreme reactions that high amounts of radiation can cause on humans...
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...연쇄핵분열반응의 결과 순간적으로 방출되는 다량의 질량결손(質量缺損) 에너지가 방출되도록 연쇄반응을 제어하여 핵분열에서 발생하는 열에너지를 동력으로 사용하도록 하는 장치이다. 최초의 원자로는 1942년 이탈리아 출신의 물리학자 페르미(Enrico Fermi, 1901~1954)가 미국의 시카고대학교 실험실에서 만들었다. 크게보기원자로 원자로(Nuclear Reactor)는 원자력 발전소의 중심 부품으로 사진의 원자로 왼쪽의 바늘처럼 나온 것이 제어봉구동장치이다. 원자로의 원리 핵폭발 때 순간적으로 방출되는 다량의 에너지가 목적하는 바에 따라 서서히 방출되도록 조절함으로써 핵에너지를 실생활에서 활용할 수 있다. 보통의 화력로가 물질의 연소열을 이용하는 데 반해 원자로는 핵분열반응의 결과 발생하는 질량결손(質量缺損) 에너지를 이용하는 점에서 차이가 있다. 즉, 연소열에 의해 자동으로 연소가 확대되는 화력로와 달리 원자로는 연료의 핵분열 때에 방출되는 중성자(中性子)를 매개체로 하여 핵분열(원자로의 경우에도 연소라 한다)을 지속하게 된다. 따라서, 원자로에서는 핵연료에 흡수되는 중성자수를 제어함으로써 핵연료의 연소를 조절하는데, 원자로 내의 핵분열을 지속시키기 위해서는 핵분열시 방출되는 중성자 중에서 다시 핵연료에 흡수되어 재차 핵분열을 일으키는 수가 최소한 1개 이상이어야 한다. 만약 그 수가 1일 때에는 핵분열반응은 감소하지도 증가하지도 않고 일정하게 유지되며, 이 상태를 원자로의 임계(臨界)라고 한다. 또한 그 수가 1을 초과할 때는 핵분열반응의 수도 점점 증가하게 되는데 이를 초임계상태(超臨界狀態)라 하며, 그 반대의 경우를 미임계상태(未臨界狀態)라 한다. 일반적으로 원자로를 일정한 출력으로 운전할 때는 이를 임계상태로 두거나 약간의 임계초과상태로 하여 여분의 중성자를 적당한 물질(제어봉)에 흡수시키는 방법을 취한다. 1회의 핵분열에서 방출되는 중성자수는 우라늄 235의 경우 평균 2개 정도이지만, 이들 모두가 재차 핵분열에 기여하는 것은 아니고 원자로 외부로의 누설, 또는 비핵분열성 물질에의 흡수 등에 의해 그 수가 감소하므로 원자로를 계속 운전하기 위해서는 이러한 중성자 손실을 최소로 해야만 한다. 그 방법으로는 핵분열성 물질의 양을 증가시키거나 핵분열시 방출되는 고속중성자를 열중성자준위로 감속시켜 흡수확률을 높이는 방법, 노심외부(爐心外部)로의 누설량을 최소화할 수 있도록 원자로의 크기를 충분히 크게 하는 방법, 그리고 다른 비핵분열성 물질에의 흡수를 최소로 하는 방법 등이 있다. 핵분열의 순간에 방출되는 중성자는 에너지가 높은 고속중성자로서 핵연료에 흡수될 확률이 극히 낮으므로, 이를 감속시켜 흡수확률을 높여 주는 것이 중요한 문제이다. 원자로의 제어는 카드뮴·붕소 등과 같이 중성자 흡수 단면적이 큰 재질(보통 막대 형태)을 노심 내에 집어넣거나 빼냄으로써 중성자수를 조절하여 제어하게 되며, 또한 반사체(反射體)나 감속재의 양을 변화시키는 방법을 사용하기도 한다. 원자로의 구조 원자로는...
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...Nuclear Reactor Power Plant Control Systems Mechatronics Professor 13 October 2013 Table of Contents Heading Page # Introduction History Safety Control Systems Coolants Pressurizer Moderator Control Rods Regulations Disposal Conclusion Works Cited Introduction Control systems are an integral part of the nuclear reactor and without the implementation of an effective control system along with constant monitoring and maintenance catastrophic accidents will occur. This report will introduce the important control systems found in many of the most common nuclear reactors along with an explanation on how they work and how they're implemented. First we must go back into the histories to gain a better understanding of why these control systems are so important and consequences that resulted when control systems are not implements or not used properly. History To know the history of nuclear power plants, one must first understand what a nuclear power plant is. A nuclear power plant is very similar to that of any other steam-electric power plant, in that water is heated and the steam from the water turns turbines, thus creating electricity. The major difference is how the power plant generates heat. The source of the heat from nuclear power plants comes from nuclear fission, rather than from coal, oil or gas. In 1934, a physicist by the name of Enrico Fermi conducted the first experiments that resulted...
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....Legal Analysis When considering the engineering of a molten salt reactor (MSR), which is a class of nuclear fission reactors in which the primary coolant, or even the fuel itself, is a molten salt mixture. No Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactors (LFTR) have been built to date, a revolutionary liquid reactor that runs not on uranium, but thorium. Although LFTR power plants have not yet been built, one can look at the issues that have arisen out of the manufacture and application of alternative nuclear reactors in the past, and the courts’ rulings on those issues, to determine what hazards exist. Obviously, in the case of an LFTR power plant, the most important issue to consider is what kind of hazards exist, and what kind of liability is ascribed, in the event of a failure of the LFTR power plant. When considering the legality of engineering and constructing an energy-producing reactor, there are a variety of applicable fields of law that can be utilized to analyze the potential issues that arise from the construction of a liquid fluoride thorium reactor power plant. However, the most prevalent applicable law would be tort law and the application of strict liability to the engineering and utilization of such a power plant. Strict liability, generally, speaking imposes negligence upon an individual, regardless of fault, when that individual engages in an abnormally dangerous activity. See Rosenblatt v. Exxon Co., 335 Md. 58, 69-70 (1994). When engaging in abnormally dangerous...
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...INDUSTRY Nuclear Energy Division 4 -GENERATION SODIUM-COOLED FAST REACTORS THE ASTRID TECHNOLOGICAL DEMONSTRATOR th DECEMBER 2012 SUSTAINABLE RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT OF JUNE 28, 2006: RESULTS OF RESEARCH CARRIED OUT ON THE SEPARATION AND TRANSMUTATION OF LONG-LIVED RADIOACTIVE ELEMENTS, AND ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW GENERATION OF NUCLEAR REACTORS 1 4th GENERATION SODIUM-COOLED FAST REACTORS THE ASTRID TECHNOLOGICAL DEMONSTRATOR 1 2 FOREWORD The objective of the Generation IV International Forum (GIF), in which France is actively involved, is to prepare the future nuclear sector in an international framework by jointly developing the R&D of 4th generation reactors, based on clearly identified objectives: achieve sustainable development of nuclear energy by optimising the use of natural uranium resources and by reaching the highest levels of nuclear safety; minimise the production of the most radioactive waste, in particular long-lived waste; ensure high resistance to nuclear proliferation; develop applications of nuclear energy for other uses than production of electricity. After an analysis phase carried out jointly by the founding partners, the GIF selected six concepts of nuclear reactors and their cycles4 which exhibited the most promising potentials to achieve the abovementioned objectives: SFR: Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor; GFR: Gas-cooled Fast Reactor; LFR: Lead-cooled Fast Reactor; SCWR: Supercritical Water-cooled Reactor; VHTR: Very...
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...acceptability criteria in developing and developed countries. (30 marks) 2. Figure 1 shows a schematic layout of the safety cooling system for the AP1000 pressurised water nuclear reactor. Figure 1. The reactor system is contained within a 'passive cooling' containment vessel (Figure 2) which is intended to provide natural and permanent cooling in the event of a loss of cooling event in the reactor loop. Figure 2 Containment vessel for AP1000 cooling A comprehensive description of the overall system is provided by Schulz (1) and is available on the University Mole system for CPE6001. A brief description of the safety cooling system would comprise the following : The safety system incorporates four sources of passive water management following a loss of coolant accident : - two accumulator vessels (ACC) provide high flow for several minutes - two core make-up tanks (CMT)provide moderately high flow for a longer period - an in-containment refuelling water storage tank (IRWST) provides lower flow for a much longer time - large scale recirculation containment for decay heat removal The ACC and CMT responses are activated by a significant drop in system pressure - activation devices are not dependant on AC power supplies, but on springs, stored pressure and batteries. Failure of heat removal from the reactor via the steam...
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...IMPACT OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IN KUDANKULAM What is Nuclear Power? Nuclear power, or Nuclear energy, is the use of exothermic nuclear processes, to generate useful heat & electricity. The term includes the following heat producing processes – nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion. Uses 1. Nuclear power is a low carbon method of producing electricity & in 2011 nuclear power provided 10% of the world's electricity. 2. Many military and some civilian (such as some icebreaker) ships use nuclear marine propulsion, a form of nuclear propulsion. 3. A few space vehicles have been launched using full-fledged nuclear reactors: the Soviet RORSAT series and the American SNAP -10 A. 4. Both Fission and fusion appear promising for space propulsion applications, generating higher mission velocities with less reaction mass. (Due to the much higher energy density of nuclear reactions: some 7 orders of magnitude (10,000,000 times) more energetic than the chemical reactions which power the current generation of rockets). 5. International research is continuing into the use of nuclear fusion, and additional uses of process heat such as hydrogen production (in support of a hydrogen economy), desalinizing sea water, and for use in district heating systems. What is Nuclear Reactor? A nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Nuclear reactors are used at nuclear power plants for generating...
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...Introduction Zirconium metallurgy has been developed essentially due to the nuclear industry. They are used as a structural material in nuclear industry mainly because of good corrosion resistance in water at high temperatures, resistance to radiation damage, optimum mechanical properties and low cross-sectional absorption of thermal neutrons. Four elements satisfy the last two conditions but Zirconium is the only sufficient choice for core components of nuclear reactors. The other elements such as Beryllium (Brittle and chemically toxic), Magnesium (chemically reactive and cannot be used in water cooled reactors), Aluminum (low melting temperature hence only used in research reactors) are not chosen. Important Characteristics of Zirconium-Nuclear Structural Material 1) Low thermal neutron absorption cross section (0.185 barns), 2) Allotropy, the high temperature body centered cubic (β) phase transforming into the hexagonal close packed phase (α) at 1135 K, 3) Anisotropic thermal and mechanical properties leading to unequal thermal expansions along different crystallographic directions and formation of strong crystallographic texture during mechanical working 4) Hexagonal close packed structure of the a phase with a c/a ratio of 1.593, which is less than ideal, making the prismatic slip on {I 0 1 O} planes most predominant, 5) High reactivity with oxygen, nitrogen and carbon and high solubility of these interstitial elements in the α phase, necessitating special care...
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...College Pressurized Water Reactor Steam Generator Material Problems Solutions to Prevent Capacity Loss and Extend Lifetime Matthew T. Spire NUC320 Materials Professor James Mathus January 01, 2012 Abstract Steam generators are a necessary component in PWR. Material issues that affect steam generators reduce the capacity of a nuclear power plant to generate electricity and minimize the lifetime of the steam generator, with both consequences resulting in a loss of profit to the operating utility. Specific problems associated with steam generator materials that are discussed include denting, stress corrosion cracking (SCC), phosphate thinning, as well as vibration and mechanical problems. A connection is established between material issues that affect steam generators and capacity losses as well as decreased lifetime. Finally, solutions are discussed to prevent decreases in capacity and diminished lifetime. Introduction Steam generators are a critical component of PWR. The function of a steam generator in a PWR is to serve as a heat exchanger between the primary and secondary. The heat exchange that occurs between the primary and secondary creates steam, the steam turns a turbine, the process of which generates electricity. The generation of electricity for profit is the purpose of nuclear power plants, therefore material...
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...Pumping Iron at Cliffs & Associates The Circored Iron Ore Reduction Plant in Trinidad 09/2004-5041 This case was written by Christoph H. Loch, Professor of Technology Management at INSEAD, and Christian Terwiesch, Associate Professor of Operations Management at the Wharton School, as a basis for class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of an administrative situation. Copyright © 2002 INSEAD-Wharton, France/USA. Revised Version, copyright © 2004 INSEAD-Wharton, France/USA. N.B. PLEASE PERMISSION. NOTE THAT DETAILS OF ORDERING INSEAD CASES ARE FOUND ON THE BACK COVER. COPIES MAY NOT BE MADE WITHOUT 1 5041 “There are worse places in the world to be in December than Trinidad,” thought Ed Dowling, as he spotted the first white beaches from his seat on the Miami-Trinidad flight. “Look, Steve, we are flying close by our plant,” he said to Steve Elmquist, pointing at a significant landmark on the coastline below them (see Exhibit 1). Dowling was executive vice-president for operations at Cleveland Cliffs Inc., and Elmquist was the general manager of Cliffs and Associates Ltd. (CAL), which was co-owned by Cleveland Cliffs and Lurgi Metallurgie GmbH, the German process technology company, following a recent joint venture. Neither had said much since starting their journey some eight hours before in Cleveland, Ohio, where they had reported to the board members of Cleveland Cliffs on the status of...
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...March 21, 2011 The Nuclear Crisis in Japan Daniel Okimoto • Alan Hanson • Kate Marvel The Fukushima Daiichi Incident 1. 2. 3. 4. Plant Design Accident Progression Radiological releases Spent fuel pools The Fukushima Daiichi Incident – March 21, 2011 The Fukushima Daiichi Incident 1. Plant Design " Fukushima Daiichi (Plant I) Unit I - GE Mark I BWR (439 MW), Operating since 1971 Unit II-IV - GE Mark I BWR (760 MW), Operating since 1974 The Fukushima Daiichi Incident – March 21, 2011 The Fukushima Daiichi Incident " Building structure Concrete Building Steel-framed Service Floor 1. Plant Design " Containment Pear-shaped Dry-Well en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browns_Ferry_Nuclear_Power_Plant Torus-shaped Wet-Well nucleartourist.com The Fukushima Daiichi Incident – March 21, 2011 The Fukushima Daiichi Incident 1. Plant Design " Service Floor The Fukushima Daiichi Incident – March 21, 2011 The Fukushima Daiichi Incident 1. Plant Design " Lifting the Containment closure head The Fukushima Daiichi Incident – March 21, 2011 The Fukushima Daiichi Incident 1. Plant Design " Reactor Service Floor (Steel Construction) " Concrete Reactor Building (secondary Containment) Spend Fuel Pool Fresh Steam line Main Feedwater " Reactor Core " Reactor Pressure Vessel " Containment (Dry well) " Containment (Wet Well) / Condensation Chamber The Fukushima Daiichi Incident – March 21, 2011 ...
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...The Uncertainty and Disadvantage of Nuclear Power NE 471 Dr.Chang South Carolina State University ANTRON CALDWELL ABSTRACT The future global economy is likely to consume increasing amounts of energy considering the increasing demand for cheap, clean and reliable energy from developing countries such as India and China. Though there are technologies capable of supplying this energy these energy sources come at the expense of increased ozone damaging CO2 emissions. CO2 emissions are believed to be a significant contributor to the rise in the average temperature of the Earth’s climate known as global warming. In the United States electric power plants emit about 2.2 billon tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) each year, which is about 40% of the nation’s total carbon emissions (NRDC, 2014). It is generally accepted by climate scientist that if annual carbon emissions are not reduced by at least 80% by the year 2030 then there will be an increase of greater than 2°C (35.2°F) which is considered an acceptable safe level or approximately 4°C (39.2°F) by the year 2100 in the Earth’s climate temperature (Carrington, 2013). These increases in the Earth’s temperature would be catastrophic, however measures taken by the government through the Clean Air Act to regulate emissions from stationary and mobile sources, and groups such as the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC) have somewhat reduced the emissions from stationary sources such as power plants and mobile sources such...
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...WARNING!! WARNING!! As Jeff turned on the radio, he heard the blaring voice of an announcer. There is a core meltdown of reactor 4 at Chernobyl. Explosion of the nuclear power plant eminent!! All citizens of Pripyat evacuate immediately!! Jeff just had time to react to these words when he heard a sudden explosion. BOOM!! Quickly, Jeff ran down the stairs of the apartment and saw many people groggily getting up to see what had happened. Seeing so many people in dangers path, Jeff quickly pulled the fire alarm. “Great,” Jeff thought “Saved a bunch of people.” Jeff then ran to his car, put the key into the ignition and drove as quickly as he could, caring only about his own safety. After driving for a few minutes Jeff’s car glided to a halt in the middle of the highway. Jeff had forgotten that he had no more gas. As Jeff ran away from his car the air became more and more hazy. Radiation was everywhere. Jeff stumbled to a halt and fell to the ground. It became harder and harder to breathe. “No,” thought Jeff. Then he passed out. 1min 24sec According to the Nuclear Energy Institute, there are currently 442 active nuclear power reactors worldwide. Of all of the reactors worldwide, 14 of them have been classified as accidents where the public has been exposed to large amounts of radiation. The most devastating of these incidents was the core meltdown of reactor 4 at Chernobyl, better known as the Chernobyl disaster. Today I am going to tell you 3 things about Chernobyl. First...
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...Print this page Is Nuclear Energy Our Best Hope? 04.25.2008 Despite its negative image, nuclear energy may be the most efficient and realistic means of meeting the rapidly-growing demand for power in the United States. by Gwyneth Cravens Four years ago this month, James Lovelock upset a lot of his fans. Lovelock was revered in the green movement for developing the Gaia hypothesis, which links everything on earth to a dynamic, organic whole. Writing in the British newspaper The Independent, Lovelock stated in an op-ed: “We have no time to experiment with visionary energy sources; civilisation is in imminent danger and has to use nuclear—the one safe, available energy source—now or suffer the pain soon to be inflicted by our outraged planet.” Lovelock explained that his decision to endorse nuclear power was motivated by his fear of the consequences of global warming and by reports of increasing fossil-fuel emissions that drive the warming. Jesse Ausubel, head of the Program for the Human Environment at Rockefeller University, recently echoed Lovelock’s sentiment. “As a green, I care intensely about land-sparing, about leaving land for nature,” he wrote. “To reach the scale at which they would contribute importantly to meeting global energy demand, renewable sources of energy such as wind, water, and biomass cause serious environmental harm. Measuring renewables in watts per square meter, nuclear has astronomical advantages over its competitors.” All of this has led several...
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...Nuclear Engineering and Design 240 (2010) 2820–2830 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Nuclear Engineering and Design journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/nucengdes Assessment the safety performance of nuclear power plants using Global Safety Index (GSI) Ayah E. Abouelnaga ∗ , Abdelmohsen Metwally, Naguib Aly, Mohammad Nagy, Saeed Agamy Alexandria University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Nuclear and Radiological Engineering, Alexandria, 21544, Egypt a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t The safety performance of the nuclear power plant is a very important factor enhancing the nuclear energy option. It is vague to evaluate the nuclear power plant performance but it can be measured through measuring the safety performance of the plant. In this work, the safety of nuclear power plants is assessed by developing a “Global Safety Index” (GSI). The GSI is developed by introducing three indicators: probability of accident occurrence, performance of safety system in case of an accident occurrence (during an accident), and the consequences of the accident. The GSI is developed by tracking the performance of the safety system during a design basis accident such as loss of coolant accident (LOCA). This is done by using the PCTran simulation code in simulation a PWR LOCA and introducing four indicators: the sensation time, the response time, and the recovery time together with Core Damage Frequency (CDF). Then Fuzzy Inference System is used for obtaining...
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