# Nuclear Energy

## Nuclear energy

* Nuclear energy used for electricity
* Very similar to fossil fuel plants

## Electricity Flow

Nuclear energy is mainly used for electricity.

![](/files/-Lq70-H-1TwfP0gUsoLP)

More data can be found at the [EIA](https://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/annual/)

## Fusion vs Fission

* Fusion joins atomic nuclei
* Sun is a fusion reaction
* Fission splits atomic nuclei
* Nuclear energy is a fission reaction

## Fission

![](/files/-Lq70-H1ZykiAkL6YDeQ)

## Electronic vs Nuclear Energy Levels

* Mass Energy Equivalence
* $E = mc^2$
* The very high binding energy in the nucleus allows for small amounts

  of fuel to release large amounts of energy
* 3 million times more electricity per kg than coal

## Nuclear Decay

* Elements become other elements (the goal of alchemists)
* Iron most stable

## Nuclear Fuel

## Uranium Metal

![](/files/-Lq70-H3gMz_a9usLc4l)

## Uranium Mine

![](/files/-Lq70-H5XvS_h29s36d2)

## Uranium Ore

![](/files/-Lq70-H7IZOAWquSJWkh)

## Uranium Yellowcake

![](/files/-Lq70-H9sHdlKWv30ywb)

## Nuclear Fuel Rods

![](/files/-Lq70-HBzi_855zcfskY)

## Nuclear Reactor Core

![](/files/-Lq70-HD8_JJj4Zp8orw)

## Nuclear Reactor Diagram

![](/files/-Lq70-HFibfSXDvKlI3e)

## Nuclear Waste Disposal

## Half Life

* Definition
* Relation to carbon dating
* Relevance to end of life
* Plutonium 239 half life of 2400 years

## Half Life

![](/files/-Lq70-HH_gA2XWNWs4XI)

## Water Fuel Storage

![](/files/-Lq70-HJRBVUUTI3Ou7k)

## Above Ground Fuel Storage

![](/files/-Lq70-HLUbekV-S7M3B9)

## Electricity Death Rates

$$\textrm{Death Rate} = \frac {\textrm{Number of Deaths}} {\textrm{Electrical Energy Delivered}}$$

## Electricity Death Rates

| Source  | Deaths per TWh |
| ------- | -------------- |
| Coal    | 161            |
| Solar   | 0.44           |
| Nuclear | 0.04           |

Source: nextbigfuture.com based on WHO data

## Nuclear energy

* Over 430 nuclear reactors
* 370 GW of capacity
* 70 reactors under construction
* About 10% of world electricity production

## Nuclear Electricity Production

![](/files/-Lq70-HN6afp_bLUmErN)

## Nuclear Installed Capacity

![](/files/-Lq70-HPCne-mmFgsX4x)

## Capacity vs Delivered Electricity

* US Nuclear Capacity
* US Nuclear Energy Production

## Lifetime cost of nuclear electricity

* Cost is seen as a key weakness for nuclear electricity
* Plant construction
* Fixed operation and maintenance
* Variable operation and maintenance
* Decommissioning cost
* Waste disposal

## Lifetime cost of nuclear electricity

* cost of construction 83.4 USD/MWh
* fixed operation and maintenance 11.6 USD/MWh
* variable operation and maintenance (fuel) 12.3 USD/MWh
* total 108.4 USD/MWh
* compare to coal (65.7, 4.1, 29.2, 100.1)
* compare to natural gas (17.4, 2.0, 45.0, 67.1)


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