Nuclear Power Plant Safety
Engineering countermeasures for radioactive material release
In order to prevent the release of radioactive material into the environment, nuclear power plants are designed to be resistant to a number of natural destructive forces, such as hurricanes, tornados, and earthquakes (.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission [.S. NRC], 2011a). Within the plant, critical systems are designed to limit and control radioactive material release should they fail. These design considerations include the following (.S. NRC, 2011a):
fire prevention, detection, and suppression strategies and technologies redundancies, compartmentalization, and automation in critical instrumentation and controls independent protection systems and controls a control room designed so that it can be occupied safely during an accident
reactor power oscillation suppression and reactivity limit controls a closed loop coolant system that can exceed normal operational conditions and is amenable to regular inspections and testing during reactor operation reactor coolant leak detection system
an emergency core cooling system amenable to periodic…...
Given the position of the company within the Swiss and Western European energy markets, as well as the general position of nuclear energy within the current push towards green energy, a slight expansion -- or at least the increase of production -- would be the best current strategy for the company. As a partial provider of a public service, whether or not it is publicly owned, there is not a great deal that Leibstadt can do in the way of direct competition or expansion. Increasing production, however, can make the plant more efficient and able to offer its energy slightly cheaper perhaps, expanding domestic growth slightly and export potential more significantly. This could also help counter some of the public pressure on the nuclear energy industry in Switzerland, as well as shoring up the strength the company already has in its market share and production capabilities.
Public Health Disaster esponse
Public Health esponses to Disasters
Public Health responses to three disasters in Japan; Pandemic and All Hazard Preparedness Act (PAHPA)
What other public health measures were undertaken to mitigate the impact of these disasters?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention engage in public health preparedness programs as regular part of their mission. Public health preparedness programs are designed to enhance the capacity of communities, individual citizens, and public health systems to address emergencies and disasters that have implications for impacting health and well-being. Factors considered by public health preparedness programs include: Activities focused on prevention, quick responses that result in protecting people and the environment, and recovery measures that are required by the "scale, timing, or unpredictability [of a health emergency or disaster] that threatens to overwhelm routine capacities ("CDC," 2014).
The World Health Organization (WHO) is the lead agency for ensuring that the public receives advice on and assistance…...
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References
Christodouleass, J.P., Forrest, R.D., Ainsley, C.G., Tochner, Z., Hahn, S.M., & Glatstein, E. (2011, June). Short-term and long-term health risks of nuclear-power-plant accidents. The New England Journal of Medicine, 364, 2334-2341 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMra1103676
Energy creation and consumption has been the primary driving force of political and military action since the Industrial evolution, and arguably for centuries before this shift mechanization and the widespread use of fossil fuels. In the twentieth century, mankind acquired the ability to harness the power of atomic splitting and nuclear chain reactions seemed to many a promise of freedom form the problems of fossil fuels, including their expense and their unwanted effects on the world (i.e. pollution). Some were even so optimistic about nuclear energy's potential that they envisioned a world where electricity was free, and energy meets were easily, cheaply, and entirely met by nuclear means. eality has not been so rosy, of course, and concerns regarding the environmental and health safety of nuclear energy -- especially in the light of recent seismic events in Japan -- are now a major cause of…...
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References
Bommer, J., Papaspiliou, M. & Price, W. (2011). Earthquake response spectra for seismic design of nuclear power plants in the UK. Nuclear Engineering and Design 241(3): 968-77.
Lee, C. & Chiu, Y. (2011). Oil prices, nuclear energy consumption, and economic growth: New evidence using a heterogeneous panel analysis. Energy Policy 39(4): 2111-20.
Nuclear Energy
Introduction
Nuclear energy is an energy source that has zero emissions, propels our society into the future, and provides electricity around-the-clock. Nuclear energy comes from the splitting of atoms inside a reactor through a process known as fission to heat water into steam, turn a turbine, and generate electricity. Atoms are tiny particles that make up every object in the universe. These atoms have enormous energy in the bonds that hold them together. Nuclear fission will split the atoms into smaller atoms, in essence, releasing energy. Nuclear power plants make use of nuclear fission for the production of electricity. Nuclear energy is considered to be environmentally safe because it causes zero emissions and this is beneficial to the environment as it reduces the carbon footprint (Brook & Bradshaw, 2015). However, nuclear power plants do produce radioactive nuclear waste that must be stored safely to ensure there is no leakage. Nuclear…...
Portable Nuclear Power
Is a Portable Nuclear Power Device Feasible?
As the global population grows, we find ourselves facing growing energy consumption needs. In industrialized nations, this translates into rising energy costs to power our homes and businesses. Power outages are a major concern in metropolitan areas that depend on power to meet humanity's most basic needs. For those in poorer nations, we do not even have a way to supply them power. It is hard to believe, but there are still many in the world who are not close enough to a power grid to be connected.
What if there was a way to cut energy costs in half? What if we could eliminate the possibility of power outages in the future? What if we did find a way to supply power to those in even the most remote areas, even though there is no grid close by? What if we did…...
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References
Asher, M. "Miniature Nuclear Reactors to be on Sale Within 5 years." Daily Tech. November 10, 2008. (Web) Accessed 6 June 2011.
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Biomass For Electricity Generation. U.S.
Department of Energy. Electricity Analysis Reports. (Web) Accessed 6 June 2011.
Fehrenbacher, K. "Hyperion's Nuclear-In-A-Box by 2013." Gigaom. August 1, 2008. (Web)
Against Nuclear Power
When considering the ever-changing and highly competitive global landscape of international relations and business today, all nations and their respective economies must be able to effectively globalize their energy operations in order to reach a greater potential resource base and sustain fiscal durability in the long-term. In accomplishing the aforementioned tasks, many nations have placed environmental considerations at the bottom of the ladder of priority. However, with countless new environmental initiatives cropping up each day, it behooves any and all government and big business personnel to gain a greater respect for the fragile environment in which we live. Terms like "emissions," "energy consumption," "fossil fuel depletion" and "carbon footprint" are increasingly becoming a part of the average global citizen's vocabulary. The future of all nations lies in the hands of those who seriously embrace the importance of such rhetoric. Accordingly, several energy-producing options have been considered and implemented…...
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Bibliography
Bodansky, D. (2004). Nuclear Energy: Principles, Practices, and Prospects (2nd Edition ed.). New York, NY: Springer-Verlag LLC.
Hatch, M., Ron, E., Bouville, A., Zablotska, L., & Howe, G. (2005). The Chernobyl Disaster: Cancer following the Accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Epidemiol Review, 27 (1), 56-66.
Jo, D.-J., & Gartzke, E. (2007). Determinants of Nuclear Weapons Proliferation. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 51 (1), 167-194.
Nuclear Energy: isks vs. eward
Every source of energy has its own drawbacks. This is more so the case taking into consideration the recent energy source related accidents including but not limited to coal-mining mishaps, the nuclear crisis in Japan, the B.P. oil spill, etc. In this text, I will amongst other things concern myself with nuclear power and the consequences associated with the development of the same.
As I have already pointed out in the introductory section, every source of energy has a set of drawbacks. For instance, while there are a number of benefits associated with wind energy, the same also has several disadvantages. In the words of Eccleston, March and Cohen (2011), "wind farms can interfere with radar, creating a hole in radar coverage affecting aviation and national security." The author further points out that wind energy is largely unpredictable. Similarly, although hydroelectric power in the opinion of Eccleston,…...
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References
Eccleston, C.H., March, F. & Cohen, T. (2011). Inside Energy: Developing and Managing an ISO 50001 Energy Management System. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
Ginley, D.S. & Cahen, D. (Eds.). (2011). Fundamentals of Materials for Energy and Environmental Sustainability. New York: Cambridge University Press.
McKinney, M.L., Schoch, R.M. & Yonavjak, L. (2012). Environmental Science: Systems and Solutions (5th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Nuclear Fuel Cycle is a set of different processes that utilize nuclear materials and then returns them to their initial state, in a cyclical manner. It begins with the mining of naturally occurring nuclear materials from the environment, and ends with safe and proper disposal of nuclear waste products back to the environment. Production of energy from Uranium requires several unique processes. One of the terms used in this production of nuclear energy is front end, referring to the entire set of processes involved in making nuclear energy from the uranium ore in the nuclear fuel cycle. The processes involved are: [1] mining, [2] crushing, [3] processing, [4] enrichment, and [5] the fabrication of fuel. After being used to produce energy, the nuclear material is now known as spent fuel. The spent fuel has to be converted in a reprocessing or storage facility if the company wants to recycle…...
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References
Carlsen, B.W., Phathanapirom, U., Schneider, E., Collins, J.S., Eggert, R.G., Jordan, B., ... & Yacout, L. (2013). Environmental Impacts, Health and Safety Impacts, and Financial Costs of the Front End of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle (No. INL/EXT-14-32302). Idaho National Laboratory (INL).
There are several groups involved in fighting the Yucca Mountain site, including local grassroots organizations in Nevada and larger organizations around the country. Many Native American tribes do not support the site, as it is located on their ancient tribal lands. The Nevada Piutes are one group who is organized in opposition to the site, as are several other western Native American tribes. A larger organization is the Nevada Nuclear Waste Task Force, a group who opposes the site for a number of reasons, including transportation safety issues, the geology of the site, and the fact that other sites were not seriously considered.
What are the future prospects of Yucca Mountain? That is still not clear. Congress OK'd the dumpsite in 2002, but since then, many things have changed politically in Washington and around the country. Many groups and citizens are protesting the dump, mainly due to safety and transportation concerns.…...
There have been rumors relating to the fact that the authorities might have lied concerning the number of curies released and that it had actually been much bigger.
hile the initial communications from the authorities advised people not to panic and that the situation had been under control, the later reports informed people that precautions needed to be taken. Several tens of thousands of people had been evacuated from the area within a few days and the surrounding schools had been closed. According to surveys done consequent to the event, people apparently considered that the job done by the authorities had been deficient.
According to the studies performed in order to determine the level of radiation exposure, people had not been subjected to life-threatening doses of radiation. The average dose of radiation to which people have been subjected to consequent to the TMI incident is believed to be eight millirem. A…...
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Works cited:
1. Walker J. Samuel. (2006). "Three Mile Island: A Nuclear Crisis in Historical Perspective." University of California Press.
6).
Another lesson learned by the fusion research has been its impact on the development of future nuclear weapons vs. existing test ban treaties. It would be possible with successful nuclear fusion results to test weapons without an actual above or below ground explosion due to the nature of the science. The question is raised whether that would be a violation of the nuclear test ban treaties. Also, the potential power of these weapons is mind-boggling -- perhaps 100x existing nuclear weapons. They make the atomic and hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers in comparison.
The mere thought of pure fusion weapons has given pause for thought, and the development of even minor successes in this field cause lessons to be learned about the future control and management of fusion devices.
Present
Most importantly, the fifty years of research into nuclear fusion have brought the world to the point of learning enough lessons to…...
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Bibliography
Brooks, M. (2009). 13 things that don't make sense: The most baffling scientific mysteries of our time. New York: Random House.
Downside of Nuclear Energy:
Energy production has been a major issue that has attracted huge concerns in the recent past because of the negative environmental impacts associated with generating energy through burning of fossil fuels. A growing interest in nuclear power has significantly increases during this period as it is considered as a real solution to energy security and means of dealing with climate change. Actually, there have been concerns on whether nuclear power is the solution or answer to a warming planet or it is dangerous and expensive to meet the future energy needs of the modern society. hile some people have argued in support of the use of nuclear energy as a solution to these problems, others have opposed such attempts. These varying opinions have been based on arguments and counter-arguments that demonstrate the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy.
Increased Attention on Nuclear Power:
As previously mentioned, nuclear power…...
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Works Cited:
Adamson, Greg. We All Live on Three Mile Island: The Case against Nuclear Power. Sydney: Pathfinder, 1981. Print.
"The Case against Nuclear Power and the Case for Real Solutions to Energy Security and Climate Change." Greenpeace International. GREENPEACE. Web. 31 May 2014. .
Totty, Michael. "The Case For and Against Nuclear Power." The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, 30 June 2008. Web. 31 May 2014. .
Williams, Chris. "The Case against Nuclear Power." ISR - International Socialist Review. The Center for Economic Research and Social Change. Web. 31 May 2014. .
Japan abolishes current nuclear plant Fukushima Crisis. What effects immediately long-term Japan world a case stop operation of nuclear power plants.
As a brief description, Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power plant was an operating energy facility in Japan particularly in the Fukushima prefecture or province. The plant was established in 1971, which occupied a total of 3.5-kilometer site that makes it as one of the largest nuclear power plants in the world by land area. This nuclear power plant was very useful in the Japanese energy regulation system because it has an economical generation costs that is more reliable than using hydroelectric power sources from dams and streams. It is operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company that is the largest operating agency around Japan as claimed by Arnold (2010).
On March 11, 2011, a powerful earthquake hit the northeastern portion of Japan with an epicenter just off the coast of Fukushima prefecture…...
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Reference
Arnold, Wesley., 2010. Nuclear Power Plant facilities. New York: McGraw Hill, 78-97.
A nuclear meltdown would be a local catastrophe requiring evacuation (and likely permanent abandonment) of the surrounding communities, but that risk is not substantially different in magnitude from a burst hydroelectric dam, or from the aggregate harm of continuing to pollute our atmosphere with fossil fuel waste products..
Certainly, nuclear energy requires strict regulation, careful facilities planning, and myriad other equally important practical considerations for administrating the industry safely so that its risks are minimized. However, the emotional objection to peaceful uses of nuclear power is based on incorrect assumptions about what those risks actually are, as well as on the illogical association of the beneficial uses of the technology with its destructive potential used in weapons of war.
Ethical Perspective:
In the case of nuclear power, the ethical considerations are closely related to the logical analysis. Once it is established that the emotional objection to nuclear power on overall principle is unsustainable,…...
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References
Gundersen, P. (1999) the Handy Physics Answer Book.
Barnes & Noble: New York
Rennie, R. (2003) the Facts on File Dictionary of Atomic and Nuclear Physics.
The Chernobyl nuclear incident remains one of the worst unintentional nuclear disasters to ever occur. It is important to understand what happened at Chernobyl, before, during, and after the incident, in order to avoid a similar incident occurring in the future. Understanding the after effects is also important for seeing how a nuclear disaster can impact an area that is not heavily populated by humans, because some of the results of the results have been surprisingly positive for the flora and fauna in the Chernobyl area.
Chernobyl was a nuclear power plant in Russia. Like all....
Essay Topic 1: Climate Change - Natural Cycle vs. Human Influence
Proponent Viewpoint (Natural Cycle): Climate variability has been a constant throughout Earth's history, and the current warming trend is merely a part of natural cycles. Human activities, such as greenhouse gas emissions, have negligible impact on global temperatures.
Counterargument (Human Influence): Scientific evidence overwhelmingly suggests that human greenhouse gas emissions are the primary driver of recent climate change. The rapid rate of warming, combined with observed changes in extreme weather events and sea-level rise, cannot be explained by natural factors alone.
Essay Topic 2: Genetic Modification - Benefits vs. Risks
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