Chapter 19: Conventional Chapter 19: Conventional EnergyEnergy

By Connor YoungBy Connor Young

What is Energy?What is Energy?

EnergyEnergy is the capacity to do work. is the capacity to do work. WorkWork is the application of force through a is the application of force through a

distance.distance. PowerPower is the rate of flow of energy is the rate of flow of energy JouleJoule is the amount of work done when a is the amount of work done when a

force of 1 newton is exerted over 1 meter force of 1 newton is exerted over 1 meter or 1 amp per second flows through 1 ohm or 1 amp per second flows through 1 ohm (joules are just a measurement/units of (joules are just a measurement/units of work)work)

Energy sourcesEnergy sources

Energy comes from many sources-Energy comes from many sources- Ex. Food has chemical and potential energyEx. Food has chemical and potential energy

Importance of OilImportance of Oil

Fossil fuels supply 86% of the world commercial Fossil fuels supply 86% of the world commercial energy needsenergy needs

We are a constantly growing worldWe are a constantly growing world China is growing at an alarming rate and as a China is growing at an alarming rate and as a

result uses vast amounts of fossil fuelsresult uses vast amounts of fossil fuels Oil is unevenly distributed and some countries Oil is unevenly distributed and some countries

get rich from the oil, such as the Middle Eastget rich from the oil, such as the Middle East This competition for oil causes instability in This competition for oil causes instability in

those regionsthose regions

Who Uses the EnergyWho Uses the Energy

The top 20% of the world population uses The top 20% of the world population uses 80% of the commercial energy80% of the commercial energy

Poor nation residents use less energy in a Poor nation residents use less energy in a year than someone in a wealthy nation year than someone in a wealthy nation does in a day.does in a day.

Large amounts of energy are lost from- Large amounts of energy are lost from- conversion to a useful form of energy, conversion to a useful form of energy, shipping, or during use.shipping, or during use.

Who uses EnergyWho uses Energy

Regions that use energyRegions that use energy

CoalCoal

Coal is fossilized plant matterCoal is fossilized plant matter It is the most available fossil fuel- 10 times It is the most available fossil fuel- 10 times

more than oil and gas resourcesmore than oil and gas resources Energy from coal could last several Energy from coal could last several

thousand yearsthousand years

ReservesReserves

Two types of reservesTwo types of reserves 1. “Known Reserves” are identified sources of 1. “Known Reserves” are identified sources of

energy but not yet mappedenergy but not yet mapped 2. 2. “Proven Reserves” “Proven Reserves” are mapped, are mapped,

measured, and shown to be economically measured, and shown to be economically recoverablerecoverable

Coal negativesCoal negatives

Dangerous to mineDangerous to mine Black lung disease- Black lung disease- inflammation and fibrosis inflammation and fibrosis

caused by accumulation of coal dust in lungs or caused by accumulation of coal dust in lungs or airwaysairways

Strip mining ruins landStrip mining ruins land Coal is radioactive and has toxic metals in itCoal is radioactive and has toxic metals in it

People cook over coal in China and receive very high People cook over coal in China and receive very high doses of arsenicdoses of arsenic

Bad for environment and atmosphere as wellBad for environment and atmosphere as well

OilOil

Oil is found alongside gas and solid tarlike Oil is found alongside gas and solid tarlike materialsmaterials

Saudi Arabia has largest amount of oilSaudi Arabia has largest amount of oil About 1 trillion barrels of oil are not About 1 trillion barrels of oil are not

available because undiscovered or available because undiscovered or technology isn’t there yettechnology isn’t there yet

Only about 30-40% of the oil in an oil pool Only about 30-40% of the oil in an oil pool is recoveredis recovered

Dangers of OilDangers of Oil

Tend to cause instability in Middle East Tend to cause instability in Middle East (Iraq, Kuwait, etc)(Iraq, Kuwait, etc)

Oil SpillsOil Spills Exxon Valdez, Amoco CadizExxon Valdez, Amoco Cadiz

Disrupt environmentDisrupt environment Artic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)Artic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)

Different types of OilDifferent types of Oil

Tar sandsTar sands are sources of oil where the oil can are sources of oil where the oil can be extracted from the sand by chemicals or hot be extracted from the sand by chemicals or hot waterwater

Canada has vast amounts of tar sandsCanada has vast amounts of tar sands Negatives are large amounts of waste from producing Negatives are large amounts of waste from producing

this type of oilthis type of oil Oil ShaleOil Shale is actually kerogen, which is a is actually kerogen, which is a

sedimentary rocksedimentary rock When heated to 480 Celsius it separates the When heated to 480 Celsius it separates the

kerogen from the rockkerogen from the rock Negatives are expensive and lots of wasteNegatives are expensive and lots of waste

Natural GasNatural Gas

Natural gas is mostly methane, but can Natural gas is mostly methane, but can also be propane, ethane, and also be propane, ethane, and hydrocarbonshydrocarbons

Clean, convenient, and cheapClean, convenient, and cheap Releases half as much CO2 as coalReleases half as much CO2 as coal Easy to ship gas through pipelines, Easy to ship gas through pipelines,

however very dangerous when however very dangerous when transporting by ship because very transporting by ship because very explosiveexplosive

Natural GasNatural Gas

A lot of natural gas is “flared off” because A lot of natural gas is “flared off” because looking for oil and burn the gaslooking for oil and burn the gas

Methane Hydrate- Methane Hydrate- composed of small composed of small bubbles or individual molecules of natural bubbles or individual molecules of natural gas trapped in a crystalline matrix of gas trapped in a crystalline matrix of frozen waterfrozen water Could be source of energy or when ice melts Could be source of energy or when ice melts

from global warming, could make global from global warming, could make global warming worsewarming worse

Nuclear PowerNuclear Power

Was once thought to be very promising, Was once thought to be very promising, however now very expensive to construct however now very expensive to construct and bad name associated with nuclear and bad name associated with nuclear powerpower

Use Uranium to produce a chain reaction Use Uranium to produce a chain reaction within the reactorwithin the reactor

Nuclear PowerNuclear Power

Fuel assembly-Fuel assembly- a bundle of hollow metal rods a bundle of hollow metal rods containing uranium oxide pellets, which fuel the nuclear containing uranium oxide pellets, which fuel the nuclear reactorreactor

Nuclear Fission-Nuclear Fission- The radioactive decay process in The radioactive decay process in which isotopes split apart to create two smaller atoms.which isotopes split apart to create two smaller atoms.

Chain reaction-Chain reaction- a self-sustaining reaction in which the a self-sustaining reaction in which the fission of nuclei produces subatomic particles that cause fission of nuclei produces subatomic particles that cause the fission of other nucleithe fission of other nuclei

Control Rods-Control Rods- Neutron-absorbing material inserted into Neutron-absorbing material inserted into spaces between fuel assemblies in nuclear reactors to spaces between fuel assemblies in nuclear reactors to regulate fission reaction (prevent meltdown)regulate fission reaction (prevent meltdown)

pressurized water nuclear reactor

boiling water reactor

Nuclear ReactorsNuclear Reactors

Breeder reactorsBreeder reactors produce fuel rather than produce fuel rather than consume itconsume it From spent plutonium, breeder reactors make From spent plutonium, breeder reactors make

useable fuel for nuclear reactorsuseable fuel for nuclear reactors

Waste issuesWaste issues Used to dump waste in oceanUsed to dump waste in ocean Bury it in mountains or already contaminated Bury it in mountains or already contaminated

radioactive sitesradioactive sites

Nuclear ReactorsNuclear Reactors

Many different types of reactorsMany different types of reactors Britain, France, and former Soviet Union Britain, France, and former Soviet Union

use reactors with graphiteuse reactors with graphite Canadian reactors use reactors containing Canadian reactors use reactors containing

heavy waterheavy water Also small scale nuclear heaters that are Also small scale nuclear heaters that are

half the size of a kitchen stove.half the size of a kitchen stove.

Nuclear WasteNuclear Waste

High-level waste repository-High-level waste repository- a place where a place where intensely radioactive wastes can be buried and intensely radioactive wastes can be buried and remain unexposed to groundwater and remain unexposed to groundwater and earthquakes for ten of thousands of yearsearthquakes for ten of thousands of years

Monitored, retrievable storage-Monitored, retrievable storage- holding wastes holding wastes in underground mines or secure surface facilities in underground mines or secure surface facilities such as dry casks where they can be watched such as dry casks where they can be watched and repackaged, if necessaryand repackaged, if necessary

Bad News for Nuclear PlantsBad News for Nuclear Plants

Many are being shut down and usually Many are being shut down and usually more expensive to decommission than more expensive to decommission than build because need to take apart entire build because need to take apart entire structurestructure

Good NewsGood News

Nuclear Fusion-Nuclear Fusion- a process in which two smaller a process in which two smaller atomic nuclei fuse into one larger nucleus and atomic nuclei fuse into one larger nucleus and release energy. Source of power for sun and release energy. Source of power for sun and hydrogen bomb.hydrogen bomb.

1. Could obtain this by laser beams igniting the 1. Could obtain this by laser beams igniting the fuel pellets and molten lithium absorbs that fuel pellets and molten lithium absorbs that energy energy

2. Another is a magnetic field that compresses 2. Another is a magnetic field that compresses plasma until high temperature and pressure. plasma until high temperature and pressure. Molten Lithium also absorbs the energy from Molten Lithium also absorbs the energy from this.this.

Works CitedWorks Cited

Lomborg, Bjorn. Lomborg, Bjorn. The Skeptical The Skeptical Environmentalist: Measuring the Real Environmentalist: Measuring the Real State of the World. State of the World. 20012001

http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/nuclear/pagehttp://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/nuclear/page/nuc_reactors/bwr.html/nuc_reactors/bwr.html

http://www.euronuclear.org/info/encyclopehttp://www.euronuclear.org/info/encyclopedia/boilingwaterreactor.htmdia/boilingwaterreactor.htm

http://www.naturalgas.org/http://www.naturalgas.org/