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Frank R. Leslie,

B. S. E. E., M. S. Space Technology, LS IEEE

2/2/2010, Rev. 2.0.2

fleslie @fit.edu; (321) 674-7377

www.fit.edu/~fleslie

7.0 Nuclear Energy

FPLs St. Lucie Nuclear Plant

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In Other News . . . ~1/25/2010

Crude oil at $73 due to demand destruction, that isdemand has dropped due to layoffs, plant closings,consumer lack of confidence

When the economy improves, more demand willdrive prices up

Energy Act of 2009 or 2010 may be revisited soon

Nuclear fission/fusion hybrid reactor investigation ofspent fuel reduction (transuranic wastes)

Florida Public Service Commission denies rate increasesleading to FPL and Progress Energy stopping plans fornuclear power plant additions

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Nuclear energy was once gushingly said to be too cheap to

meter in the future (the meter and reading it would costmore than the electricity would sell for)

That isnt close to happening 50 years later and is not likely now

Think of the economics of having a flat rate for electricity!

US commercial nuclear power began at Shippingport PA in1957; Soviets began in 1954

Nuclear power supplied ~20% of US energy in 2005

Nuclear energy is cheap to the consumer; but heavilysubsidized by the Federal Government (only taxpayers pay

for that!) Great controversy (among some) about dangers and eventual

doom from spent fuel

Plants will likely be built again after none since 1978(?)

Developing countries considering/building nuclear power

7.0 Overview of Nuclear Energy

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7.0 About This Presentation

7.1 Nuclear Reactions 7.2 Sources

7.3 Reactor Types

7.4 Fuel Cycle and Spent Fuel

7.5 Reprocessing of Spent Fuel

7.6 Safety Record

7.7 Risk Assessment

7.8 Conflicts and Controversy

7.9 Advantages and Disadvantages

7.10 Degree of Nuclear Use 7.11 Shutdown Scenario

7.12 Future Trends

7 Conclusion

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92

n +235

U143p236

U144p144

Ba88 +89

Kr53 + 3n + 176.9 MeV

n = 1.0086789Kr = 88.91660144Ba = 143.92000235U= 235.04394236U = 236.05261

365692

Neutron

89Kr

144Ba

Fission occurs when uranium atom is split into atomsof lesser atomic weight plus emitted energy

7.1 The Nuclear Fission Reaction

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Gamma

Ray

235U

85 to 104 a.w.

130 to 149 a.w.

Fission

Clumping

GammaRay

Gamma

Ray

Neutron

Neutron

92

[After Ristinen, p. 174]

236U

235U143

Protons

At. No., Z

Mass no., nucleons=

protons + neutrons

Neutrons

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Nuc lide Tab le Example

235U92

236U92

238U92

236Pa91

236Th90

238Th90

236Ac89

Rows ar Atomic mber, ol mns are ass mber, A

7.1 The Nuclides and Radiation Decay

A beta particle emission moves up to the next element;an alpha emission moves down and left

These tables also have another format, Z vs. N

238U is common; 235U is required for fission

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7.2 Sources, extraction, and preparation

Found in Congo, Canada, US (CO, WY, UT, NM, etc.), Africa,Ukraine, and everywhere to some extent

Uranium mining of ore

US carnotite contains 238U, 99.28%; 235U, 0.71%; and 234U,0.006%

Uranium extractionConvert raw ore to uranium oxide (U3O8) or yellowcake

~$15.50/lb to $43.00 (2010) http://www.uxc.com/review/uxc_Prices.aspx

Convert that yellowcake to uranium hexafluoride gas

Enrich the 235U from 0.7% up to 2% to 5% for power plants;

93% for weapons (lots of centrifuges [Iran has 6000] in series) Uranium fuel preparation

Make uranium dioxide pellets (~0.4 inch diam x 0.4 inch long)

Load the pellets end-to-end in a zirconium alloy tube

Place tubes in assemblies for ease of handling and loading

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7.3 Types of Reactors

Major Reactor Categories:

Light Water Reactors (LWR) use H2O

Heavy Water Reactors (HWR) use D2O or deuterium oxide

Canadian CANDU (Canadian deuterium oxide) reactor

Boiling water reactors produce steam at top of the core area

Pressurized water reactors keep water from boilingMixed oxide (MOX) reactors contain both plutonium and

uranium oxides (make from old warheads)

Breeder reactors produce additional radioactive fuel that maybe used in conventional reactors (recyclable?)

Ft. Vrain CO HTG reactor shut down and converted to anatural gas plant

Fusion Reactors (based upon hydrogen) 2H2 into helium, 1He4Cold Fusion (Univ. of Utah mistake or worse?) could not be

replicated by anyone!

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7.3.1 Light Water Reactors

Ordinary, but pure, deionized (noncorrosive) water isused as a fuel core coolant

Some reactors have used liquid sodium metal as acoolant with a heat exchanger

The coolant flows around the fuel elements and carriesoff the heat

Heat exchangers prevent leakage of the radioactivewater into the steam turbines

The primary side water remains in liquid state due tohigh pressure

If the water area vents and goes dry, the core canmelt if the reaction isnt stopped in time (the ChinaSyndrome)

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7.3.1.1 St. Lucie Plant on Hutchinson Island FL

1680 MW Servicesmuch ofEasternFlorida

Oceanwatercooling exitsto lagoon On barrierislandsubject tohurricanewave

overwash090129

http://www.fmpa.com/html/power_supply/st_lucie.html

Uprating will take it to 2400 MW

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7.3.2 Boiling Water Reactors (BWR)

Boiling water reactors have part of the water as steam around the fuel

The water acts as a moderator to slow the neutrons to fission the uranium, while thesteam is less dense and doesnt moderate well

If overheating occurs, the steam pushes the water level lower, slows the reaction and is

protects the reactor090124

www.nrc.gov

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7.3.3 Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR)

Water is under high pressureso it cant flash into steam

The reaction is modifiedentirely by the control rods

040202http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/ops-experience/vessel-head-degradation/vessel-head-degradation-files/pwr-rx-vessel.html

www.nrc.gov

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7.3.4 CANDU Reactor

The Canadian heavy water (deuterium oxide, DO2)reactor can use unrefined uranium U238 as fuel

Canada, Argentina, and Pakistan use this reactor type

This avoids the expense of uranium enhancement, but

deuterium oxide must be separated from ordinary waterDeuterium occurs about once in 6500 molecules of

water

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7.3.5 Mixed Oxide Reactor

http://www.fepc.or.jp/english/nuclear_power/cycle/thermal.html090124

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7.3.6 Pebble-bed; Breeder reactor

Pebble-bed reactors use fuel/carbon/ceramic pelletssized like a billiard ball

The balls can be pushed through pipes into thereactor on top and removed at the bottom, thus noshutdowns are required; refueling is continuous

Breeder reactors produce more fissile fuel than theyconsume

The US (under Pres. Carters administration)presently prohibits breeder reactors because ofpotential weapons that could be made

President Bush was considering using breederreactors; President Obama decided against them

Without breeder reactors, uranium ore may bedepleted in ~50 - 80 years

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Hydrogen can be fused into helium yielding more energythan was required to create the fusion

The Shiva machine (named after the multiple-armedIndian Goddess) has 20 lasers that simultaneously strikea small plastic shell containing deuterium oxide to create

fusionImmense amounts of energy fire the 20 lasers

simultaneously to cause a negligible amount of fusionenergy

Remember EROEI, where a high

amount of energy must come outcompared to what went in for theconversion to be useful, but thisis the reverse so far

7.3.7 Fusion Reactors

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www.llnl.govhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva_laser

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7.3.7.1 New Fission/Fusion Reactor Studied

Compact Fusion Neutron SourceA new fusion-fission hybrid pairs

nuclearfission reactors with a

fusion reactor neutron source to

eliminate virtually all of their

waste and produce clean power,even with olderfission reactor

designs. (Source: Angela

Wong/University ofTexas at

Austin)

www.dailytech.com/New+FusionF

ission+System+Invented+Promis

es+Clean+Nuclear+Power/article

14081.htm

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7.4 The Fuel Cycle and the Spent Fuel Problem

Conventional reactors require 18-month refueling to remove 1/3

spent fuel and replace it with active fuel Spent fuel must be reprocessed to make more active fuel or be

stored in isolationNewly removed fuel is lowered into water tanks to allow

radioactivity to diminish safely with time ~2 years Intense radiation causes the blue luminescence of the

Cherenkov Effect; thus I claim nuclear-generated hydrogenis blue (fossil=black, wind or sun=green)

After several years, the fuel assemblies can be removed andplaced in casks for dry storage on site or elsewhere

A National Repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada intended toreceive fuel transported by train and truck

Not many voters in the lowest population state, but one isSen. Reid, the Democrat majority leader, who is blockingstorage there

This project is now dead (wasted effort and materials)

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7.4.1 Spent Fuel Diversion & Nuclear Weapons

In the FSU, there is concern that nuclear material may be diverted to

criminal or terrorist purposes

Nuclear weapons

Fission

Two subcritical masses are pushed together to critical mass

A surround of explosive detonates to compress the core to dense

critical mass Fusion

Atomic explosion initiates hydrogen fusion bomb

Electromagnetic Pulse Weapon

High altitude burst radiates EMP and damages electrical and

electronic equipment by induced voltage overload Neutron Bomb

Neutron pulse kills without building destruction [Jack Welch, GE]

Contamination by Dirty Bomb

Radioactive materials are spread by conventional explosive to causeterror and decontamination delays; more psychological effect

090124

Now I am become death, the destroyerof

worlds. Vishnu in Bhagavad Gita

- Robert Oppenheimer at the Trinity Site

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7.5 Reprocessing (Dilution)

The US buys excess nuclear weapon warhead materials fromRussia to reduce danger of leakage to terrorists

Reprocesses (mixes) the plutonium with uranium spentfuel to form reusable fuel that would be hard to separatefor future weapons use (remember the centrifuges?)

Reduces diversion or sale to terrorists or evil-doersTheyll buy from North Korea or Iran instead

Now, the problem is not traditional weapons but thecheap Dirty Bomb; processing is stirring and mixing

High explosive mixed with radioactive waste explodesto cast radioactive particles over a wide area

The degree of radioactivity isnt important (oldradioactive gloves and such would do), since terroristsseek terror, not necessarily death and injury

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7.6 Safety Record

US plants have a good safety recordThe Three-Mile Island gas venting event caused

disruption and evacuation, but no deaths or injuries

Core breaching or meltdown would have made this afar worse event! Very close to that happening

Chernobyl had a poor design that is not used in the US

31 died, and 35,000 (?) were predicted to have longterm radiation poisoning; cities relocated

Radioactivity released into the air was detected inNorway

Safety inspectors must report to the highest level oforganization; resident Federal inspectors must bepresent to check the commercial inspectors

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www.grida.no & AMAP

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7.6.1 Radioactive Plume Blown to NW

www.grida.no & AMAP 090124

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7.6.1.1 Three Mile Island, PA

Unit 2 still closed and defueled

Cemented in to seal it

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http://www.solcomhouse.com/tmi.htm

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7.6.2 Boric Acid Problem near Lake Erie, OH

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Boric acid (moderator) leaks were found under insulation; now fixed

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7.7 Risk Assessment (from Failure Analysis)

Risk assessment estimates the probable loss from varioussources and is based upon failure analysis

Risk = Probability of damage x dollar consequence of damage

Dropped Light Bulb Scenario:

Prob(event) = 1 in 1000 (guess based upon experience)

C = $0.37/bulb (in four-packs)

Risk = P x C = 0.001 x $0.37 = $0.00037 (skip insurance)

Armageddon (Bruce Willis) meteor strikes Pacific Ocean:

P = 10-12/year (wipes out Earth; my guess)

C = $10+24 (my wild guess; whats yours?)

Risk = $10+12/year (should we spend this $1 trillionannually to attempt to prevent disaster? How?)

Total all risks and rank them high $ to low $ for examination

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7.8 Conflicts and Controversy

Basic Anti-Nuc, Anti-war ideology drives protesters who have aseparate progressive/liberal/leftist agenda [in my humble opinion]

Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings ended World War II with lessloss of life than continuing the war

Anti-war activists attack nuclear energy and food preservationradiation for civilian use (Mulberry, Florida)

Cassini launch to Saturn was vociferously protested because ofthe 72.3 lb 238Pu radioisotope power source (invaded CCAFB andwere arrested); New Horizons launch was protested as well

Yucca Mt., NV attacked for seismic activity, heat, not good enoughfor 250,000 years storage of isotopes

Possibly future generations might recover the waste and changethe storage in 1000 years?

Safe or not? By what scoring? Who decides? Obama did, andstopped the project by executive order

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7.9 Advantages and Disadvantages

AdvantagesLow-cost electricity

due to Govt subsidies,services, & insurance

Provides baseloadconstant power tocarry most of the load

Clean power withoutair pollution (no CO2?)

Requires highly paidwork force (job votes)

Source of localtaxation revenue

DisadvantagesPotential for radiation

leakage and healtheffects

Possible terroristtarget

Useful just asthreat

Apparent cheap power

retards renewableenergy development

What to do with thespent fuel?

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7.10 Degree of Nuclear Use

Nuclear plants provide so much energy (~20%) thatthey cannot be discontinued quickly; replacementpower would be required first at high cost

Nuclear power primarily has a political problem and isopposed by strident antinuclear activists/protesters

Condo owner organizations next to St. Lucie Plantspoke in favor of relicensing citing Good Neighbor!

Miami area anti-nuke activist drew attention topotential fire in spent fuel pool if cooling water level

fell and pellet zirconium cladding fire resulted, thusspreading radiation

US nuclear plant construction likely to start againsince population growth demands more energy, and

natural gas prices will be higher in the future 070130

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7.10 US nuclear reactors are near user load centers

090124http://www.nrc.gov/info-finder/reactor/

Note reactors in Pres. Obamas home state of Illinois

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7.11 Shutdown Scenario for Anti-Nucs

Why not close down reactors right now? ! ?

Likely scenario that would follow:

Utilities warn public to cut energy use 20% immediately!

Public ignores warning; consumes as usual

Nuclear generators are taken off the Grid by law on stop date

Immediate Grid overload occurs (~20% of energy missing)

Electricity outages occur simultaneously across the entirecountry, not just as in the past Northeast states disruptions

Electric lighting, communication, refrigeration, trains, elevators,traffic lights, gas pumps, oxygen generators, etc. fail to operate

Back-up diesel generators use up reserve fuel in days

Civilization as we know it drops back to the 1700s, but withoutthe appropriate conveniences they were using back then

As widespread hunger spreads, pillaging mobs kill for food (andTVs), while soldiers shoot looters by thousands

So should we shut off nuclear reactors immediately?

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7.12 Future Trends in Nuclear Energy

Older plants (>40 years) must seek relicensing fromthe NRC to continue operation

The St. Lucie Nuclear Plant at Ft. Pierce FL wasrecently granted a 20-year license extension

Standardized plant designs speed construction and

increase safety; use additional reactor units asneeded

Nuclear energy will increase in the less-developedcountries in order to have long-term energy

Some countries may desire to create nuclear

weapons at the same time; e.g., North Korea,Iran?

Fusion reactors may become useful in the future butyears of research have only yielded less energy thanwas put in to the process --- I like our fusion sun!

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7.12.1 Future Trends in Nuclear Energy (Cont)

ITER (Latin for The Way, I T E Reactor)Produce 0.5 GW for 400 seconds!

Fuse deuterium and tritium to make H2 and emit aneutron

Seven countries researching fusion energy

Tokamak accelerator

Goal is >10 units of energy out for each unit in

Perhaps demo ready between 2030 to 2035 http://www.iter.org/default.aspx

http://www.pppl.gov/polImage.cfm?doc_Id=48&size_code=Doc

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7.C Conclusion

Nuclear plants provide a significant 20% of US energy

Some antinuclear organizations want all plants closedright now and vocally oppose them

Nuclear energy provides too much energy to readily

close them without a substitute (~1600 MW/plant) Nuclear energy may be a transitional approach from

fission plants to fusion plants some far away day

Nuclear plants likely will be built again since population

growth demands more energy, natural gas prices will behigher in the future, and fossil fuel plants pollute

Wind energy is the closest renewable, since majorhydro is difficult (see Chinas Three Gorges Dam)

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Olin Engineering Complex 4.7 kW Solar PV Roof Array

080116

Questions?

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7.B References: Books

Glasstone, Samuel. The Effects of Nuclear Weapons. 1950 out of print, ~$315.

Brower, Michael. Cool Energy. Cambridge MA: The MIT Press, 1992. 0-262-02349-0,TJ807.9.U6B76, 333.7940973.

Duffie, John and William A. Beckman. Solar Engineering of Thermal Processes. NY:John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 920 pp., 1991

Gipe, Paul. Wind Energy for Home & Business. White River Junction, VT: ChelseaGreen Pub. Co., 1993. 0-930031-64-4, TJ820.G57, 621.45

Patel, Mukund R. Wind and Solar Power Systems. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 1999, 351pp. ISBN 0-8493-1605-7, TK1541.P38 1999, 621.312136

Srensen, Bent. Renewable Energy, Second Edition. San Diego: Academic Press,2000, 911 pp. ISBN 0-12-656152-4.

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7.R References: Websites, etc.

www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/chapter13.html

http://fsv.homestead.com/FSVHistory.htmlhttp://eia.doe.gov/cneaf/nuclear/page/nuc_reactors/superla.htmlhttp://www.fpl.com/environment/nuclear/nuclear_power_serves_you.shtml

______________________________________________________________

__

mailto:energyresources@egroups.com

www.dieoff.org. Site devoted to the decline ofenergy and effects uponpopulation

www.ferc.gov/ Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

www.google.com/search?q=%22renewable+energy+course%22

solstice.crest.org/

dataweb.usbr.gov/html/powerplant_selection.html

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusion_power

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Slide stockpile follows!

Older slides follow this one.Look at these ifyou have

interest or time. Its difficult

to decide what to leave outofthe lecture to save time!