How is nuclear energy created

Reactors use uranium for nuclear fuel. The uranium is processed into small ceramic pellets and stacked together into sealed metal tubes called fuel rods. Typically more than of these rods are bundled together to form a fuel assembly.

A reactor core is typically made up of a couple hundred assemblies, depending on power level. Inside the reactor vessel, the fuel rods are immersed in water which acts as both a coolant and moderator. The moderator helps slow down the neutrons produced by fission to sustain the chain reaction. Control rods can then be inserted into the reactor core to reduce the reaction rate or withdrawn to increase it. The heat created by fission turns the water into steam, which spins a turbine to produce carbon-free electricity.

Nuclear energy provides efficient and reliable electricity around the world. Today, more than commercial reactors operate in more than 30 countries. The common definition for nuclear energy is the energy released by a chain reaction, especially by fission or fusion. Practically speaking, nuclear energy uses fuel made from mined and processed uranium to make steam and generate electricity.

Nuclear generation is the only source of electricity that can produce a constant supply of power — known as baseload power—reliably without emitting greenhouse gases. Nuclear energy has one of the lowest environmental impacts on land and natural resources of any electricity source.

Each reactor is designed to produce 1, megawatts MW of electricity with nearly zero carbon emissions. Built to operate for 60 years or more, these reactors will provide efficient and reliable low-carbon electricity to the nation for generations to come.

Once fully operational, the plant will prevent the release of more than 21 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year. This is equivalent to removing 3. As the teams at both ENEC and Nawah prepare for the plant to transition from a construction project to an operating facility, they work to ensure that it meets the highest national and international standards of quality, and benefit from global operating experience.

Other accidents, such as the partial meltdown at Pennsylvania's Three Mile Island in , linger as terrifying examples of nuclear power's radioactive risks. The Fukushima disaster in particular raised questions about safety of power plants in seismic zones, such as Armenia's Metsamor power station. Other issues related to nuclear power include where and how to store the spent fuel, or nuclear waste, which remains dangerously radioactive for thousands of years.

Nuclear power plants, many of which are located on or near coasts because of the proximity to water for cooling, also face rising sea levels and the risk of more extreme storms due to climate change.

All rights reserved. What is Nuclear Energy? How does nuclear energy work? Is radiation a risk? Find out the difference between nuclear fission and fusion, how uranium fuels the process, and the pros and cons of this alternative energy source.

Types of nuclear reactors In the U. Nuclear energy history The idea of nuclear power began in the s , when physicist Enrico Fermi first showed that neutrons could split atoms.

Nuclear power, climate change, and future designs Nuclear power isn't considered renewable energy , given its dependence on a mined, finite resource, but because operating reactors do not emit any of the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming , proponents say it should be considered a climate change solution. Nuclear power risks When arguing against nuclear power, opponents point to the problems of long-lived nuclear waste and the specter of rare but devastating nuclear accidents such as those at Chernobyl in and Fukushima Daiichi in Share Tweet Email.

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Some of the neutrons that are released then hit other atoms, causing them to fission too and release more neutrons. This is called a chain reaction. The fissioning of atoms in the chain reaction also releases a large amount of energy as heat. The generated heat is removed from the reactor by a circulating fluid, typically water. This heat can then be used to generate steam, which drives turbines for electricity production.

In order to ensure the nuclear reaction takes place at the right speed, reactors have systems that accelerate, slow or shut down the nuclear reaction, and the heat it produces. This is normally done with control rods, which typically are made out of neutron-absorbing materials such as silver and boron.