NUCLEAR ENERGY

Nuclear power comes from fission or fusion reactions of atoms that are released in huge amounts of energy used to produce electricity.

• THE NUCLEAR FISSION

– THE NUCLEAR FISSION is a nuclear reaction in which the nucleus of an atom splits into smaller parts, often producing free neutrons and lighter nuclei. It can release large amounts of energy.

• THE NUCLEAR FUSION

• Instead , the nuclear fusion is the collision of two light nuclei to form a heavier one, releasing a certain amount of energy.

• The most frecuent system for generating nuclear energy uses uraniaum as a fuel. In fact, we use the isotope 235 of the uranium which is subjected to a nuclear fission in the reactors.

• Uranium ore is found in nature in limited quantities. It isn’t a renewable resource.

VIDEO OF THE NUCLEAR FISSIONVIDEO OF THE NUCLEAR FISSION

• There are important deposits of this ore in North America (27.4%), Africa (33%) and Australia (22.5%).

THE FIRST NUCLEAR POWER

STATION

• The first nuclear station wich generate electricit for commercial use, was started in England in 1956.

• In 1990 there were 420 commercial nuclear reactors in 25 countries producing 17% of the world's electricity.

PARTS OF THE NUCLEAR POWER STATION.

• A nuclear power station has four parts:– The reactor, where the fission

occurs in.– The steam generator: the heat

produced by fission is used to boil water and this creates steam.

– The turbine which produces electricity when the steam makes it turn.

– The condenser cools the steam,

turning it into liquid water.

PROTECTION OF THE NUCLEAR REACTOR

• In the typical nuclear plants the reactor’s nucleus is placed in a giant steel vessel that is designed so that if an accident occurs the radiation doesn’t pollute the environment. This vessel along with the steam generator are placed in a building with great security measures including concrete walls from one to two meters thick designed to support earthquakes, hurricanes and up to collisions of planes.

• One of the advantages: LESS POLLUTANT than fossil fuels. Comparatively, nuclear power stations emit very few pollutants to the atmosphere

• Problems of radioactive pollution.

• In a nuclear power plant that works corretly the emission of radioactivety is minimum and perfectly tolerable, since it is kept within the range of natural radiation wich exists in the biosphere.

• ACCIDENTS THAT CAN HAPPEN:• A typical nuclear power plant cannot explode as if it

were an atomic bomb; but when by an accident great temperatures is produced within the reactor, the metal that surround the uranium is melt down and radiation is emitted.

• The probability that such accidents might happend is very low, but when they occur their aftermarth is very serious, because radioactivity causes great damage.

• THERE HAVE BEEN 2 NUCLEAR ACCIDENTS• Three Mile Island - USA • In 1979

• Chernobyl • 26 April 1986

• The core of the reactor sufferes a partial fusion, and thanks to the ocrrect functioning og the protection building there was onlya minimum og dangerous radioactive leakage, wich didn’t cause any damage whatsoever.

• It was proved thet the security measures applied in well biult nuclear power stations operate correctly.

•It was the worst accident that has ever happened in a nuclear power plant. • That day several explosions inside one of the nuclear reactors spewes great amounts of radioactive material into the atmosphere.• This radiation affected not only the nearby but also spread over vast extensions of the Northern Hemisphere, affecting countries of the former USSR and Northern Europe.

• Two features make nuclear wastes unique:

• Their great dangerousness. Very small amounts may cause radiation doses hazardous to human health.

• Their lifespan. Some of this isotopes remain emitting radiation thousands and tens of thousands of years.

• Spanish nuclear power stations produced in 1998 a total of 59,002 GigaWatts/hour (GW/h) of electricity.

• In 1.999 a total of 58.852 GW/h. • This amount means approximately

30% of the global production of electricity in Spain.

CENTRAL’S NAME

PROVINCE POWER ANTIQUITY

Ascó I Tarragona 979 1.984

Ascó II Tarragona 1.014,8 1.986

Almaraz I Badajoz 973,3 1.983

Almaraz II Cáceres 982,6 1.984

Trillo Guadalajara 1.066 1.988

Vandellós II Tarragona 1.081,7 1.988

Sta. María de Garoña Burgos 466 1.971

Cofrentes Valencia 1.025,4 1.985

Zorita Guadalajara 160 1969

NUCLEAR BOMB’S EXPLOSION

PROTESTS AGAINST THE NUCLEAR ENERGY

• 1.- None of problems of the nuclear plants is

significant. There are 441 reactors operating in the world, and in 5 decades there has only been a serious accident, Chernobyl.

• 2.-. Radioactive wastes outdo thermal power stations in that they are punctually localizated and those aren’t spread into the atmosphere.

• 3.- Military or terrorist usage of nuclear technology is much more controllable than others wich are both simpler and equaly deadly, such as some biological and chemical technologies.

• 4.- The solution is to consume less energy and balance the number of inhabitans of the planet.

• 5.- Then, develop multiple of nuclear ways of producing electric energywich has been restrained, such as the usage of the Thorium.

• 6.- Of the so-called renewable energy, the only one wich is viable is the solar, thermal or photovoltaic, but due is small perfonmance, it will alwais be supplementary.

• 7.- It’s an enigma that the rejection of nuclear power is identified with progressisim. Oil is far more reactionaru than the atomic core.

• 1. Nuclear power is very dangerous• 2Nuclear power is the dirtiest.• 3. Nuclear power is one that generates less

employment.• 4. The nuclear energy it’s very expensive.• 5. Nuclear power is not needed

• 6. Nuclear power is no solution to climate change.

• 7. Nuclear power doesn’t generate energy independence.

• 8. Nuclear power also ends.• 9. Nuclear power has no social support.• 10. Nuclear power is incompatible with a

sustainable energy model.