Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy

PEACEFUL USES OF NUCLEAR ENERGY

“I lose my temper but it’s all over in a minute.” said the Student.
“So is the Nuclear Bomb. But think of the damage it produces.” Teacher replied.

Above mentioned quote confirms that we have always weighed nuclear energy with the destruction it causes. Thanks to the unique invention of nuclear energy, i.e. Nuclear Bomb. On hearing the word ‘Nuclear’ the only thing that comes to our mind is havoc and disaster mainly due to some unfortunate incidents such as ‘Hiroshima Nagasaki bombings’, ‘Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster’ etc.

At some point of time, we need to answer the question: “Does the global threat of nuclear weapons overshadow the benefits of peaceful nuclear technologies? We need to break our mind’s barrier and think about other applications of Nuclear energy, i.e. peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

In the years just before and during World War II, nuclear research focused mainly on the development of defense weapons. Later, scientists concentrated on peaceful applications of nuclear technology. An important use of nuclear energy is the generation of electricity. After years of research, scientists have successfully applied nuclear technology to many other scientific, medical, and industrial purposes.

Our main focus will be on the generation of electricity using nuclear energy in nuclear power plants as it is one of the main peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Electricity is generated using isotopes of certain atoms (elements). Although atoms are tiny, they have a large amount of energy holding their nuclei together. These isotopes can be split and will release part of their energy as heat. This splitting is called fission. A series of fissions is called a chain reaction. This chain reaction creates a great deal of heat, which can be used to help generate electricity.

Nuclear power plants generate electricity like any other steam-electric power plant. Water is heated, and steam from the boiling water turns turbines and generates electricity. The main difference in the various types of steam-electric plants is the heat source. Heat from a chain reaction boils the water in a nuclear power plant. Coal, oil, or gas is burned in other power plants to heat the water.

But as there is other side to every coin, nuclear reactors can explode and cause great destruction if not maintained properly. One such incident was ‘Chernobyl Disaster (1986)’ in Russia which killed 31 people along with so many bad after-effects. It also justifies Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s words: “Advancement of science and technology brings hope for the world and also the danger of sudden death."
Apart from the use of nuclear energy to produce electricity from power reactors, it has also been used extensively in medicine, industry, biology, hydrology, food and agriculture.

In the field of medicine, doctors use radioisotopes to identify and investigate the causes of disease. They also use them to enhance traditional medical treatments and sterilize medical equipments. In industry, radioisotopes are used for measuring microscopic thicknesses, detecting irregularities in metal casings, and testing welds. Archaeologists use nuclear techniques to date prehistoric objects accurately and to locate structural defects in statues and buildings. Nuclear irradiation is used in preserving food. It causes less vitamin loss than canning, freezing, or drying.

Nuclear research has benefited mankind in many ways. But the nuclear industry faces huge, very complex issues. How can we minimize the risk and reap maximum benefits? What do we do with the waste? The answers to the above and many more such questions depend on the advanced engineering, scientific research, and the involvement of an enlightened citizenry.
The current state of nuclear technology has benefited dramatically from persistent efforts on many fronts. Not all of the challenges of nuclear technology have been solved. The terrorist attacks of September 2001 raised the doubt for nuclear security, and the year 2002 brought new challenges to international efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. But great strides have been made: Nuclear energy has become economically competitive while simultaneously operating more safely than ever before. Moreover public confidence in nuclear technology and appreciation of its many peaceful benefits is on the rise. We hope that power of the nucleus (atom) can be harnessed as a tool for the benefit of human kind and not as an instrument of self-destruction.