A brief history of nuclear energy technologies

Barbara RauterDaniela Wachter

Definitions and history of fission and fusion Important components of a nuclear fission

reactor Overview on nuclear fission reactors Nuclear fusion reactors Accidents at nuclear power plants

CONTENT OF OUR WORK

fuel moderator control rods coolant pressure vessel

or pressure tubes steam generator containment

IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF A NUCLEAR FISSION REACTOR

Scheme of a nuclear fission reactor (adapted from Lancaster University, 2011)

OVERVIEW ON NUCLEAR FISSION REACTORS

OVERVIEW ON NUCLEAR FISSION REACTORS

Nuclear reactor types in use worldwide (as of 1 January, 2003

(adapted from OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, 2005: 17)

CLASSIFICATION BY GENERATIONS

The evolution of nuclear power(Böck, 2009b)

Besides problems such as – mining of radioactive material (uranium ore)– production of radioactive waste, which

• should be stored safely for thousands of years• is prone to proliferation

Accidents result in the most severe consequences for people and the environment

Only advantage of some accidents: Triggered technical/safety improvements of succeeding reactor models

ACCIDENTS AT NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

INES = International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale

Tool to rate the safety significance of civil (non-military) nuclear and radiological events

Applies to any event associated with transport, storage and use of radioactive substances:– operations at nuclear facilities– industrial and medical use of radiation sources– loss or theft of radioactive material

INES SCALE

INES SCALE (2)

INES Scale(IAEA, 2008: 1)

Three areas of impacts are considered:– Impacts on people and the environment– Effects on radiological barriers and control inside an installation– Impairment of safety measures (Defence-in-Depth)

Examples:– Chernobyl: Level 7 in the category “people and the environment”– Three Mile Island: Level 5 rating in the area “radiological barriers and

control”– Fukushima: Successively upgrading:

• First provisional rated at Level 4 by the Japanese Nuclear Safety Authority “NISA”

• Later upgraded to Level 5 • On April 12, 2011 NISA graded the incidents up to the highest level, 7

INES SCALE (3)

AND NOW….

… THE VIDEO