1.
NUCLEAR ENERGY AND
RADIATION POLLUTION
BY-
CHANDRANI GOSWAMI

2.
RADIATION
 Occurs when energy is emitted by a source and
then travels through a medium, such as air, until it
is absorbed by matter.

3.
TYPES
Two basic types
 Non-ionizing radiation
 Ionizing radiation
1. Alpha radiation
2. Beta radiation
3. Neutron radiation
4. X-rays
5. Gamma radiation

4.
SOURCES
 NON-IONIZING RADIATION
Microwave ovens, global positioning systems,
cellular telephones, television stations, FM and
AM radio, baby monitors, cordless phones,
garage-door openers, and ham radios all make
use of non-ionizing radiation. Other forms include
the earth’s magnetic field, as well as magnetic
field exposure from proximity to transmission
lines, household wiring and electric appliances.
These are defined as extremely low-frequency
(ELF) waves.

5.
SOURCES Contd.
 IONIZING RADIATION
Natural background radiation
1. Cosmic radiation
2. Terrestrial radiation
3. Inhalation
4. Ingestion
Artificial sources of radiation

6.
WHAT IS NUCLEAR ENERGY?
The energy released during nuclear reaction i.e.
nuclear fission or fusion

7.
Nuclear Fission
 Nuclear fission is the
process of splitting a
nucleus into two nuclei
with smaller masses.
 Fission means “to
divide”
 Only large nuclei with
atomic numbers above
90 can undergo fission.
 E.g. Uranium 235 to
xenon and strontium

8.
Other Examples
 The two nuclear bombs
dropped on Hiroshima and
Nagasaki, Japan at the end
of World War II.
 The nuclear reactors that
power deep space probes.
 The nuclear reactors that
power submarines and air
craft carriers.
 Nuclear power plants
around the world that
produce electricity

9.
Chain Reaction
 A chain reaction is an
ongoing series of
fission reactions.
Billions of reactions
occur each second in a
chain reaction.

10.
Chain Reaction cont.
 On earth, nuclear
fission reactions take
place in nuclear
reactors, which use
controlled chain
reactions to generate
electricity.

11.
Fission Products
 The products of nuclear
fission reactions are
radioactive, but the energy
released from these
reactions is less harmful to
the environment than the
use of fossil fuels.
 The products are intensely
radioactive and must be
treated and/or stored.

12.
How much energy is produced?
 Nuclear power is an
extremely rich
energy source.
 One gram of
Uranium-235
delivers as much
energy as 3.5 metric
tons of coal!!!

13.
Nuclear Fusion
 Nuclear fusion is the
combining of two nuclei
with low masses to form
one nucleus of larger
mass.
 Nuclear fusion
reactions are also
called thermonuclear
reactions.

14.
Nuclear Fusion cont.
 Fusion reactions exist in
stars.
 Our sun is a good example
of a thermonuclear (fusion)
reaction.
 It is almost impossible to
create fusion reactions on
earth since they need
temperatures above one
million degrees Celsius in
order to take place.

15.
Anatomy of a Nuclear Power
Plant
 The pressurized water
reactor (PWR) is the most
common type of commercial
reactor design used
worldwide. It has primary,
secondary, and external
heat exchange systems and
is pressurized to prevent
water from boiling in the
reactor.

16.
Anatomy of a Nuclear Power
Plant
 A Boiling Water Reactor
(BWR) is less common.
 There is one loop for the
water to travel from the
reactor to the turbine,
whereas with the PWR
there is a secondary
loop.

17.
Advantages of Nuclear
Power
 The generation of electricity through nuclear
energy reduces the amount of energy generated
from fossil fuels (coal and oil). Less use of fossil
fuels means lowering greenhouse gas emissions
(CO2 and others).
 Less fuel offers more energy. It represents a
significant save on raw materials but also in
transport, handling and extraction of nuclear fuel.
The cost of nuclear fuel (overall uranium) is 20% of
the cost of energy generated.

18.
Advantages Continued…
 The production of electric energy is continuous.
A nuclear power plant is generating electricity
for almost 90% of annual time.
 It's an alternative to fossil fuels, so the
consumption of fuels such as coal or oil is
reduced. This reduction of coal and oil
consumption benefits the situation of global
warming and global climate change.

19.
Drawbacks of Nuclear
Power
 Management of nuclear waste. It takes many years
to eliminate its radioactivity and risks.
 Current nuclear reactors work by fission nuclear
reactions. These chain reactions is generated in
case control systems fail, generating continuous
reactions causing a radioactive explosion that would
be virtually impossible to contain.
 Nuclear power plants generate external
dependence. Not many countries have uranium
mines and not all the countries have nuclear
technology, so they have to hire both things
overseas.

20.
Drawbacks Continued…
 Potential for radiation leakage and health effects
 Possible terrorist target
 Apparent cheap power retards renewable energy
development

21.
New Nuclear Technologies
 Modular, small-scale reactors
 Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)
are nuclear power plants that are
smaller in size (300 MW or less)
than current generation base load
plants (1,000 MW or higher).
 These smaller, compact designs
are factory-fabricated reactors that
can be transported by truck or rail
to a nuclear power site and are
built mostly underground. These
reactors are built to withstand
major environmental events, and
even plane crashes. These
modules reduce construction time,
capital costs, increase flexibility of

22.
Nuclear power in India
 Nuclear power is the fourth-
largest source of electricity in
India after thermal,
hydroelectric and renewable
sources of electricity.
 As of 2013, India has 21
nuclear reactors in operation
in 7 nuclear power plants,
having an installed capacity of
5780 MW and producing a
total of 30,292.91 kilowatt-
hours of electricity

23.
Nuclear Waste
 Plutonium, cesium, strontium,
and other “-ium” elements
created in a nuclear reactor
emit dangerous radiation that
can literally knock electrons off
the atoms of our cells,
disrupting or destroying cell
function or even causing cells
to mutate into cancer cells.
 Radioactive elements emit
radiation because they are
unstable.

24.
Nuclear Waste Contd.
 Waste
• Contains radioactive fission products
• Can be hazardous for thousands of years
 Half-life of Pu-239 is 24,110 years
• Fission products, if released, can build up in the
body and be fatal

25.
Classifications
 4 Types
 LOW LEVEL WASTE is not dangerous but
sometimes requires shielding during handling.
 INTERMEDIATE LEVEL WASTE typically is
chemical sludge and other products from
reactors.
 HIGH LEVEL WASTE consists of fissionable
elements from reactor cores.
 TRANSURANIC WASTE is any waste with
transuranic alpha emitting radionuclides that
have half-lives longer than 20 years.

26.
Low Level Waste (LLW)
 Includes clothing, tools, and other materials
contaminated with plutonium, neptunium, and
other man-made elements heavier than
uranium.
 90% volume of waste
 It does not necessarily carry any radioactivity.

27.
Intermediate Level Waste (ILW)
 Intermediate level waste requires shielding when
being handled.
 7% volume of waste
 Dependent on the amount of activity it can be
buried in shallow repositories.

28.
High Level Waste (HLW)
 High level waste has a large amount of
radioactive activity and is thermally hot.
 Liquid and solid waste from plutonium production
(91 million gallons).
 3% volume of waste
 95% of radioactivity
 Current levels of HLW are increasing about
12,000 metric tons per year.
 Most HLW consists of Pu-238, 239, 240, 241,
242, Np-237, U-236

29.
Transuranic Waste (TRUW)
 Includes clothing, tools, and other materials
contaminated with plutonium, neptunium, and other
man-made elements heavier than uranium.
 TRUWs typically have longer half-lives than other
forms of waste.
 Typically a byproduct of weapons manufacturing.

30.
No observable effect (< .25 Gy)
White blood cell count drops (.25 to 1 Gy)
Mild radiation sickness (1 to 2 Gy absorbed dose)
• Nausea and vomiting within 24 to 48 hours
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Weakness
Moderate radiation sickness (2 to 3.5 Gy)
• Nausea and vomiting within 12 to 24 hours
• Fever
• Hair loss
• Vomiting blood, bloody stool
• Poor wound healing
• Any of the mild radiation sickness symptoms
• Can be fatal to sensitive individuals
Physiological Effects of Acute Radiation Exposure

31.
Waste Management (LLW)
 There are several
options available for
the disposal of LLW
due to its lack of
radioactivity.
 Waste Isolation Pilot
Plant
 On-site disposal Map of WIPP Facility

32.
Treatment (LLW)
 Filtration
 Ion Exchange
 Evaporation
 Incineration
 Compaction
 Solidification
Typical LLW treatment facility.

33.
Waste Management (HLW)
 Most common utilized option are reactor
pools and dry cask storage.
Locations of storage sites for nuclear
waste in the U.S.

34.
Treatment
 Most common initial treatment of waste is
vitrification.
 Waste is first mixed with sugar and then passed
through a heated tube to de-nitrite the material.
 This material is then fed into a furnace and mixed
with glass.
 The molten glass mixture is poured into steel
cylinders and welded shut.

35.
Treatment (Cont.)
 Mid level active waste is commonly treated with
ion exchange
 Process reduces the bulk volume of radioactive
material.
 Typically, mixed with concrete for a solid storage
form.

36.
Treatment (Cont.)
 Other Options for waste
management include:
Deep Geologoical Storage
Transmutation
Reuse
Launching it into space

37.
Deep Geological Repository
 Most common method
for handling nuclear
waste.
 Typically kept separate
from actual plants and
buried far below
ground.
 First used in 1999 in
the US.
 Current research is
focusing on Yucca
Mountain, United
Yucca Mountain Site

38.
Transmutation of Nuclear Waste
 Mixed oxide fuel, commonly referred to as MOX
fuel, is nuclear fuel that contains more than one
oxide of fissile material, usually consisting of
plutonium blended with natural uranium,
reprocessed uranium, or depleted uranium.

39.
Reuse of Nuclear Waste
 Research is being performed to find uses for
nuclear waste.
 Caesium-137 and strontium-90 already used in
industrial and therapeutic applications.
 Some waste can be used for radioisotope
thermoelectric generators (RTGs).
 Overall can reduce total HLW but not eliminate it.

40.
Launch it into Space
 Near infinite storage
space
 Completely removes
waste from biosphere.