The Sustainability Of Current Energy Resources Exploitation

Question 1

Where does nuclear energy come from?

Answer 1

The splitting or joining of atomic nuclei

Question 2

Is nuclear energy dense?

Answer 2

Yes as little matter needed to produce a lot of energy

Question 3

What are the two types of nuclear energy production?

Answer 3

Nuclear fission

Nuclear fusion

Question 4

What isotopes are typically used for nuclear fission?

Answer 4

Uranium or plutonium

Question 5

What is the difference between fission and fusion?

Answer 5

Fission- splitting

Fusion- joining

Question 6

Does nuclear energy production releases carbon?

Answer 6

As no chemical burning occurs it generates base load energy with no carbon output making it better for climate change issue

Question 7

What is capacity factor?

Answer 7

A measure of what percentage of the time a power plant actually produces energy

Question 8

Does nuclear have a higher capacity factor then renewables?

Answer 8

Yes it is much higher

Question 9

How much is 1 kg of uranium equal to in coal?

Answer 9

13 tonnes

Question 10

How much pure uranium will power your home for a day?

Answer 10

3g

Question 11

What does having a high energy density mean for nuclear?

Answer 11

Impacts of transporting fuels is reduced

Flexible in where they can be built

Question 12

Does nuclear power have a high nuclear output to the environment?

Answer 12

Nuclears out put to the environment is less then any other major energy source (coal is the worst)

Question 13

Are nuclear power plants expensive?

Answer 13

Yes as the complex technology makes manufacturing of plants expensive (less developed countries can’t afford it)

Question 14

Is nuclear energy renewable?

Answer 14

Technically non-renewable but it is used at a very slow rate and there is a plentiful supply

Question 15

What is the problem with the supply of radioactive isotopes?

Answer 15

Most deposits are low grade

Question 16

What does the low grade deposits mean for extraction of nuclear?

Answer 16

Extraction expensive making electricity expensive

Question 17

How do nuclear power plants affect the local habitat?

Answer 17

The power plants take up a large amount of space so the habitats in that area have to be cleared

Question 18

How does the mining for radioactive isotopes affect the environment?

Answer 18

Will cause habitat damage

And may produce hazardous waste

Question 19

What is embodied energy?

Answer 19

the sum of all the energy required to produce any goods or services, considered as if that energy was incorporated or ‘embodied’ in the product itself. (Nuclear stations use a lot)

Question 20

What risks are associated with nuclear power stations?

Answer 20

Risk of nuclear failure

Risk of leakage form waste disposal (spent energy)

Question 21

What are some examples of nuclear disasters?

Answer 21

Chernobyl

Fukushima power plant

Question 22

What is an example of where people have been against a nuclear power plant?

Answer 22

Protests by anti-nuclear activists in New Hampshire in 1977

Question 23

How long will it take for nuclear waste to reduce to background levels?

Answer 23

Several hundred years

Question 24

What is the most common way of storing nuclear waste?

Answer 24

Geological disposal facility (underground facility)

Question 25

How is nuclear waste kept in geological disposal facilities?

Answer 25

Waste in solid glass form
Metal waste container
Clay buffer
Rock

Question 26

What is polymer absorption?

Answer 26

Extracting uranium from seawater
The dissolved uranium sticks to certain polymers
Uranium is extracted using acids

Question 27

What is phosphate mining?

Answer 27

Uranium is found in phosphate deposits so can be mined at the same time as phosphates

Question 28

What is coal ash?

Answer 28

Extracting small amounts of triuranium a uranium compound

0.4 pounds per metric ton

Question 29

Why are they creating plutonium reactors?

Answer 29

Most reactors use uranium-235 (only 0.7% of what’s mined)
Uranium 328 (what’s left) isn’t fissile
U-328 can be converted into plutonium- 239 which can be split
Allows more energy to be harnessed

Question 30

What is a thorium reactor?

Answer 30

Thorium is not fissile but it can be converted into U-233 which makes it fissile (splittable)
Thorium rods bred to make uranium 233 with neutron bombardment

Question 31

Why bother with thorium reactors?

Answer 31

Thorium is 3x more abundant then uranium
Thorium waste is less radioactive
Less likely to be propagated for nuclear weapons
Slow and expensive (negative)

Question 32

What is nuclear fusion?

Answer 32

Two or more atomic nuclei join together to make a new larger nucleus releasing energy

Question 33

What is the one set back form nuclear fusion?

Answer 33

Still in experimental phase (far from complete)

35 countries as working in France to make it reality

Question 34

What are the two potential options for fusion?

Answer 34

Toroidal reactors

Laser fusion

Question 35

Why is the risk of a melt down non-existent with fusion?

Answer 35

As if the specific criteria for the reaction to take place aren’t met then the reaction wont take place

Question 36

What is the name of the large organisation reaserching nuclear fusion?

Answer 36

International thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER)

Question 37

What is the positive of toroidal reactors?

Answer 37

Very efficient 500Mw output form 50Mw input

Question 38

What atoms are used in fusion?

Answer 38

Two hydrogen atoms combine to form helium the hydrogen is converted into energy

Question 39

What happens during laser fusion?

Answer 39

Small pellets of deuterium- tritium (DT) isotopes are introduced into blast chamber where pellets are compressed to high densities by an intense laser

Question 40

What are the positives of laser fusion?

Answer 40

Carbon free with practically unlimited fuel supply
No active intervention required (cooling or reprocessing) when shut down
Doesn’t have high nuclear waste

Question 41

Why is laser fusion still in development?

Answer 41

High powered lasers are key but present lasers are relatively inefficient converting electrical energy into beam energy