NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
CLICK here :-NUCLEAR ENERGY
An overview of Nuclear Power Plants:-
Nuclear power plants generate electricity by using steam to make large, propeller-shaped blades turn, spinning the shaft of the generator. Inside this huge structure, wire coils and magnetic fields combine to create electricity.
Uranium is nit burned during the process. Instead, heat is produced during fission(splitting an atom). The fuel used is in the form of a pellet, which is approximately half an inch long and the same diameter as a piece of blackboard chalk.
•Safety Hazards in a Nuclear Power Plant:Keeping risks to a Minimum.
A Nuclear power plant is a secure facility. These installations are continuously patrolled by security personnel. Access to the plant is controllled, and all visitors must sign in and out with a security guard.
•Background Radiation.
The idea of being exposed to radioactive material may be a bit concerning, but keep in mind that humans are in contact with radiation every day. Background radiation is present is our environment, including the following:
√The sun.
√The air we breathe to stay alive.
√Soil.
√Materials used for building purposes.
√Plant Materials.
•Safety Measures in the Plant
If a person is exposed to radiation at a nuclear power plant, taking a shower will remove the material from the hair and skin. In the case of a person who swallows or breathes in something that is radioactive will be contaminated untill his or her body eliminates it or the material stop giving off radiation. Great care is taken when designing nuclear power plants to reduce the likelihood of an accidental release to radioactive materials. Containment building in a nuclear power plant is specially constructed to withstand natural disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes. Reinforced concrete and steel are used to make them as strong as possible.
A well-managed nuclear power plant has training programs in place to ensure that new hires are well prepared to do their jobs in the facility. The accident that took place at the nuclear power plant at Chernobyl in 1986 was caused by a design flaw in the Reactor. This fact, combined with staff who were not properly trained, led to an explosion and fire that released a percentage of the plant's radioactive core into the atmosphere. Since that time, training has been imroved at nuclear power plants to prevent a similar event from occurring.
Companies operating nuclear power plants take steps to monitor levels of radiation at the plant itself and on the grounds. If a leak is detected, steps are immediately taken to find the source of the leak and contain it. The area where the leak occurred is monitored after the fact to confirm that the containment efforts were successful.
Each year, nuclear power companies in the United States submit reports on radiation levels at the plant to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the agency responsible for regulating the industry. In the interests of public safety, U.S. nuclear power companies are required to inform authorities at the local, state and federal levels any time where is an unplanned release of radiation from the plant, even if it is a level below the threshold where it must be reported to the NRC.As long as facilities are run according to the regulations put in place with the NRC or other government agencies, the safety hazards in nuclear power plants are kept to a minimum.
•Nuclear Energy
√What is Nuclear Energy?
Nuclear energy is considered by many to be a cleaner method than traditional methods for the production of electricity. While traditional electrical plants are powered by steam that's produced by the burning fossil fuels, nuclear power plants produce steam very differently.
Uranium atoms are split in a process known as fission. The heat generated from this process converted into steam and used to power the turbines, which produce electricity.
•How does Nuclear Energy Work?
The process in which nuclear energy is produced in the result of a series of steps:
√Splitting of Atoms
Uranium atoms, in the form of ceramic-coated pellets, are placed in a reactor core. A chain reaction is produced inside the core, which splits the atoms. Uranium is an unstable element; by splitting it, the metal becomes a different, stable element. Heat and radiation are the byproducts produced by this process.
√Absorption:
Control rods are used to absorb the free floating neurons released during the fission process. Boron (trivalent metalloid element) released into the cooling water helps you absorb these well. This serve to contain the radiation and keep the reactor cool and safe.
√Heat
The heat and radiation produced by the fission begin to heat the water, or the coolant that surrounds the reactor. This water serves two purposes; it keeps the reactor from becoming overheated, while carrying away the heat and steam, which will power the turbines.
√Water and Piping
Water is continuously flowing through and around the Reactor the serves as a coolant. Two sets of pipes carry this coolant in and out of the chamber. The primary pipes supply cold, fresh water to the tank, while the secondary pipes carry away the hot water steam to the turbines. Once the secondary pipes have carried the water out of the pressurized chamber, which prevents the water from boiling, the heated water is able to boil into steam and power the turbines. The two systems of pipes never interact with one another in order to keep the temperature in the chamber perfectly balanced and to control the amount of heat and steam produced by the reactor.
√Containing the Nuclear Reaction.
Since the fission process produces massive amounts of heat and radiation, the nuclear reaction must be contained at all times. This is done in several ways: Uranium is formed into ceramic pellets to control the radiation. The pellets are packed into zirconium rods which protect and contain the fission process.
The reactor core is surrounded by 400-tons of steel that's eight inches thick. The reactor is then stored in a containment of cement and steel three feet thick. The primary piping system forms a seal that prevents the escape of radioactive material.
√Environmentally safe Energy?
In some regards, since nothing is burned or released into the environment during the production of fission, nuclear energy can be considered a more environmentally-friendly energy source than the systems that burn fossil fuels. No greenhouse gases are produced, so it does not subject to fluctuations due to the weather the way that wind turbines or solar power should be. Nuclear reactors can give off radiation from leaks in improperly contained systems and through transportation of raw materials, such as uranium as well as the storing of radioactive waste products.
The cooling waters that are flushed into the environment may also have a negative effect on the environment, through the distribution of salts and metals, and by the excessive heat given off.
√Understanding Nuclear Energy.
By taking the time to find out how does nuclear energy work, you can begin to understand the benefits and drawbacks of this important energy source. Educating yourself about nuclear energy is an important step towards becoming informed about thr various types of available alternative energy. To become truly well informed, take the time to learn more about energy efficiency and alternative fuel sources as well.
Additional data:-
~India's Best nuclear power plant is in Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, Tamil Nadu.
~It has the capacity in terms of Watts viz. 2000MW which is the more than any other working counterparts throughout the nation.
~Kudankulam is the sole nuclear plant in India which employs the pressurised water reactors (PWR) instead of boiling water reactors (BHWR) or pressurised heavy-water reactors (PHWR).
Comments