Lecture 1: Introduction

Question 1

Name four issues with nuclear energy.

Answer 1

Health effects (radiation causes cancers)
Accidents
Waste (remains dangerous forever)
Economics (expensive)

Question 2

Name four accidents, their country of location, and year of occurrence.

Answer 2

Windscale - Cumbria, UK (1957)
Three-mile Island - Pennsylvania, USA (1979)
Chernobyl - Ukraine (1986)
Fukushima - Japan (2011)

Question 3

Name four variations of ionizing radiation from heaviest to most penetrating.

Answer 3

Alpha
Beta
Gamma (x-rays)
Neutrons

Question 4

What is the most ionizing type of radiation?

Answer 4

Alpha

Question 5

What is the unit of ionizing radiation dose?

Answer 5

Sievert (Sv)

Question 6

What types of ionizing dosages are ingested?

Answer 6

Iodine, Caesium & Strontium

Question 7

Why are potassium iodine tablets prescribed following nuclear power plant radiation emergencies?

Answer 7

To flood the thyroid with non-radioactive iodine therefore blocking radioactive I-131 from being absorbed and causing cancer.

Question 8

In general, what is the consensus about the effect of low dosage?

Answer 8

No conclusive results; some positive, some negative.

Question 9

What is the linear no-threshold hypothesis (LNTH) and how was it established?

Answer 9

The risk of harm from radiation exposure is directly proportional to the dose received, without any safe threshold.

Studies of industrial and medical workers exposed to high doses of radiation. Furthermore, studies of survivors following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II provided insight to the long-term effects of radiation exposure. The incident provided the greatest quantity and breadth of data.

Question 10

Give examples of low, medium, and high levels of radiating nuclear waste.

Answer 10

Low: Lab equipment, clothing, building materials
Medium: Power station parts, storage vessels
High: Used fuel

Question 11

What defines low, medium, and high levels of nuclear waste?

Answer 11

Low: Alpha, beta or gamma waste
Medium: Above LLW threshold but no heat
High: Above LLW and heat

Question 12

What are the most significant economic considerations?

Answer 12

Expensive upfront investment and operational costs.
Long build time.

Question 13

Which countries are leading the current nuclear trend?

Answer 13

USA (highest capacity)
France (greatest % of energy production)
China (highest construction uptake)

Question 14

What are potential profitable strategies to make the most from nuclear power plants?

Answer 14

Uprating - Increase generating capacity above predictions so long as safe.
Life extension - continue operation beyond expected lifetime.

Question 15

Describe a brief summary of the history of nuclear energy?

Answer 15

Discovery of x-rays and radioactive elements for medical purposes.
Nuclear fission applied to build atomic bomb (WW2).
Nuclear fission used for electricity generation & peaceful development internationally agreed, however reactors built to produce plutonium for bombs.
Investment into technology with mixed reactions.

Question 16

What is used to produce atomic warfare and why?

Answer 16

Plutonium - fission of Pu produces more neutrons thus causing a more explosive chain reaction.

Question 17

Define fission:

Answer 17

Nucleus splits into two or more smaller nuclei, along with the release of energy and typically one or more neutrons causing a chain reaction.

Question 18

Define fusion:

Answer 18

Two or more atomic nuclei combine to form a single, heavier nucleus, accompanied by large release of energy.

Question 19

Name and describe the cycle used to generate electricity from nuclear energy:

Answer 19

Rankin Cycle:
Cold water pumped into heat exchanger to convert into steam and turn a turbine released into a condenser once all work done.

Question 20

Name three fuel types:

Answer 20

Natural uranium metal
Uranium dioxide
Thorium

Question 21

What are the two different neutron cycle types?

Answer 21

Thermal & Fast

Question 22

Name four types of coolant and their variations:

Answer 22

Water (light / heavy)
Gas (CO2 / helium)
Liquid metal (sodium / lead)
Molten salt

Question 23

Name the fuel type, neutron cycle, coolant, and moderator for a PWR:

Answer 23

Pressurised water reactor:
UO2
Thermal
Light water
Water
2 loops

Question 24

Name the fuel type, neutron cycle, coolant, and moderator for a AGR:

Answer 24

Advanced gas cooled reactor:
UO2
Thermal
CO2 gas
Graphite
2 loops

Question 25

Name the fuel type, neutron cycle, coolant, moderator and number of loops for a BWR:

Answer 25

Boiling water reactor:
UO2
Thermal
Light water
Graphite
1 loop

Question 26

Name the fuel type, neutron cycle, coolant, moderator and number of loops for a LMCF:

Answer 26

Liquid metal cooled fast:
UO2
Fast
Liquid metal (sodium)
NO MODERATOR (TRICK Q - FAST)
3 loops

Question 27

Name the fuel type, neutron cycle, coolant, moderator and number of loops for a PHWR:

Answer 27

Pressurised heavy water reactor:
UO2
Thermal
Heavy water
Heavy water, also known as deuterium oxide (D2O)
2 loops

Question 28

What is the general trend of energy price for different generations types?

Answer 28

Nuclear increasing, renewable decreasing, coal constant

Question 29

Where does Germany stand with nuclear energy?

Answer 29

Phasing out nuclear power following the Fukushima disaster.

Question 30

What is the main type of reactor in the UK?

Answer 30

AGR

Question 31

What percentage of the world’s electricity is produced by nuclear energy?

Answer 31

~10%