Exploring Nuclear Energy

Nuclear Fusion and Fission Nuclear Fission Small nuclei into large Immense temperature and pressure Core of stars Large nuclei into small Critical mass to sustain Two isotopes we use Iron is the “dead end” of both fusion and fission – it is the lowest energy nucleus and cannot be split or fused.

Global Total Primary Energy Supply, 2012 Nuclear provides about 5% of total energy and 10.8% of global electricity generation. Since the Fukushima Daiichi accident in 2009, world nuclear power production has gone down. In 2009, 13.1% of electricity worldwide was produced by nuclear power. In 2011 that number had dropped to 10.8%. Data: International Energy Agency

Top 10 Nuclear Generating Countries, 2013 The United States generates more electricity from nuclear than any other country. However for some countries like France, nuclear energy makes up a higher percentage of the country’s electricity production. Data: Energy Information Administration

U.S. Primary Energy Consumption Source and Sector, 2013 (Quadrillion Btu) Nuclear makes up a relatively small chunk of our energy consumption nationally. Other non-renewables make up the largest portion of our energy picture. Nuclear is used only to generate electricity, however, while other sources can have multiple uses.

U.S. Electricity Production 2013 Nuclear energy accounts for a sizeable chunk of U.S. electricity production. Uranium costs are relatively low and uranium is abundant. However nuclear plants are more expensive to build and have many regulatory and licensing procedures to go through before building. Data provided by US EIA Net Generation by Energy Source

U.S. Electricity Flow 2013 Quadrillion Btu Data: Energy Information Administration

Nuclear Energy Production Percent Electricity Generated by Nuclear Power VT 73.76% MN 20.52% NH 56.72% NE 20.06% SC 56.07% MS 19.91% NJ 51.15% AR 18.38% IL 49.16% WI 18.32% CT 47.29% LA 16.40% VA 41.46% KS 16.14% MD 37.73% OH 12.43% TN 36.66% FL 12.00% PA 35.23% MA 11.96% NC 34.49% IA 9.39% NY 32.97% MO 9.11% AZ 28.34% CA 8.98% GA 26.90% TX 8.91% MI 26.74% WA 7.24% AL 26.70% lthough the national percentage of nuclear generated electricity is 19.2%, it varies from state to state. Geography often plays a part in where nuclear energy can be produced. Nuclear plants are often sited near a water source, like a lake or river. Regulations stipulate how much land and what features must surround the plant. Data: Nuclear Energy Institute

Anatomy of a Nuclear Power Plant The pressurized water reactor (PWR) is the most common type of commercial reactor design used worldwide. It has primary, secondary, and external heat exchange systems and is pressurized to prevent water from boiling in the reactor. Pressurized steam is piped into the reactor. Fission is taking place in the fuel rods within this reactor. The steam passing through the reactor is super heated. The super heated pressurized steam then travels to the steam generator to heat a secondary water system. The steam produced there travels through a steam line to the turbine to turn the generator and create electricity. Unused steam continues to a condenser where water from the environment condenses it back into liquid water. The cooling water in the environment never comes into contact with the steam so it is safe to return to the environment. The newly condensed water can be pumped back into the containment building and reheated in the steam generator to start the process over again. The pressurized steam loops back from the steam generator to the reactor to be super heated again. Source: NRC

Anatomy of a Nuclear Power Plant A Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) is less common. In this design there is only one loop for the water to travel from the reactor to the turbine, whereas with the PWR there is a secondary loop. In this model, water is pumped into the reactor creating steam and hot water that will turn the turbine attached to the generator to generate electricity. The unused steam/water mixture travels to the condenser and is condensed by water from the environment. The cooling water in the environment never comes into contact with the steam so it is safe to return to the environment. The resulting water in the condenser is pumped back into the reactor vessel to begin the process again. Source: NRC

Advantages of Nuclear Power Clean Plentiful Supply High energy content in uranium Small fuel pellet Can provide base load power Energy savings in transportation Operating cost is low after construction Nuclear power plants do not emit carbon dioxide. No products are burned. Emissions released by a nuclear power plant are water vapor. There is a large supply of nuclear fuel (Uranium) and costs are low to retrieve it. Nuclear can provide power quickly when other sources are down.

Drawbacks to Using Nuclear Power Initial construction costs Radioactive waste byproduct Storage Natural disasters Public perception It takes longer to build a nuclear plant than coal or natural gas plant. Overall costs can be high and often construction can be politically charged. Waste (spent fuel) and radiation must be contained and must be handled safely and securely. Public concerns center around radiation, waste containment, and proliferation.

New Nuclear Technologies Modular, small-scale reactors Breeder reactors http://www.energy.gov/science-innovation/energy-sources/nuclear Image courtesy of Department of Energy Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are nuclear power plants that are smaller in size (300 MWe or less) than current generation base load plants (1,000 MWe or higher). These smaller, compact designs are factory-fabricated reactors that can be transported by truck or rail to a nuclear power site and are built mostly underground. These reactors are built to withstand major environmental events, and even plane crashes! These modules reduce construction time, capital costs, increase flexibility of siting, and allow for multiple generation sources on one site. Breeder reactors could increase the amount of energy extracted from Uranium while reducing the amount of radioactive waste products.

Food for thought… Of the 15 methods (wedges) proposed by a Princeton University study to stabilize Carbon Dioxide emissions, 13 of them relate energy use. Implementation of any 7 would accomplish the goal of stabilizing emissions. 1. Efficient vehicles 2. Reduced use of vehicles 3. Efficient buildings 4. Efficient coal power plants 5. Gas instead of coal power plants 6. Capture CO2 at base load power plant 7. Nuclear power for coal power 8. Wind power for coal power 9. Photovoltaic power for coal power 10. Capture CO2 at H2 plant 11. Capture CO2 at coal-to-synfuels plant 12. Wind H2 in fuel-cell car for gasoline in hybrid car 13. Biomass fuel for fossil fuel

For More Information The NEED Project www.need.org info@need.org 1-800-875-5029 Energy Information Administration U.S. Department of Energy www.eia.gov