March 11, 2011
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster
World’s most expensive natural disaster$300,000,000,000
What happened at Fukushima?Nuclear power plant survived a huge Pacific
earthquake.
This wave of water knocked out the nuclear power plant
generators and water cooling system.
Earthquake created a monster tsunami (wave).
This resulted in a full meltdown of several of itssix reactors
Accident received the highest rating on theInternational Nuclear Event Scale (7) .
Nuclear Energy
There are currently 432 nuclear power plants around the world.
Nuclear is clean(very few toxic gas emissions)
80% of electricity in France is nuclear.
Nuclear Energy
Energy released when an atom is either
split (fission) or combines with another
atom (fusion).
Nuclear FissionReaction that occurs when a neutronbreaks the nucleus of an atom apart
releasing smaller particles.
1 lb. of uranium ore produces the sameamount of energy as 100,000 lbs. of coal
The Fission Reaction
A chain reaction releases about 10 million moretimes of heat than burning fossil fuels.
A nuclear power plant is really verySimilar to a coal-burning plant.
1. Fission of UR results in energy released as heat
2. Heat converts water into steam
3. Steam drives a turbine
4. Turbine powers the generator
5. Generator creates electricity for the grid
Nuclear power plants use phenomenal amounts of water to cool the fuel rods and create steam. The ‘smoke’ seen here is really steam released
from the cooling tower.
Major Nuclear Disasters
1. 1979. Three Mile Island. PN, USA2. 1986. Chernobyl, USSR
3. 2011. Fukushima, Japan
Materials with low levels of radiationCan be safely buried
USA produces 100,000 tons/year
Low-Level Radioactive Waste
High-Level Radioactive Waste
From spent fuel rods and nuclear weapons
USA produces 2000 tons/yearNo long-term storage plan