How Does Nuclear Power Work?
Nuclear power stations work in pretty much the same way as fossil fuel-burning stations, except that a “chain reaction” inside a nuclear reactor makes the heat instead. The reactor uses Uranium rods as fuel, and the heat is generated by nuclear fission. Neutrons smash into the nucleus of the uranium atoms, which split roughly in half and release energy in the form of heat. Carbon dioxide gas is pumped through the reactor to take the heat away, and the hot gas then heats water to make steam. The steam drives turbines which drive generators. Modern nuclear power stations use the same type of turbines and generators as conventional power stations. In Britain, nuclear power stations are built on the coast, and use sea water for cooling the steam ready to be pumped round again. This means that they don’t have the huge “cooling towers” seen at other power stations. The reactor is controlled with “control rods”, made of boron, which absorb neutrons. When the rods are lowered into the reactor,
STEAM REACTION, TURBINE AND GENERATOR CONTROL ROD Nuclear power plants use reactors made from uranium, plutonium, and other elements with unstable bonds, to make steam that drives a turbine in an electric generator. Atoms, the basic building blocks of all elements, are comprised of small structures known as electrons, protons, and neutrons. Held together by the strongest force in nature, when bombarded by neutrons a massive amount of energy is released. Control rods monitor the reaction by absorbing free neutrons thus controlling the amount of heat produced. Energy released from the reaction heats water to over 500 degrees F producing steam and spinning the turbines. As the generator spins a magnetic field is disrupted and electricity is produced. Finally, the steam is cooled – condensing back to water – and recycled through the entire process again. Benefits of Nuclear Power Benefits of nuclear power differ depending on who is disseminating the information. Initially, in the 1970s, el
