Nuclear Energy: Fuel Sources, Reactions, and Safety Concerns - Prof. Douglas Crowe, Study notes of Geology

Download Nuclear Energy: Fuel Sources, Reactions, and Safety Concerns - Prof. Douglas Crowe and more Study notes Geology in PDF only on Docsity! Geology: Fuel Sources 1900-2050 Bridge 2150 Petroleum Age Coal (2.4-4 death/mp) Alternative, Fusion Nuclear (0.2 deaths/mp) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fission: split a nucleus into similar nuclei Fusion: join smaller nuclei into one larger nucleus, releasing heat Chain Reactions: atoms fissioned to stream off neutrons that release heat. This makes them too hot to fisson again (must cool them down!)  reaction needs to be MODERATED!!!  Neutrons need to be cooled down in order to react again (control rods)  US/World: uses water as moderator!! o When the core gets too warms, the water boils away and the reactor slows down  Russia uses Graphite! (solid) o If it gets too hot in the core of the reactor, the block of graphite will not limit the reaction, therefore not slowing it down  Control Rods: in order to stop reaction, you need to insert control rods! o “Poisons”: they snuff out chain reactions o Like huge barriers made of B, Li, Hf, Cd, etc. between the fuel rods that stops the neutron flow Why nuclear reactors explode: reactors lack critical mass! Nuclear Accidents! (dangers and advantages)  TMI o Human Error: yes o Technical Problems: water from the core was pumped to an adjacent building not designed to handle water from the core, which was pumped back into core o Other Stuff: no loss of containment  Chernobyl o Human Error: yes (didn’t know what to do and ran it at 110%) o Technical Problems: overheated water, caused H₂ to form, BOOM graphite caught on fire o Other Stuff: lost containment