2- Why nuclear energy? | |
| World reserves of coal are, in theory, large enough to produce the electricity we shall need for more than a hundred years. However, it is likely that more and more of the coal mined in the future will be converted into ... read more | |
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a) Economics The difference in fuel requirements between coal fired and nuclear power stations also affects their economics. The cost of fuel for a nuclear power station is very much less than for an equivalent coal fired power station, ... read more | |
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b) Electricity generation - the future fuel mix For most countries the questions that need to be answered are: What are our likely electricity requirements? What forms of generation are available to us? Which combination will affordably provide our needs with maximum security,.... read more | |
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c) Alternatives to nuclear electricity No technology is absolutely safe or without environmental effects. We should therefore compare the production of electricity from nuclear energy with the other ... read more source:http://nuclear-radiation.blogspot.com/2009/12/why-nuclear-energy-nuclear-power.html |
28 déc. 2009
Why nuclear energy ? / Nuclear power / nuclear-radiation.blogspot.com
Sources of pollution / Environmental pollution
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| We have seen in that natural radionuclides pervade our environment. This chapter deals with the artificial radionuclides that have been widely dispersed by events such as tests of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere and the Chemobyl accident and by the deliberate discharge of radioactive wastes from nuclear and other installations. Such radionuclides find their way from air and water onto the ground and into foodstuffs and so deliver radiation doses in various ways to human beings. | |
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The release of radionuclides to the environment can occur according to the following : -Rain washing radioactive materials out of the air -External radiation direct from cloud -External dose direct from radioactive materials deposited on the ground -Internal dose from eating and drinking radioactive materials in food -Internal dose from water intake. | |
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2) Nuclear weapon tests
3) Nuclear Accidents
6) Transport of radioactive materials
7) Radioactive Dispersal Devices
| As we have seen (and will see from other examples in later chapters), areas in various parts of the world have become contaminated with radionuclides as a result of various human activities. In cases where the level of contamination is high, measures might be needed to ensure that the area is safe for people to live or use for other purposes. For small areas, it might be possible to do this by removing contaminated soil and other materials, but for large areas the amount of material would be too large. Other ways of protecting people include restrictions on access to or use of areas, for example, preventing house building on areas affected by mining wastes that could produce high radon levels. Chemical treatments can also be used to reduce the amount of activity that gets from soil into food. Examples of this include giving 'Prussian blue' - a chemical that increases the rate at which caesium is excreted by the cow so that it does not get into milk and meat -to cows grazing on contaminated grass in the Chernobyl area and treating the soil on Bikini Island with potassium to stop the trees absorbing caesium. | |
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| With the exception of some military facilities and those mentioned above, no other facilities that discharge artificial radionuclides to the environment cause doses much above 0.02 mSv in a year to the most exposed people; nor do they make a significant contribution to collective dose. On average, therefore, the maximum effective dose from the discharge of artificial radionuclides, other than some military facilities, is about 0.14 mSv in a year and the collective effective dose about 5000 man Sv in a year or 0.001 mSv when averaged throughout the entire global population. |
Nuclear power Nuclear power / Safety applications of radiation
Nuclear power is generated using Uranium, which is a metal mined in various parts of the world.
The first large-scale nuclear power station opened at Calder Hall in Cumbria, England, in 1956.
Some military ships and submarines have nuclear power plants for engines.
Nuclear power produces around 11% of the world's energy needs, and produces huge amounts of energy from small amounts of fuel, without the pollution that you'd get from burning fossil fuels.