Nuclear power

1. Nuclearpower

2. History • Neutronwasfoundby James Chadwick in 1932 • In the 1930’s the researchwascontinuedby Enrico Fermi • He focused on slowneutrons to increase the effectivness of radioactivity • Fermi escapedfromfacists to America and there he continued the research in the name of ”Manhattan Project” • Main focuswas on developing a nuclearweapon • After World War II researchwascontinued to getnuclearpower into a betteruse

3. Nuclear Fission • In fission reaction a heavy atom’s core splits into two smaller ones, releasing energy at the same time • Uranium’s isotope 235 is used in energy production, for it’s the only isotope found in nature which creates the chain reaction Neutrons crashing and creating two smaller ones->

4. NuclearReactor • Device used to initiate and control Nuclear chain reaction • Reactors convert thermal energy from fission reaction into electricity • Uranium is the fuel in reactors, Reactors also have a coolant to prevent overheating • Control rods keeps the reaction stable

5. Reactors in finland • Loviisa nuclear plant has two reactors both with a power of 2x500 MW • Olkiluoto nuclear plant has also tow reactors and both of them has apower of 2x880 MW • A new reactor is being built with a power of 1600 MW

6. Advantages • Employs people • Energy production is easy and effective • Nuclear fuel is cheap (Uranium) • A small amount of substance creates a large amount of energy • Nuclear power stations takes a little space and they work usually without any problems • Doesn’t cause CO2-pollution

7. Disadvantages • Adds more enviromental problems • Disaster risk • The biggest problem of nuclear power is that the nuclear waste is undisposable • Creates dangerous radiation • Radioactive waste will continue splitting in half for over 100 000 years • Nuclear reaction time is only 40-50 years.