1. 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.

2. The Controlled Fission Reaction

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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.

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

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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

13. 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.

14. Nuclear Waste ROCK MINE ROCK CONTAINER