Surely you know the nuclear energy and you know that electrical energy is produced from it. However, you may not know how it works, from what elements are formed and what advantages and disadvantages it has. In this article we are going to focus on explaining everything related to nuclear energy, from what it is to how it works and its advantages.
Do you want to learn more about nuclear energy? Keep reading to know more.
What is the nuclear energy?
Nuclear energy is also known as atomic energy and is that which is obtained from nuclear reactions. Nuclei and atomic particles are the protagonists of this work. Reactions can occur both spontaneously and human-induced. Thus, this type of energy is quite efficient.
Its use carries some risks that it is necessary to know in depth to maintain safety, both for workers and for an entire city. Nuclear energy is what is produced within an atom. Inside each atom there are two types of particles called neutrons and protons. Electrons are constantly moving around them, providing an electric charge. To generate electricity from energy, you have to release that energy from the nucleus of atoms. This can be done by nuclear fusion or Nuclear fision. Nuclear fission is used in nuclear power plants as a process for generating electricity.
This energy is not only usefully for the production of electricity, but there are also other fields such as medicine, industry or weaponry, for whom nuclear energy is a very important raw material.
How nuclear energy is produced
As we have commented, nuclear energy is formed from the processes of fission and fusion. The amount of energy that can be obtained through these processes is much greater than any other. It is the inequality that exists in the matter at the time of the reaction, the one that produces the energy.
It can be said that in this area, a small amount of mass is capable of providing a lot of energy. To give an example and understand each other better, the amount of energy that a kilogram of uranium can produce is the equivalent of that which would produce 200 tons of coal.
As you can see, the difference between power generation is impressive. This makes it one of the cheapest energies, but with certain risks that must be taken into account.
Nuclear power plants and population
Human beings have been using nuclear energy to obtain electricity for quite some time. For this, nuclear power plants have been built and, in Spain, we have the Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) which is responsible for monitoring all operations and ensuring that the exploitation of this type of energy is as safe as possible.
And it is that thanks to nuclear reactors a controlled reaction can occur. To produce electricity, nuclear power plants use the so-called fissile materials in nuclear reactions to provide heat. This heat is then used by a thermodynamic cycle to drive an alternator and electrical energy is produced. This is the typical operation of a nuclear power plant.
The most normal thing is that the plants use chemical elements such as uranium and plutonium. Although these reactions and energy production do not generate polluting gases into the atmosphere, they do generate radioactive waste that is highly polluting and dangerous. Its correct treatment is its storage in isolated and controlled warehouses.
When using the source of energy from a fissile element, it must remain stable for as long as possible to be manipulated and only 3 elements meet the condition Uranium 233, Uranium 235 and Plutonium.
Without nuclear reactors, this material could not be used to produce electricity. Inside the reactor is the fuel and it is where the controlled fission takes place.
Dangers of nuclear power plants
As we have highlighted several times, nuclear power is cheap but carries certain risks. They are responsible for indirect polluting emissions derived from the construction and manufacture of the fuel itself and the subsequent management of radioactive waste. These wastes are usually thrown into rivers and without control on numerous occasions.
It is not only waste that pollutes water and soil that is dangerous. If you have an uncontrolled nuclear reaction, disasters such as the Chernobyl and Fukushima accidents and other accidents that have occurred in history.
Advantages of nuclear energy
When we think of nuclear energy, we think of it as a powerful energy and very dangerous to handle. If you talk about it, it is inevitable to think of the atomic bombs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the disasters of Chernobyl and Fukushima. However, not everything is negative in nuclear power plants. There are numerous advantages to using this energy.
- Contrary to popular belief, it is a fairly clean energy and does not require fossil fuels. If radioactive waste is well controlled, it does not emit any type of pollutant. This helps in reducing polluting gases to the atmosphere and global warming.
- Its guarantee of electricity supply is constant, that is, it provides us with electricity 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
- As its production is constant, the prices are also. Oil is subject to the decision of many companies and its price is constantly changing.
- Nuclear power is cheap if we take into account the amount of energy it is capable of producing. To produce nuclear energy, much less raw material is needed (uranium or plutonium) with the consequent savings in materials (uranium represents almost a quarter of the expenditure to produce nuclear energy) but also in transport, storage, infrastructure for extraction, etc. .
- It does not depend on natural or environmental factors like renewable energies.
As you can see, nuclear energy is quite complete and, although it is thought more about radiation and cancer, it is a good option to avoid global warming.