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Nuclear Power:. Our Misunderstood Friend. Overview. Growing Demand for Energy Comparison of Nuclear with Other F orms of Energy Disposal of Waste Safety of Nuclear Energy. Growing Demand for Electricity. Steady increase of use How electric drive vehicles will impact use
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Nuclear Power: Our Misunderstood Friend
Overview • Growing Demand for Energy • Comparison of Nuclear with Other Forms of Energy • Disposal of Waste • Safety of Nuclear Energy
Growing Demand for Electricity • Steady increase of use • How electric drive vehicles will impact use • EGU MACT legislation will impact demand
Better for the environment because it is renewable Generates at a capacity of 20-40% Rate of Injury of Workers Wind
Solar • Better for the environment because it is renewable • Can only generate at a capacity of15-30% • Battery technology
Nuclear vs. Coal Nuclear Coal 80% of electricity generated by DTE Mining, transport, burning low energy content Large fluctuations in cost of fuel High cost in fuel • About 19% of electricity generated by DTE • Uses less than 0.00001% fuel • High energy content • Less susceptible to fluctuation • High initial cost
Nuclear Power in France • 75% electricity from nuclear • 17% electricity from recycled nuclear power • Generate 3 billion euro by selling to the rest of Europe
Disposal of Waste • Types of Nuclear Waste • Disposal of Nuclear waste • Amount Generated • Repository
Types of Waste • Gaseous
Types of Waste • Liquid
Types of Waste • Solid
Disposal of Nuclear Waste • On Site Repository
What Happened • Failed Experiment • Ignored Warnings • Explosion • Runaway Nuclear Reactor
Effects of Chernobyl • 100,000 km2 of contamination • Rise in Thyroid Cancer • Treatment 96% Effective. • Could have been prevented. • Liquidators and Acute Radiation Sickness • Firefighters in the Plant. • Cancer Rates in Highly Contaminated Group • 4000 Extra Cancer Deaths among 600,000 People. • Cancer Rates of People in Contaminated Zones • 5000 Extra Cancer Deaths among 5 Million People
How Modern Reactors Differ From Old Soviet Reactors • RBMK Reactor • Water Cooled • Graphite Rod Moderators • No Containment Vessel • Light Water Reactor • Water Cooled • Water Moderated • Steel and Concrete Containment Vessel
Effects • Average Dose of Radiation • 1 milirem • 1/6th radiation produced by a chest x-ray • Maximum Dose of Radiation • Less than 100 milirem • Background Radiation 100 to 125 milirems per year • Radioactive Isotopes • Very Low Levels Detected • Radiation Contained • Containment vessel was not breached
Aftermath • NRC given more control of power plants • Human Error • Operator training improved by lessons learned. • 2 Full Time inspectors at each site. • Design Problems • Improved controls and indicators. • Piping system revamped. • Component Failures • Auxiliary Coolant Systems. • Automatic Shutdown.
Our No Longer Misunderstood Friend Nuclear Power: