Nuclear

Question 1

What is the benefit of having the coolant act as the moderator

Answer 1

if the coolant is lost, the moderator is also absent so the reaction will be drastically slowed down (as moderators create the thermal neutrons required for a chain reaction)

Question 2

What is a fully closed nuclear fuel cycle

Answer 2

After the fuel is used, it is recycled after the removal of fission products.

Question 3

What are the Gen IV reactors

Answer 3

Fast (higher than thermal) reactors. The coolant is much higher temperature, such as molten metals.

Question 4

What are the main two types of future reactors

Answer 4

Small modular reactors and Gen IV reactors

Question 5

Why is disadvantage of nuclear energy said to be too slow

Answer 5

It takes around 15 years to build a nuclear power plant

Question 6

Why shouldn’t LCoE be used to compare renewables with nuclear energy

Answer 6

LCoE does not consider the energy produced by renewables that isn’t utilised by consumers and also does not factor in the cost of storage systems.

Question 7

What are the disadvantages in nuclear energy

Answer 7

Requires large investment and thus government backing.