{"id":42,"date":"2019-08-08T15:50:27","date_gmt":"2019-08-08T12:50:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fermi.local\/?page_id=42"},"modified":"2020-03-18T16:04:04","modified_gmt":"2020-03-18T14:04:04","slug":"tuumaenergia","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/fermi.ee\/en\/tuumaenergia\/","title":{"rendered":"Nuclear Energy"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The production of nuclear energy is based on the reaction between neutrons and atomic nuclei in the fuel used.<\/p>

When a uranium-235 nucleus absorbs a neutron and splits into two large energetic fragments, or fission products, it releases energy, on average 200 MeV (mega electron volts).<\/p>

1 gram of uranium has 2.56*1021<\/sup> an atomic nucleus with a fission energy of 2,56*10 21<\/sup> *200= 5,12*1023<\/sup> MeV = 8.2*1010<\/sup> J = 0.95 MWday = 22.8 MWh of energy. Considering the efficiency of a steam turbine using 35%, 1 gram of U-235 can be converted into 8 MWh of electricity.<\/p>

By comparison, to produce the same amount of electricity, 11.5 tonnes of oil shale must be burned and 5 tonnes of CO2 are emitted.<\/p>

A good introduction to nuclear energy is a mini-course at the UT School of Science.\u00a0From cosmic rays to the nuclear power plant<\/a>.<\/p>

SMRs<\/h2>

Internationally<\/a> are defined as small modular reactors (VMRs) with an electrical output of less than 300MW.<\/p>

The development of VMR is a development of the last 10 years, as large nuclear plants have become very expensive (over \u20ac5 billion) and construction is often overdue, with a number of problems and cost increases.<\/p>

Building the reactor in modules and smaller allows for a lower total financial cost of the project, a more grid-compatible capacity, greater construction safety and a smaller reactor also allows for certain safety advantages.<\/p>

The most important stage in bringing new reactor technology to power generation is obtaining a construction licence, or licensing. Among OECD countries, the United States is currently the furthest advanced in the construction licensing process. National Nuclear Safety Commission<\/a> NuScale reactor.<\/p>

Most VMR reactors, including Generation 4 reactors, are in the process of pre-licensing (Vendor Design Review). Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission<\/a> by. Pre-licensing provides the reactor developer with the assurance that the technical and procedural solutions for their reactor meet the technical requirements set out by the regulator and that there are no fundamental obstacles to a further site-based construction licence procedure.<\/p>

As a nuclear reactor is a complex engineering facility with an expected lifetime at high temperatures and\/or pressures of decades, regulators require from the developers comprehensive data, based on experimental testing, on the performance and interactions of the different components (piping, valve, materials, fuels, etc.) and systems (primary thermal contour; emergency shutdown system, etc.) to ensure beyond doubt the long-term design performance of these systems and the safety of the overall system under all possible scenarios.<\/p>

Nuclear regulation<\/h2>

Given the high energy concentration of nuclear energy, which requires a high level of competence and procedures, and which entails both potential military applications and risks in energy production, nuclear energy is highly regulated internationally. International Atomic Energy Agency<\/a> and international conventions<\/a>.<\/p>

One of the Treaties on which the European Union is founded is Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community<\/a> and nuclear energy is covered by two main directives:<\/p>