Nuclear Power Plants  There are over 500 worldwide that produce 1/6 of the world’s power.  In the U.S. there are over 100 and they produce about 20% of our power.  Illinois has the largest number of power plants than any other single state with 6.

The Controlled Fission Reaction

Elements of a Power Plant Element Containment Building  3 foot steel reinforced concrete walls  12 foot thick concrete foundation Function 1. Protects public from internal problems 2. Protects from sabotage 3. Contains radiation

Elements of a Power Plant ElementReactor  Fuel rods - 12 foot long thin rods made of fuel pellets made of 4% Uranium-235 (15 mill. in a reactor) Function 1. Provides the fuel that heats up the moderator (water) into steam.

Elements of a Power Plant ElementReactor  Moderator - in the U.S. it is water. In Russia it is graphite. Function 1. Slows down the neutrons. 2. Shields against radiation. 3. Provides a cooling effect to the fuel rods.

Elements of a Power Plant ElementReactor  Control rods - cadmium (Cd) or Boron (B). Function 1. Neutron “poisons.” 2. Absorbs neutrons.

Elements of a Power Plant Element Steam Generator  Contains an isolated water loop that has a heat exchanger (about 600  F and 1,000 psi). Function 1. Heats up the water to steam that turns the turbine, cools to water and then reheats to steam.

Elements of a Power Plant Element The Turbine  A large fan that turns at 1,800 rpm.  Handles 15 million lbs of water per hour. Function 1. Converts steam into mechanical power by the rotation of the fan blades.

Elements of a Power Plant Element Electrical Generator  Capable of 1.5 million horsepower. Function 1. Converts the mechanical power of the rotating shaft to electrical power through the spinning of wires in magnets.

Elements of a Power Plant ElementCondenser  Contains an isolated water loop that has a heat exchanger that removes heat. Function 1. Cools steam down to 120  F so that it can recycle.

Elements of a Power Plant Element Cooling Loop  Cooling lake or tower (500 feet high) that cools 750,000 gallons per minute. Function 1. Cools the cooling water so that the steam can continue to be cooled.

Nuclear Waste  Waste Storage  Nuclear Reactors  Each year 1/3 of the reactors fuel is changed.  This equals about 30 tons per year per reactor.  100 reactors * 30 tons = 3,000 tons of spent fuel per year that needs to be disposed of.  Military Waste  3,000 tons of waste per year  Millions of tons of lower level wastes

Nuclear Waste  What do we do with all this waste that is radioactive for thousands of years?  This waste is hot both temperature and radioactivity.  Currently  Must be cooled for 7-10 years.  By law, it is stored on site in boronated water.  Other possibilities  Vitrify wastes and bury it deep in a mine.  Currently, Nevadan desert is a top prospect.

Nuclear Waste ROCK MINE ROCK CONTAINER