Nuclear Power

Presentation by:
Shri. Bharat V. Makhare
Asst. Engineer,
NTC, Nashik
MAHAGENCO
History of nuclear power

1938 Scientists study Uranium nucleus
1941 Manhattan Project begins
1942 Controlled nuclear chain reaction
1945 U.S. uses two atomic bombs on Japan
1949 Soviets develop atomic bomb
1952 U.S. tests hydrogen bomb
1955 First U.S. nuclear submarine
Atoms for Peace


Program to justify nuclear technology

Proposals for power, canal-building, exports

First commercial power plant, England 1956

The energy in one pound of highly enriched
Uranium is comparable to that of one
million gallons of gasoline.

One million times as much energy in one
pound of Uranium as in one pound of coal.





Economic advantages
Emissions Free
Nuclear energy annually prevents
5.1 million tons of sulfur
2.4 million tons of nitrogen oxide
164 metric tons of carbon

Nuclear often pitted against fossil fuels
Some coal contains radioactivity
Nuclear plants have released low-level radiation

Nuclear power around the globe
17% of worlds electricity from nuclear power
U.S. about 20% (2nd largest source)

431 nuclear plants in 31 countries
103 of them in the U.S.

Countries Generating Most Nuclear Power
Country Total MW
USA 99,784
France 58,493
Japan 38,875
Germany 22,657
Russia 19,843
Canada 15,755
Ukraine 12,679
United Kingdom 11,720
Sweden 10,002
South Korea 8,170
Nuclear Power Generation (2006-07 to 2013-14)
Year
Gross
Generation
(MUs)
Capacity
Factor (%)
Availability
Factor (%)
2013-14 4831 71 76
(Upto May - 2013)
2012-13 32863 80 90
2011-12 32455 79 91
2010-11 26472 71 89
2009-10 18803 61 92
2008-09 14927 50 82
2007-08 16930 54 83
2006-07 18634 63 85
Nuclear power in India
Plant Unit Type Capacity (MWe) Date of Commercial Operation
Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS), Maharashtra 1 BWR 160 October 28, 1969
Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS), Maharashtra 2 BWR 160 October 28, 1969
Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS), Maharashtra 3 PHWR 540 August 18, 2006
Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS), Maharashtra 4 PHWR 540 September 12, 2005
Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS), Rajasthan 1 PHWR 100 December 16,1973
Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS), Rajasthan 2 PHWR 200 April 1,1981
Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS), Rajasthan 3 PHWR 220 June 1, 2000
Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS), Rajasthan 4 PHWR 220 December 23, 2000
Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS), Rajasthan 5 PHWR 220 February 4, 2010
Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS), Rajasthan 6 PHWR 220 March 31, 2010
Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS), Tamilnadu 1 PHWR 220 January 27,1984
Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS), Tamilnadu 2 PHWR 220 March 21,1986
Kaiga Generating Station (KGS), Karnataka 1 PHWR 220 November 16, 2000
Kaiga Generating Station (KGS), Karnataka 2 PHWR 220 March 16, 2000
Kaiga Generating Station (KGS), Karnataka 3 PHWR 220 May 6, 2007
Kaiga Generating Station (KGS), Karnataka 4 PHWR 220 January 20, 2011
Narora Atomic Power Station (NAPS), Uttarpradesh 1 PHWR 220 January 1,1991
Narora Atomic Power Station (NAPS), Uttarpradesh 2 PHWR 220 July 1,1992
Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS), Gujarat 1 PHWR 220 May 6, 1993
Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS), Gujarat 2 PHWR 220 September 1,1995
Nuclear power in India
Total Nuclear Power Plant Capacity : 4780
What is nuclear energy?
Power plants use heat to produce electricity.
Nuclear energy produces electricity from heat
through a process called fission. Nuclear power
plants use the heat produced by fission of certain
atoms.
1. Nuclear fission
nucleus of atom is split into parts,
produces free neutrons and
energy
Nuclear Fuel: Uranium
2. Uranium-235
Fission of U-235 splits nucleus
in two pieces
releases neutrons for chain
reaction
Nuclear fission chain
reaction releases energy in
the form of heat
The fuel used in
nuclear power
plants is an
isotope of the
radioactive
element uranium
92
U
Uranium
Nuclear Reactors
3. Nuclear Reactor device built
to sustain a controlled nuclear
fission chain reaction
Main Components of Nuclear
Reactor:
- reactor vessel
- tubes of uranium
- control rods
- containment structure
control rods control
radioactivity, absorbs
neutrons
Containment structure
contains the reaction
in at least 3 feet of
concrete!
Nuclear Reactors
A Pressurized Water Reactor
(PWR) keeps water under
pressure so that it heats up but
doesnt boil. Water from the
reactor and water that is turned
into steam are in separate pipes
A Boiling Water Reactor (BWR)
uses the heat from fission to
heat water until it boils. The
water from the reactor and
that water that is turned into
steam are the same
Basically there are two different
types of nuclear reactors
The Nuclear Power Plant
Fission occurs
in the reactor
vessel. Heat is
produced.
The heat is used
to heat water to
create steam
The steam is
used to turn the
turbine in the
generator to
produce
electricity
The steam is
cooled in the
condenser to
return to the
liquid phase.
4. Nuclear power plant
consists of all the
parts needed to create
electricity by using
nuclear energy
Video: How a pressurized water nuclear
reactor (pwr) works
1. nuclear fission
2. Uranium-235
3. nuclear
reactor
4. nuclear power
plant
Key Components of
Nuclear Energy
Nuclear Reactions
Nuclear reactions deal with interactions between the nuclei of
atoms including of nuclear fission and nuclear fusion
Both fission and fusion processes deal with matter and energy
is the process of splitting of a nucleus into two
"daughter" nuclei leading to energy being released
is the process of two "parent" nuclei fuse into one
daughter nucleus leading to energy being released
Fission Reaction
A classic example of a fission reaction is
that of U-235:
U-235 + 1 Neutron
2 Neutrons + Kr-92 + Ba-142 + E
In this example, a stray neutron strikes
an atom of U235. It absorbs the
neutron and becomes an unstable atom
of U-236. It then undergoes fission.
These neutrons can strike other U-235
atoms to initiate their fission.
THE SOURCE: FISSION
Fission is the splitting of a nucleus into two or more separate nuclei of
comparable mass
One neutron interacts with one fissionable nucleus (Uranium for
example)
Results are:
Fission Products Two heavy nuclides
One heavier than the other (Average ratio of ~ 2 : 3 )
Neutrons 2.43 on average emitted / fission
Important that more neutrons are produced than are used to cause
one fission
Gamma rays, beta particles
Energy !!
E = mc
2
Nuclear Power Stations use a fuel called uranium, a relatively
common material. Energy is released from uranium when an atom is
split by a neutron. The uranium atom is split into two and as this
happens energy is released in the form of radiation and heat. This
nuclear reaction is called the fission process

Fusion Reactions
A classic example of a fusion reaction is that of deuterium
(heavy hydrogen) and tritium which is converted to Helium
and release energy.
p + p He + n + .42 MeV
Nuclear reaction
Chain reaction occurs when a Uranium
atom splits

Different reactions
Atomic Bomb in a split second
Nuclear Power Reactor more controlled,
cannot explode like a bomb
Nuclear Reaction
NUCLEAR REACTION


U235 + n fission + 2 or 3 n + 200 MeV

If each neutron releases two more neutrons, then the number of
fissions doubles each generation. In that case, in 10 generations
there are 1,024 fissions and in 80 generations about 6 x 10 23 (a
mole) fissions
NUCLEAR FUEL
Nuclear fuel is any material that can be consumed to
derive nuclear energy. The most common type of
nuclear fuel is fissile elements that can be made to
undergo nuclear fission chain reactions in a nuclear
reactor
The most common nuclear fuels are 235U and 239Pu.
Not all nuclear fuels are used in fission chain reactions
Nuclear Fuel Cycle
Nuclear fuel cycle
Uranium mining and milling
Conversion and enrichment
Fuel rod fabrication
POWER REACTOR
Reprocessing, or
Radioactive waste disposal
Low-level in commercial facilities
High level at plants or underground repository
Uranium enrichment
U-235
Fissionable at 3%
Weapons grade at 90%

U-238
More stable

Plutonium-239
Created from U-238; highly radioactive
Radioactivity of plutonium
Life span of least
240,000 years

Last Ice Age glaciation
was 10,000 years ago

Neanderthal Man died out
30,000 years ago


Nuclear Reactor Process
3% enriched Uranium pellets formed into
rods, which are formed into bundles

Bundles submerged in water coolant inside
pressure vessel, with control rods.

Bundles must be SUPERCRITICAL; will
overheat and melt if no control rods.
Reaction converts water to steam, which
powers steam turbine
NUCLEAR REACTOR
A nuclear reactor is a device in which nuclear chain
reactions are initiated, controlled, and sustained at a
steady rate, as opposed to a nuclear bomb, in which the
chain reaction occurs in a fraction of a second and is
uncontrolled causing an explotion.
CONTROL RODS
Control rods made of a material that absorbs
neutrtons are inserted into the bundle using a
mechanism that can rise or lower the control rods.
The control rods essentially contain neutron absorbers
like, boron, cadmium or indium.
In a nuclear power station the uranium is first formed into pellets and
then into long rods. The uranium rods are kept cool by submerging
them in water. When they are removed from the water a nuclear
reaction takes place causing heat. The amount of heat required is
controlled by raising and lowering the rods. If more heat is required
the rods are raised further out of the water and if less is needed they
lower further into it.
Nuclear Fission from Slow Neutrons and
Water Moderator

STEAM GENERATORS
Steam generators are heat exchangers used to
convert water into steam from heat produced in a
nuclear reactor core.
Either ordinary water or heavy water is used as the
coolant.
STEAM TURBINE
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts
thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it
into useful mechanical
Various high-performance alloys and superalloys
have been used for steam generator tubing.
COOLANT PUMP
The coolant pump pressurizes the coolant to pressures
of the orderof 155bar.
The pressue of the coolant loop is maintained almost
constant with the help of the pump and a pressurizer
unit.
FEED PUMP
Steam coming out of the turbine, flows through the
condenser for condensation and recirculated for the next
cycle of operation.
The feed pump circulates the condensed water in the
working fluid loop.
CONDENSER
Condenser is a device or unit which is used to
condense vapor into liquid.
The objective of the condenser are to reduce the
turbine exhaust pressure to increase the efficiency and to
recover high quality feed water in the form of
condensate & feed back it to the steam generator
without any further treatment.
COOLING TOWER
Cooling towers are heat removal devices used to
transfer process waste heat to the atmosphere.
Water circulating through the condenser is
taken to the cooling tower for cooling and reuse
Nuclear Reactor
How a Nuclear Reactor works ?

235
U fissions by absorbing a neutron and producing 2 to 3
neutrons, which initiate on average one more fission to make
a controlled chain reaction
Normal water is used as a moderator to slow the neutrons
since slow neutrons take longer to pass by a U nucleus and
have more time to be absorbed
The protons in the hydrogen in the water have the same mass
as the neutron and stop them by a billiard ball effect
The extra neutrons are taken up by protons to form deuterons

235
U is enriched from its 0.7% in nature to about 3% to
produce the reaction, and is contained in rods in the water
Boron control rods are inserted to absorb neutrons when it is
time to shut down the reactor
The hot water is boiled or sent through a heat exchanger to
produce steam. The steam then powers turbines.

Video: How a pressurized water nuclear
reactor (pwr) works
Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor
Uses the fast neutrons from
235
U fission on
surrounding
238
U to produce
239
Pu
In 10-20 years, enough Pu is produced to
power another reactor
No moderators are allowed
No water, must use liquid sodium coolant
U must be at 15%-30% enrichment to generate
power with fast neutrons while breeding Pu
This is at weapons grade enrichment, however
Super-Phenix in France has operated for 20
years

Breeder reactor
Breeds plutonium as it operates
Uses liquid sodium metal instead of water for coolant
Could explode if in contact with air or water

1966 Fermi, Michigan
Partial meltdown nearly causes evacuation of Detroit

1973 Shevchenko, Russia
Breeder caught fire and exploded

Controversial proposals in Europe, U.S.


Reprocessing
Separates reusable fuel from waste
Large amounts of radioactivity released

1960s West Valley, NY
Radiation leaked into Lake Ontario

1970s La Hague, France
Released plutonium plumes into air


Back end: Radioactive wastes
Low-level wastes in commercial facilities

Spent fuel in pools or dry casks by plants

Nuclear lab wastes
Hanford wastes leaked radiation into Columbia River

High-level underground repository
Yucca Mountain in Nevada to 2037
Wolf River Batholith in Wisconsin after 2037?
Risks of cracks in bedrock, water seepage


Yucca
Mountain
Transportation
risks
Uranium oxide spills

Fuel rod spills (WI 1981)

Radioactive waste risks





Radioactive Waste Recycling
Disposal of radioactive waste from nuclear power
plants and weapons facilities by recycling it into
household products.

In 1996, 15,000 tons of metal were received by the
Association of Radioactive Metal Recyclers .
Much was recycled into products without
consumer knowledge.

Depleted Uranium munitions for military.
Pathways Of Exposure To Man From Release of
Radioactive Materials
Nuclear Plant Future
The countries of the world are each planning their
own course of nuclear plant development or decline
Nuclear power is competitive with natural gas
It is non-polluting
It does not contribute to global warming
Obtaining the fuel only takes 5% of the energy
output
Plant licenses have been extended from 20 years to
an additional 20 years

Nuclear Plant Future
Newer designs are being sought to make them more
economical and safer
Preapproval of a few designs will hasten development
Disposal of high level radioactive waste still being
studied, but scientists believe deep burial would work
International Thermonuclear
Experimental Reactor (ITER)

ADVANTAGES
Nuclear power generation does emit relatively low
amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2). The emissions of
green house gases and therefore the contribution of
nuclear power plants to global warming is therefore
relatively little.
This technology is readily available, it does not have
to be developed first.
It is possible to generate a high amount of electrical
energy in one single plant
DISADVANTAGES
The problem of radioactive waste is still an unsolved
one.
High risks: It is technically impossible to build a plant
with 100% security.
The energy source for nuclear energy is Uranium.
Uranium is a scarce resource, its supply is estimated to
last only for the next 30 to 60 years depending on the
actual demand.
DISADVANTAGES
Nuclear power plants as well as nuclear waste could
be preferred targets for terrorist attacks..

During the operation of nuclear power plants,
radioactive waste is produced, which in turn can be
used for the production of nuclear weapons.
Calorific value of fossil fuels (kcal/kg)
Domestic Coal: 4000, Imported Coal: 5400, Naphtha: 10500, LNG: 9500
Indian uranium-ore contains only 0.06% of uranium
(Canadas 18%), but this provides
20 times more energy per tonne of mined material than coal
when uranium is used in once through open cycle in PHWRs
1200 to 1400 times more energy per tonne of mined material
than coal when used in closed cycle based on FBRs
1000 MWe Nuclear Power Plant needs movement of
12 trucks (10 Te/truck) of uranium fuel per year
1000 MWe Coal Power Plant needs movement of
3,80,000 trucks (10 Te/truck) of coal per year
Comparison of Fuel Characteristics

A country of the size of India cannot afford to plan its economy
on the basis of large scale import of energy resources or energy
technology
Indigenous development of energy technologies based on
domestic fuel resources should be a priority for us
Nuclear power must contribute about a quarter of the total
electric power required 50 years from now, in order to limit
energy import dependence in percentage terms at about the
current level
Challenges and strategies