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NOTHING IS PERFECT THAT’S WHY WE

IMPROVE:

THE DRAWBACKS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY

EWENIKE RALUCHUKWU B

3000063513

DG 3

December 12, 2018.

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Nuclear energy is a solution to producing carbon-free energy globally in the future.

Unlike other forms of energy production, the disadvantages of nuclear energy are more

frightening. Nuclear energy produces electricity from matter via fusion, fission, or radioactive

decay; It is responsible for 20 per cent of the electricity produced in the United States of

America compared to fossil fuel which is responsible for 62.9 per cent. The main source of

energy in the world is the burning of fossil fuel which emits CO2 (carbon dioxide); This is the

pollutant that depletes the ozone layer of the earth. Destroying the ozone layer exposes living-

things to ultra-violet rays from the sun, and aids global warming. Nuclear energy is one of the

most promising sources of energy, but the world is not ready to risk the disadvantages in pursuit

of the benefits.

Nuclear energy is simply the reaction that converts mass to electricity through

spontaneous decay. OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation Development) defines

nuclear reaction as a “…reaction that occurs when the nucleus of an atom is changed as a result

of [a] collision with some other physical entities, which may be alpha particles, gamma rays,

neutrons, protons or other atoms” (13). Nuclear reaction conveys fission and fusion; According

to Murray, fission is “[t]he absorption of a neutron by most isotopes [involving] radiative

capture, with the excitation [of] energy appearing as a gamma ray” (67) and fusion as the

coming together of two nuclei particles with energy being given off (76). There are three types

of radiation which are alpha, beta, and gamma; Alpha ray can be blocked by a sheet of paper,

they do not travel very far and cannot penetrate clothing. Beta rays can be stopped by

aluminium sheets, and some clothing can protect against beta rays. Gamma rays travel far and

have a high penetrating power; Doctors use gamma rays for x-rays because it passed body put

it doesn’t pass through the bones; Engineers use gamma rays to check for broken underground

pipes.

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A nuclear reactor is a chain of systems that convert nuclear fuel into electricity. Nuclear

fuels are materials that experience radioactive decay (change in the nucleus of atoms)-. All

radioactive materials have a half-life; This is the time required for the mass of material to

reduce to half of its original size some examples of radioactive materials are uranium, thorium,

and radium. The process for the extraction of radioactive fuel before it is used in a nuclear

power plant is called the nuclear fuel cycle. According to Ree films, the nuclear fuel cycle for

uranium involves the following stages:

Mining: If the ore–rock or solid containing mineral– for uranium is not far from the surface

of the ground it is easily extracted by digging; This is called open cut mining. If the ore is

further into the ground it is gotten by a traditional method of using large machinery to dig it

out; An alternative modern method is the pumping acids that dissolve the uranium in the

ground and using another pump to extract the uranium solution.

Milling: In extracted ore, uranium is of a very low percentage. Therefore, further physical

processes like crushing and chemical processes are carried out to get a fine-yellow-power

called uranium oxide; In powder, it is easier to carry out further chemical processes. The

yellow power is also known as yellowcake “The tailings, what’s left over [from milling], are

stored in dams and allowed to settle [and later covered with soil]” (Ree 12:25); Tailings are

handled with extreme care because they may still contain radioactive material; They cannot

be left on surfaces because they are easily spread by wind. The soil around the covered tailing

is regulated to ensure that it does not it has been exposed to high amount of radiation. The

most important chemical process carried out on the uranium ore is Enrichment.

Enrichment: When an atom exists in two or more form it is known as isotopy. Uranium exists

as U238 which is of 99 per cent and the other being U235; For the fuel to work U235 has to

be of 3 per cent to do this the uranium is enriched. In enriching uranium

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“…natural uranium needs to be in a gas form, so it's first chemically converted to

uranium hexafluoride gas. This compound is chosen because it has a much lower

melting point than most uranium compounds, so it can be easily be turned into a gas”

(Ree 16:35).

Fluorine is used because it doesn’t have any isotope, so the only change in the structure of the

gas is caused by uranium.

Fabrication: The last step of the cycle is very important because the fuel is used for several

years and subjected to high temperatures and pressure in the reactor; Therefore, it is made in

a form that will able it to withstand these conditions.

The “...uranium hexafluoride gas [is] turned back into solid uranium dioxide. The

powder is pressed down into pellets then fired in a furnace. [Where] they come out as

hard as kitchen plates. To protect them, the pellets are loaded into long metal tubes

known as fuel rods” (Ree 17:40). The tubes are welded and loaded into the reactor.

After 2-3 years the used fuel is removed from the reactor to avoid accumulation of waste.

A nuclear reactor transfers heat through radiation which is among the other two ways

which are conduction and convection (Murray p.147). Benedict reported that nuclear reactors

may be categorized according to its intended use, type of coolant or moderator that is being

used, and even the fuel used (p.150). Some examples of nuclear reactors are separate fuel

moderator coolant, pressurized-water nuclear power plant, and boiling water nuclear power

plant.

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Figure I: Diagram of a boiling water nuclear plant. (Benedict p.150)

In a boiling-water reactor, the radiation of the nuclear fuel heats the water (H2O) which

is also the coolant and the medium of energy transfer. The heated water (steam) is made to run

through a turbine which powers a generator that converts mechanical energy into electricity.

In some cases, the electricity produced may also be used to power the water pump; In case of

water pumps and control room have backup generators; The steam that has already been used

to spin the turbines is now cooled down by a condenser and the water can now be reused in a

continuous cycle. As shown by Ree Films, most nuclear plants are built near water bodies to

allow easy access to water if water is being used as a moderator or coolant (7:15). According

to Murray, the moderator is used to help slow down neutron emission and the coolant is used

to extract heat from the system (136). Nuclear reactors also make use of control rods and these

are used to assimilate emitted neutrons. Control rods are also used to control and manage

energy in a nuclear reactor (OCED p17). Just as the accelerator is used to control the speed of

the car the control rods are used to control how much energy is produced.

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ADVANTAGES

Other forms of energy are highly dependent on their sources; Solar energy is gotten

only if the sun is shining, wind energy depends on the speed of the wind which always varies,

hydro-energy also depends on the tide of the body of water and the burning of fossils fuels

depends on the availability of fuel. Nuclear energy is constantly producing electricity and fuel

exhaustion is not a problem because uranium-234(a nuclear fuel) has a half-life of 25,000 years.

Nuclear energy is not affected by time, location and season.

The production of electricity through nuclear energy reduces the amount of fossil fuel

being burnt. The fewer fossil fuels burnt the lower amount of the greenhouse gases that are

emitted to the atmosphere; Which also reduces the depletion of the ozone layer. According to

Gonzalo and Jose nuclear energy is profitable to its consumers because it is more affordable

compared to the other forms of energy. According to Peterson

“U.S. nuclear power plants prevented more than 750 million tons of carbon

dioxide [emission] in 2003, the same-in terms of carbon dioxide emissions-as taking

[9] out of 10 U.S. passenger cars off the road…. [n]uclear power plants worldwide

prevented 2.6 billion tons of carbon dioxide last year-about the same as eliminating

the carbon dioxide emissions of every passenger car on the planet”.

Nuclear energy has also helped in the modification of machines; A normal submarine

powered by fossil fuels would have to come to the sea level to refill its tank when the fuel has

been exhausted; Which leaves it at risk of being attacked by enemies. According to Fletcher,

“… a submarine …. [with] a nuclear reactor will [be powered] for 25 years and never need

refuelling”. Nuclear radiation is also beneficial agriculturally; According to Murray, radiation

is also to being used to increase the yield of planted cropped, “… nutritional content, better

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resistance to disease, and adaptability to new environments, including higher or lower

temperature of climate” (254).

DISADVANTAGES

The main issue in nuclear energy is the disposal of spent fuel (used uranium fuel);

Nuclear fuel is unstable and radioactive after use. Proper care is given to the disposable of

spent fuel and any material that might have been exposed to radiation. Spent fuel remains

radioactive for thousands of years. According to Rods, spent fuel are kept in temporary

storages before long-term storages are found; Spent fuel could be sealed and stored

underground but they are considerations; Earthquakes could break the seal and spill

radioactive material into underground water; if seal is broken will the rocks be able to stop

radiation (Rods 1:30). Permanent storage locations will have to be in deserted areas and far

from living–things. Spent fuel is used to make lethal nuclear weapons. According to Gunn,

on 6th of August 1945 during the second world war, the United States of America dropped

two atomic bombs on Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki which resulted in the death of

80,000 people. People within 500 yards of the explosion were also affected; By December,

the death poll had increased to 140,000 and in twenty years increased to 240,000. Most

people did not die directly from the explosion but died due to heavy exposures to radiation

(p.385-860).

High maintenance is required to run a nuclear power plant; The slightest flaw can

result in chaos. Nuclear plant workers will also have to be properly covered to avoid

exposure to radiation. According to Gunn, On April 26, 1986, the explosion of the nuclear

power plant in Chernobyl in Ukraine at that time known as the USSR (Union of Soviet

Socialist Republics) resulted to deaths and contamination of living-things till today. The

explosion spread radioactive gas across Europe; Study “estimated that much of the vegetation

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and soil of the Lapps will remain contaminated until the year 2030”. The manager of the

station caused the explosion because he ran a test which wasn’t meant to be run (p.593-94).

Unlike cars, generators and solar panels not everyone can have a personal source of

nuclear energy. According to Rods, a nuclear power plant is also a target for terrorist attacks

and if attacks should succeed the plant stops producing power and spreads a radioactive

waste. It takes an average of 10 years to build a nuclear power plan; Like fossil fuels, nuclear

fuels are not renewable (28:19). A lot of consideration is put in the construction of a nuclear

power plant such as the location, specifications, capital and government legalization.

Looking at past nuclear disaster like the Chernobyl explosion, Hiroshima, and other

more; For example the Three–mile island explosion that happened on the March 28, 1979 in

Dauphin County, Pennsylvania; The explosion exposed people within a 5-mile radius to

radioactive gases; According to Han, a total of 35,946 residents, over 93 per cent of the

population, were present at the time of the explosion and later residents were diagnosed with

cancer (2). Another accident was the meltdown of three core reactors at Fukushima; On

March 11, 2011, a Richter scale 9 earthquake hit the north coast causing a tsunami; The

tsunami flooded the city and power was lost to the water pumps of the reactor; Backup

generators could not be used because they were covered with water. According to Elliott,

“[radiation] that exceeded regulatory standard were detected in milk, crops and fish from

surrounding areas” (p.12). I recommend that until a proper solution has been found to solve

the disadvantages the world will have to depend on fossil fuel and other sources of renewable

energy; Until there are protocols made of the disasters to quickly tell the public and provide

protection from radiation. There will not be a need for nuclear energy if it cannot be handled

properly.

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Nuclear energy may show plenty benefit; It may be the key for carbon-free energy for

large-scale production but not yet; Until proper solution have been found to deal with the

problems it brings it is not a better way to improve energy supply to the public.