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ENER 305 > Nuclear > Flashcards

Nuclear Flashcards

(60 cards)

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1
Q

How many operation nuclear power plants are currently operating

A

419

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2
Q

What is nuclear energy

A

a form of energy released from the nucleus, the core of atom uranium 235

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3
Q

what are the two ways to produce nuclear energy

A

fission when nuclei of atoms split into several parts and fusion when nuclei fuse together

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4
Q

what is Einstein’s equation for energy

A

E = m c^2

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5
Q

Generations of nuclear energy: they are all water-cooled reactor designs, with each generation featured advanced _________________________ and ___________________

A

passive safety system and emergency cooling

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6
Q

what are the first 3 generations of nuclear energy

A

Generation 1: early prototypes
Generation2: commercial power
- PRW
- BWR
- CANDU
Generation 3: advanced LWRs
- CANDU 6
- System 80+
- AP600

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7
Q

Describe the process of nuclear fission

A
  1. A slow neutron hits uranium-235 atom, get absorbed
  2. The U-235 splits and makes krypton, barium, two neutrons, huge energy, gamma ray
  3. chain reaction starts, increase rate of 2^n
  4. Trillions of uranium atoms fission each second
    in a nuclear reactor, generating large amounts
    of heat inside the reactor vessel, which is used
    to warm up water.
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8
Q

what are the three elements/isotopes used for commercial power plants

A

uranium-235, uranium-233, Plutonium-239

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9
Q

what are the two ways that uranium can split

A

U + n = Ba + Kr + 3n
U + n = Te + Zr + 2n

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10
Q

What are the protons and electrons in Uranium

A

235 protons, 92 electrons

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11
Q

what are the protons and electrons in Barium

A

142 protons and 56 electrons

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12
Q

What are the protons and electrons in Krypton

A

91 protons and 36 electrons

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13
Q

what are the protons and electrons in tellurium

A

137 protons and 52 electrons

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14
Q

what are the protons and electrons in Zirconium

A

97 protons and 40 electrons

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15
Q

only large nuclei with atomic numbers above _____ can undergo fission

A

90

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16
Q

Products of fission reaction usually include _____ or _______
individual neutrons, the total mass of the product is
somewhat ______ than the mass of Uranium-235.

A

two or three
less

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17
Q

the uranium 235 captures a _____ speed neutron and splits releasing thermal energy and ____ speed neutrons

A

slow
high

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18
Q

PWR: fuel? moderator? Coolant? steam generation?

A

Uranium dioxide (3.2%)
ordinary water
pressurized water (160 bars)
separate circuit

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19
Q

BWR: fuel? moderator? Coolant? steam generation?

A

Uranium dioxide (2.6-3.5%)
ordinary water
pressurized ordinary water which boils and produces steam directly

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20
Q

CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium): fuel? moderator? Coolant? steam generation?

A

un-enriched uranium dioxide (0.7%)
heavy water
heavy water pumped at pressure (90 bars)
separate circuit

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21
Q

What does the moderator do

A

slows neutrons to ensure they strike U-235 continuing the chain reaction

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22
Q

what do control rods do

A

keep the reaction in check, reactor operators raise or lower them depending on need

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23
Q

light water reactors (LWR) are power reactors that are cooled and moderated with _______ ______. this includes ____ _____

A

ordinary water
PWR, BWR

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24
Q

what is the neutron multiplication factor, K

A

the number of fission neutrons produced in a given time interval divided by the number produced in an equal time interval but slightly earlier time

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25
If K > 1
the reactor power will increase. this may lead to a runaway condition. The reactor is supercritical
26
If k < 1
the reactor power will decrease. This may lead to a shutdown. The reactor is subcritical
27
If k = 1
the power will be steady. The reactor is critical
28
If the reactor is operating at the critical condition. how can we adjust the power output?
inserting or withdrawing neutron absorbing cadmium rods into the reactor core
29
If i insert cadmium rods into the core, what happens to the K value
the K value will decrease because the neutrons are being absorbed
30
The only useful output of a fission reactor is ______, which has to be removed by a _____ and transferred to a _______
heat coolant turbine
31
PWR: water at high pressure (keep from _______) and temperature removes ________ from the core and is transported to a steam ________
boiling heat generator
32
PWR: ________to _______ fuel rods of ______ m diameter and approximately 4 m in length. The rods are arranged into assemblies (bundles) to make the core of the reactor.
40,000 to 50,000 0.01 m
33
are the control rods at the top or bottom of PWR and BWR
Top of PWR Bottom of BWR
34
A BWR operates on the principle of a _______________. Water passing through the core is allowed to _____ at an intermediate __________ level
direct power cycle boil pressure
35
Why do we use heavy water as the coolant and moderator of the CANDU
D2O does not absorb neutrons as much as ordinary water does. This enables the use of natural/unenriched uranium
36
natural uranium consists of a mix of mostly uranium ____ with small amount of uranium ____ (____%)
238 235 0.7
37
D2O is used as a _______ and _______ for the CANDU
coolant and moderator
38
what are the main components of the sodium cooled liquid metal moderator
control rods (prevents critical) fuel rods(uranium 235 and plutonium 239) Containment shell: absorb radiation coming out uses sodium to boil water and drive turbine Pump: maintain constant water flow
39
What nuclear reactors use the single loop cycle
BWR, high temp gas cooled reactor HTGR if helium was used instead of steam
40
what nuclear reactors use two-loop cycle
PWR, CANDU pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR) or helium HTGR
41
What types of nuclear reactors use three loop cycle
sodium cooled reactors - where an intermediate loop of nonradioactive sodium is provided between the radioactive primary loop and the steam generator
42
What is this: A class of small nuclear fission reactor, designed to be built in a factory, shipped to operational sites for installation and then used to power buildings or other commercial operations.
SMR - small modular reactor
43
what is the electrical power output of SMR
5MWe to 300MWe
44
what type of system do SMR use
PWR - pressurized water reactor
45
what are the characteristics of the SMR
Small: both in power output and physical size modular: factory constructed, portable and scalable Wide applications: on-grid, off-grid or combination
46
Microreactors can produce _______ of energy, have a lifespan of ________, and could power up to______ homes in remote areas.
20 MW 8 years 5,000
47
Describe fusion
Two light nuclei merge to form a single heavier nucleus. The total mass of the resulting single nucleus is less than the mass of the two original nuclei. The leftover mass becomes energy, based on E = mc^2
48
what 2 elements do we currently use for fusion
deuterium and tritium
49
What does DT fusion produce
a neutron and a helium nucleus and energy
50
Define isotopes
Forms of the same element that differ in atomic mass. They have equal number of protons but differ in the number of neutrons in their nucleus
51
what is the equation for DT fusion
T + D = He + n
52
describe the Tokamak
it uses a magnetic cage in the shape of a torus created by magnetic coils. By ionizing the small amount of hydrogen, a plasma is formed that can reach temperatures of over 100 million degrees
53
Describe the nuclear waste storage process
spent fuel removed from reactor spent fuel is placed in a spent fuel pool spent fuel is placed in canisters canisters put into casks for dry storage transported off-site stored at consolidated interim storage facility transported to geological repository
54
what layer of the earth is nuclear waste deposited
limestone
55
advantages of nuclear energy
clean energy source affordable and sustainable energy security - safe and reliable Jobs and economy
56
Disadvantages of nuclear energy
Expensive to build the power plant High environmental cost non-renewable uranium source nuclear waste disposal/storage intensive water consumption catastrophe risk
57
nuclear has the highest energy density in terms of _________
mass
58
what is the operational lifetime of a nuclear plant
up to 60 years
59
nuclear produces more carbon-free _______ than ________ clean energy sources
electricity all other
60
Nuclear has minimum CO2 emissions, _____ times less than solar energy
4

ENER 305 (9 decks)

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