Nuclear Energy: Should Generation IV Reactors Be Developed?
Nuclear Energy: Should Generation IV Reactors Be Developed?
Many types of alternative energy are being developed in an effort to move away from burning fossil fuels, but perhaps the answer to the problem has already been in use for many years. Nuclear energy currently provides about 14% of the world’s total energy, and the plants that produce it are getting constantly more efficient (“Nuclear Power”). Unfortunately, the efficiency of existing plants is limited due to their design. Light water reactors, or LWRs, were developed in the 1950’s and are still used across the globe as primary method of obtaining nuclear power, albeit newer models use simpler and safer technology (“THE NEXT GENERATION”). The problem with LWRs is that only 1% of …show more content…
Only about 0.7% of uranium consists of the isotope U-235, the fuel source of nuclear reactors, but because the cooling process utilized by LWRs absorbs a significant number neutrons required for fission, nuclear fuel must be enriched to contain between 3% and 5% U-235. The enrichment process requires large amounts energy and could be avoided by using more efficient reactors which do not need enriched fuel (Barton). Not only would LFTRs and IFRs require non enriched fuel in order to operate, but they would also utilize the fuel to the fullest extent. LWRs are only capable of burning about .6% of U-235 in the fuel and the rest is “depleted” or “spent” fuel which is discarded as radioactive waste. Since LFTRs and IFRs are able to operate at much higher temperatures than LWRs, they can more thoroughly burn uranium and burn it more efficiently turning up to 85% of the heat into electricity as opposed the 30% of heat that LWRs turn into electricity (Hansen). LFTRs which will utilize thorium as a primary energy source will be able to produce over 30,000% more energy per megaton of fuel as the current method of burning uranium only amounts to about 35 GW*hr/MT while a LFTR would produce about 11,000 GW*hr/MT (Barton). Efficiency is a great advantage over the current generation of nuclear power plants, but …show more content…
"Light Water Reactor EROEI." Energyfromthorium.com. The Energy From Thorium Foundation, Apr. 2013. Web. 02 Sept. 2013.
"Decay Heat, Nuclear Physics and Reactor Theory." DOE Fundamentals Handbook. 4th ed. Vol. 2. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Energy, 1992. 61. Print.
Hansen, James, Ph.D. "4th Generation Nuclear Power." Ossfoundation.us. OSS Foundation, 18 Jan. 2009. Web. 02 Sept. 2013.
Hvistendahl, Mara. "Coal Ash Is More Radioactive than Nuclear Waste: Scientific American." Scientificamerican.com. Scientific American, n.d. Web. 02 Sept. 2013.
Lai, Leslie, and Kristen Morrison. "Nuclear Energy Fact Sheet." Wagingpeace.org. Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, n.d. Web.
Lai, Leslie, and Kristen Morrison. "Nuclear Energy Fact Sheet." Wagingpeace.org. Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, n.d. Web. 2 Sept. 2013.
"THE NEXT GENERATION OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS." Phyast.pitt.edu. University of Pittsburgh, 1999. Web.
"Nuclear Power in the World Today." World-nuclear.org. Nuclear Power Today, 2012. Web. 02 Sept.
Many types of alternative energy are being developed in an effort to move away from burning fossil fuels, but perhaps the answer to the problem has already been in use for many years. Nuclear energy currently provides about 14% of the world’s total energy, and the plants that produce it are getting constantly more efficient (“Nuclear Power”). Unfortunately, the efficiency of existing plants is limited due to their design. Light water reactors, or LWRs, were developed in the 1950’s and are still used across the globe as primary method of obtaining nuclear power, albeit newer models use simpler and safer technology (“THE NEXT GENERATION”). The problem with LWRs is that only 1% of …show more content…
Only about 0.7% of uranium consists of the isotope U-235, the fuel source of nuclear reactors, but because the cooling process utilized by LWRs absorbs a significant number neutrons required for fission, nuclear fuel must be enriched to contain between 3% and 5% U-235. The enrichment process requires large amounts energy and could be avoided by using more efficient reactors which do not need enriched fuel (Barton). Not only would LFTRs and IFRs require non enriched fuel in order to operate, but they would also utilize the fuel to the fullest extent. LWRs are only capable of burning about .6% of U-235 in the fuel and the rest is “depleted” or “spent” fuel which is discarded as radioactive waste. Since LFTRs and IFRs are able to operate at much higher temperatures than LWRs, they can more thoroughly burn uranium and burn it more efficiently turning up to 85% of the heat into electricity as opposed the 30% of heat that LWRs turn into electricity (Hansen). LFTRs which will utilize thorium as a primary energy source will be able to produce over 30,000% more energy per megaton of fuel as the current method of burning uranium only amounts to about 35 GW*hr/MT while a LFTR would produce about 11,000 GW*hr/MT (Barton). Efficiency is a great advantage over the current generation of nuclear power plants, but …show more content…
"Light Water Reactor EROEI." Energyfromthorium.com. The Energy From Thorium Foundation, Apr. 2013. Web. 02 Sept. 2013.
"Decay Heat, Nuclear Physics and Reactor Theory." DOE Fundamentals Handbook. 4th ed. Vol. 2. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Energy, 1992. 61. Print.
Hansen, James, Ph.D. "4th Generation Nuclear Power." Ossfoundation.us. OSS Foundation, 18 Jan. 2009. Web. 02 Sept. 2013.
Hvistendahl, Mara. "Coal Ash Is More Radioactive than Nuclear Waste: Scientific American." Scientificamerican.com. Scientific American, n.d. Web. 02 Sept. 2013.
Lai, Leslie, and Kristen Morrison. "Nuclear Energy Fact Sheet." Wagingpeace.org. Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, n.d. Web.
Lai, Leslie, and Kristen Morrison. "Nuclear Energy Fact Sheet." Wagingpeace.org. Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, n.d. Web. 2 Sept. 2013.
"THE NEXT GENERATION OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS." Phyast.pitt.edu. University of Pittsburgh, 1999. Web.
"Nuclear Power in the World Today." World-nuclear.org. Nuclear Power Today, 2012. Web. 02 Sept.