Power Plant Construction and QA/QC Section 1.4– Nuclear Energy Engineering Technology Division

2 Overview Introduction Purpose Fission Process Current Reactor Types Uranium Fuel Processing Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing Future - Nuclear Fusion Section 1.4– Nuclear Energy

3 Purpose of Nuclear Energy First Purpose was for Nuclear Medicine

4 Section 1.4– Nuclear Energy Purpose of Nuclear Energy Second Purpose was for weapons – used 1945

5 Section 1.4– Nuclear Energy Purpose of Nuclear Energy Third Purpose was for Electrical Generation – 5/60

6 Fission Process Section 1.4– Nuclear Energy 1.Thermal Neutron generated from fission or decay 2.Thermal Neutron absorbed by 92 U 235 or 93 Pu Compound (or excited) 92 U 235 or 93 Pu Atom splits creating two fragments – mass conversion to energy. 5.Fast neutron produced. 6.Fast neutron has thermalized 7.Thermal Neutron absorbed by 92 U 235 or 93 Pu Fission fragment decays 9.First excited daughter decays 10.Fast neutron produced 11.Fast neutron absorbed by 92 U Heat Decay Fast Slow FastSlow Forced vs. Natural

7 Reactor Types Section 1.4– Nuclear Energy PWR – Light Water – US - Westinghouse, Framatome PWR – Heavy Water – CANDU - Canada BWR – Light Water – US - GE, Toshiba RBMK – Light Water Graphite – Soviet Union (now Russia) GCR – Gas Cooled Reactor – England LMFBR – Liquid Metal (Sodium) Breeder – United States LMFBR – Liquid Metal (Lead) Breeder – Soviet Union (Russia) MSRE – Molten Salt – Spain – Operation, US - Testing PBR – Pebble Bed – US Lead Design Natural Reactor – Oklo mine in Gabon, West Africa Fission Reactor – The Sun

8 Fuel Processing - US Uranium Locations Section 1.4– Nuclear Energy

9 Fuel Processing - Overview

10 Section 1.4– Nuclear Energy Fuel Processing – End product Each Pellet ◦ 2.5 tons of Wood ◦ 1 ton of Coal ◦ 17,000 cubic feet of Natural Gas ◦ 3 barrels of Oil (42 gallons each) Uranium Oxide (Yellow Cake)

11 Section 1.4– Nuclear Energy Fuel Processing – Packaging

12 Section 1.4– Nuclear Energy Fuel Reprocessing

13 Future Nuclear - Fusion Section 1.4– Nuclear Energy Tritium + Deuterium = Helium + Neutron Fusion Energy = Energy (.027 amu)

14 Questions? Section 1.4– Nuclear Energy