What's Nuclear Energy? And Nuclear Power?

" ... a way of creating heat through the fission process of atoms, in which atoms releases neutrons and substantial energy. This reaction generate heat, where all power plants convert heat into electricity using steam, which is used to turn the turbine.




It also releases energy in the form of heat. The released neutrons can then repeat the process. This releases even more neutrons and more nuclear energy. The repeating of the process is called a chain reaction. In a nuclear power plant, uranium is the material used in the fission process.

Nuclear power plants use the amazing power of the atom to generate electricity with a very low fuel cost and much less pollution than fossil fuel plants. However, the planning, building, and operating of a nuclear power plant is a long, costly, and very complex process.

Nuclear reactors produce about 20% of the electricity in the USA. There are over 400 power reactors in the world (about 100 of these are in the USA). They produce base-load electricity 24/7 without emitting any pollutants into the atmosphere (this includes CO2). They do, however, create radioactive nuclear waste that must be stored carefully.

Why does splitting a Uranium atom release energy?

- Energy is related to mass
- When Uranium atom split, it releases 2 or 3 neutrons
- The combined mass of those neutrons is 99.9 percent of the original atom
- (The other O.1 percent get converted to energy)
- Released as gamma rays (cause burns, cancer and genetic mutations in living things)

When the idea for nuclear power plants first came out, the Atomic Energy Commision (AEC) claimed that it would be a cheap way of generating electricity. Compared with fossil fuel power plants, nuclear power plants use very little fuel, so the cost is small, but is made up in other areas. The AEC was wrong. In fact, up till today, nuclear power plants cost just as much to biuld and run as coal plants do.

Weighing the scale

PROS

• -Produce no soot and greenhouse gases(Clean atmosphere, cause no global warming) in power generation
• -Reduce Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere
• -Provide much more energy than fossil fuels.
• - low operating cost
• - Large power generating capacity
• -Little fuel needed ; long-term usage- less vulnerable to shortages of fuels
• - Safest methods of producing energy
• -Low fuel cost

From: CLIMATE CHAOS(book)
Cindy L. Parker, MD,MPH, and Steven M.Shapiro PhD

Nuclear Energy(pg 144,145)

Cons

• Building the nuclear plant requires massive amount of cement and other construction materials

• The production and transportation of materials to the plant site release large amounts of carbon

• Nuclear power requires high-grade uranium

• Estimated to be enough for 60 to 70 years at current rates of generation.

• Once high-grades uranium are gone, we need to use low-grades uranium which need more energy, that will produce carbon emissions

• When the nuclear plant reaches end of life, it must be carefully dismantled (the process release carbon again)

• Adding up all the amount carbon released, it will equal back to same amount as wind-produced energy and that’s only if the high-grade uranium is available

• If high-grade uranium is gone, carbon released will equal back to carbon released by the natural gas-fired power plants

• Nuclear power plants require more water than coal-fired power plants( Water used for cooling, warm water won’t do the job)

• It’ll be a problem if the world becomes a drought-stricken,warmer world

• Solar & wind-generated electricity only require minuscule amount of water

• Nuclear energy creates radioactive waste that will remain deadly for eons which must be transported to a repository

• Nuclear power plant is likely to be targeted by terrorists

• Authorities would have to worry about the materials found in nuclear power plants as people can create weapons for mass destruction

Should there be a Nuclear plant in Singapore?

First we need to find out now a Nuclear Power plant works....

There're two types of Nuclear reactors: The Boiling water reactor below..

where the water heated by fission actually boils and turns into steam to turn the generator..

And the Pressurised water reactor..

where they keep water under pressure so that it heats but does not boil. Water from the reactor and the water that is turned into steam are in separate pipes and never mix.


Since the fission process creates radioactivity, all nuclear power plants must have many safety systems that protect workers, the public and the environment. For example, systems allow the fission process to be stopped and the reactor to be shut down quickly. Other systems cool the reactor and carry heat away from it or barriers to keep the radioactivity from escaping into the environment.


In reactors, radiation is contained inside small ceramic pellets about the size of an adult's finger. They are placed in long metal rods inside a reactor vessel, which is enclosed in a concrete and steel containment building.

The Chernobyl Disaster!
-
The operating crew was planning to test whether the turbines could produce sufficient energy to keep the coolant pumps running in the event of a loss of power until the emergency diesel generator was activated.
To prevent any interruptions to the power of the reactor, the safety systems were deliberately switched off. To conduct the test, the reactor had to be powered down to 25 percent of its capacity. This procedure did not go according to plan and the reactor power level fell to less than 1 percent. The power therefore had to be slowly increased. But 30 seconds after the start of the test, there was an unexpected power surge. The reactor's emergency shutdown (which should have halted a chain reaction) failed.
The reactor's fuel elements ruptured and there was a violent explosion. The 1000-tonne sealing cap on the reactor building was blown off. At temperatures of over 2000°C, the fuel rods melted. The graphite covering of the reactor then ignited. The graphite burned for nine days, churning huge quantities of radiation into the environment. The accident released more radiation than the deliberate dropping of a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima, Japan in August 1945.






Nuclear energy is a very dangerous source of energy. Radiation caused by the atoms will affect each and everyone in Singapore as it is a small island. People will have to live miles away from nuclear power plant to be safe and there are just no space in Singapore. Even then, people would die from cancer caused by radiation.


Here are some different views from important government officials :





Just like President Obama said, even though nuclear energy does not produce greenhouse gases and is environmental friendly, we cannot ensure that the nuclear waste will be stored safely.


As a resident living in Singapore, what do you think? Shall we keep up with the latest technology and expose ourselves to inevitable incidents that will affect the whole of Singapore, or dismiss the idea and avail ourselves to different types of clean energy with regard to our safety and the future generation?

Alternative Energy Sources

There are alternative sources of energy that we can use. It does not have to be nuclear energy.



1) Bio-mass Energy
Biomass energy is the conversion of stored energy in burning dead materials into energy that we can use. Thus, burning wood is a method of producing biomass energy. There is a broad category of things we can burn. Wood, crops and crop waste, and wastes of plant, mineral, and animal matter comprise much of an area's biomass. All these contains stored energy. Also, high energy crops can be used as fuel develops. In fact, biomass has many possibilites as a renewable energy source. The burning process produced steam, which is used to turn the turbine to generate electricity.

2) Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy is the usage of Earth's hot centre to harness energy. Pipes are drilled deep into the ground which allows hot air to rise up to the surface of Earth. The pressure of the hot air will be able to turn the turbine, which then generates electricity.

3) Wind Energy

Wind energy is used normally during the winter, when the wind is strong. The strong wind will cause the blades of windmill to turn. The windmill is connected to a turbine, which turns as the windmill turns, generating electricity in the process.

4) Solar Energy

Solar energy uses large sheets of mirrors or reflectors known as solar panels, which concentrated the heat and light from the sun to extremely intense levels of heat. The heat is then directed to containers of liquid, causing steam to be produced. The steam is then used to turn the turbine to generate electricity.

5) Hydroelectric Energy

Hydroelectric energy 'spins' electricity from the strong waves of reservoirs. There is are two gates to the turbine, one in which water flows in at regular intervals to turn the turbine and the other for water to flow out. The pressure from the water will be able to turn the turbine, thus generating electricity.

6)Wave Energy

Wave energy uses the pressure of air forced in and out of a chamber to turn the turbine. Just like in a swimming pool, there is air pressure which causes the ripples in the water. A turbine is placed in the chamber and when the air is forced in, it turns the turbine.

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In conclusion, the chances of using Nuclear Energy might increase with time and advancement in technology but both for our safety's sake and significant other reasons aforementioned, we simply couldn't afford to risk it at this moment.

Will you join us in the fight against Nuclear Energy in saving Gaia?
or at least, Singapore?

Acknowledgments

Comics: http://www.bitstripsforschools.com/

Web: http://www.whatisnuclear.com/articles/nucenergy.html
http://www.westinghousenuclear.com/Community/WhatIsNuclearEnergy.shtm

http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2005/07/68074?currentPage=all
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/students.html

http://www.triplepundit.com/2009/02/nuclear-energy-pros-and-cons/
http://members.tripod.com/funk_phenomenon/nuclear/procon.htm

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/nuclear/nomorechernobyls/what-happened-in-chernobyl/

Books:
CLIMATE CHAOS
Cindy L. Parker, MD,MPH, and Steven M.Shapiro PhD

Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/