2. Nuclear Power

3. What is nuclear energy? Power plants use heat to produce electricity. Nuclear energy produces electricity from heat through a process called fission. Nuclear power plants use the heat produced by fission of certain atoms. 1. Nuclear fission nucleus of atom is split into parts, produces free neutrons and energy

4. Nuclear Fuel: Uranium 2. Uranium-235 Fission Fission of U-235 splits nucleus in two pieces releases neutrons for chain reaction Nuclear fission chain reaction  releases energy in the form of heat The fuel used in nuclear power plants is an isotope of the radioactive element uranium http://www.ecolo.org/photos/uranium/uranium-black.jpg 92 U Uranium

5. Nuclear Reactors 3. Nuclear Reactor 3. Nuclear Reactor  device built to sustain a controlled nuclear fission chain reaction www.pbase.com/pbrakke/image/44279993 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Crocus-p1020491.jpg Main Components of Nuclear Reactor: - reactor vessel - tubes of uranium - control rods - containment structure control rods control radioactivity, absorbs neutrons Containment structure contains the reaction in at least 3 feet of concrete!

6. Nuclear Reactors Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) A Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) keeps water under pressure so that it heats up but doesn’t boil. Water from the reactor and water that is turned into steam are in separate pipes Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) A Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) uses the heat from fission to heat water until it boils. The water from the reactor and that water that is turned into steam are the same In the U.S. there are two different types of nuclear reactors… http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/students/reactors.html

7. The Nuclear Power Plant Fission occurs in the reactor vessel. Heat is produced. The heat is used to heat water to create steam The steam is used to turn the turbine in the generator to produce electricity The steam is cooled in the condenser to return to the liquid phase. 4. Nuclear power plant 4. Nuclear power plant consists of all the parts needed to create electricity by using nuclear energy

8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0VjHg0juz4 Video: How a pressurized water nuclear reactor (pwr) works

9. 1. nuclear fission 2. Uranium-235 3. nuclear reactor 4. nuclear power plant Key Components of Nuclear Energy

10. - U.S. produces about 31% of world’s nuclear power - consumes about 22% WI - 2 nuclear power plants, Kewaunee and Point Beach 20% of WI’s energy is from nuclear power Kewaunee Power Plant Carlton, WI Point Beach Nuclear Power Plant Two Rivers, WI Nuclear Power Production in Wisconsin

11. Three Mile Island Pennsylvania, USA

12. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBNM3GLzvzo The American Experience’s Meltdown at Three Mile Island