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Charles E. Ophardt, Professor of Chemistry, Elmhurst College, Elmhurst, IL 60126, charleso at elmhurst.edu, Copyright 2004

 

ISSUE 2:
SHOULD THE U.S. START TO BUILD MORE NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS?

 

 

 

Issue 2 Introduction
Debate Question
Internet Resource Sites

 

INTRODUCTION:

There have been no new orders in the U.S. for nuclear power plants since 1974. The last plant was completed in the late 1980's. Since Chernobyl in 1986, opposition to nuclear power has increased dramatically.

West Germany: 46 --> 83 % opposed
United States: 67 --> 78
France: --> 52

In this role play you should find out about both the pro and cons concerning the use of nuclear power. First, concentrate on the science of how a nuclear power plant operates to produce energy which is then converted to electricity. Secondly, investigate the safety features or lack of them which has lead to accidents at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. Also consider the problem of radioactive waste disposal. Finally, give consideration to the possible use of new "second" generation nuclear power plants and the use of nuclear power as a possible partial solution to the global warming problem discussed earlier.

 

Debate Question: SHOULD THE U.S. START TO BUILD MORE NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS?

 

Debate Roles

For this debate, the instructor will assign members of the class to one of the possible roles listed below. In a role play you are expected to become knowledgeable about the issue so that you can accurately express the viewpoint and concerns of a typical person whose role you are playing. Attempt to do this even though you may not agree with that view point. Near the end of the debate you may express your own personal point of view.

The first three roles probably have a NO viewpoint, while the last three roles probably have a YES viewpoint. Although #3 may go either way.

Role Play Assignments	Student ID
1. Environmental Scientist	8, 9, 20, 21, 26
2. Citizen living near a power plant, a (NIMBY) Not In My Back Yard advocate.	10, 11, 22, 23 , 27
3. General Concerned Citizen	12, 13, 24, 25, 28
4. Nuclear Scientist from NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission)	1, 2, 14, 15, 29
5. Electrical and Nuclear Power Plant Official	3, 4, 16, 17, 30
6. Nuclear Fuel Cycle/Power Plant workers	5, 6, 7, 18, 19

Text reference Chap 5 and p. 390-394

Internet resources are divided into two sections: One of General Resources, the other in an Topic Outline form please use both as needed.

INTERNET GENERAL RESOURCES:

Nuclear Power for the Future - Chemical and Engineering News, Sept. 13, 2004 - gives overview of all new nuclear power plant designs. Excellent site - Nuclear Tourist This is the best site to find specific info about how nuclear power plants operate. Good descriptions, many pictures, and diagrams. Also has good descriptions of Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. Nuclear briefing papers - UIC Australia Nuclear Reaction: Why do Americans Fear Nuclear Power? PBS Frontline Why the French Like Nuclear Power - PBS Frontline University of Missouri - General Page on Nuclear Energy with Question/Answer style, very complete. Nuclear Power Information Nuclear Power Plants and Nuclear Fuel (simplified versions) Introduction to Radiation - maintained by U. of Michigan Frequently Asked Question about Nuclear Energy from Stanford University. Nuclear Links - Contains a number of antinuclear and pro-nuclear links -good overview NRC complete listing of all nuclear plants Todd's Atomic Home Page from U. of Cal. at Berkeley. Many links to lots of other nuclear sites. Check Nuclear Utilities and Reactor Information for specific companies and also find sites for advanced reactor designs. Nuclear Energy Institute Fairly extensive narrative form of the basics with many hyperlinks to the subject matter. An Anti-Nuclear site- Nuclear Information and Resource Center

Internet Resources arranged in a Topical Format

1. Nuclear Radiation and Nuclear Reactions Nuclear radiation results from particles or very high energy waves, usually coming from the nucleus. In this section you will discover some types of radiation, the meaning of ionizing radiation, sources of natural radiation radiation measurements, and the concept of half life.

A. Types of Nuclear Radiation - define, alpha, beta, gamma, X-Rays, Cosmic	Basics of Nuclear Chemistry Types of Radioactivity
B. Ionizing Radiation - define, measurements, health effects - penetration versus ionizing power	Radiation in General Detection of Radioacitivity - Radiation and Life
C. Nuclear Radiation Measurements Common nuclear measurements include: Curie - describes the "activity" or number of nuclear decays per second. RAD - Radiation Absorbed Dose - an amount of energy per gram of tissue exposed to radiation. REM - Roentgen Equivalent for Man - gives a common scale for all types of radiation. Most often listed as m rem (millirem - one thousand millirem in one REM. Background radiation exposure to the general population is about 200-400 m rem per year.
D. Natural Uranium and other Isotope Decay Reactions	ProfONotes: Uranium Decay series Graph of Decay Series Uranium Properties  Uranium - Chemical of the Week
E. Meaning of Half Life	Definition of Half-Life - t

2. Fission Reaction Fission simply defined is the splitting of the atom. Only a few atoms are capable of being split in a spontaneous, chain reaction manner. Find out the details of this process for uranium 235 and its importance in the production of energy.

2. Fission Reaction - U-235 Chain Reaction

Nuclear Reactions  Fission - simple animation How nuclear energy works -

3. Nuclear Fuel Cycle The Nuclear fuel cycle pertains to the complete set of processes from the obtaining of the uranium from the ore to reprocessing or waste disposal. The steps in the process include: mining, enrichment of U-235, fuel assemblies, use in the reactor, spent fuel, fission products - short and long term storage and/or reprocessing.

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Page

4. Anatomy of a Nuclear Power Plant Explore the photos and descriptions of all the working parts of a nuclear power plant - from the reactor core with the fuel rods, control rods, moderator, coolant, steam generation, electrical generation, and safety features.	ProfO Notes: More Callaway photos ProfO Notes: Museum nuclear plant model photos ProfO Notes: Control Room and Turbine photos Nuclear Power Plant - Nuclear Tourist Nuclear Power plant - simple animations slide mouse on graphic. Look at lowest one to see action of control rods.
A. Reactor Core - Fuel rods, control rods, moderator
B. Steam and Coolant Cycles	ProfO Notes: Cooling Tower photos and graphic
C. Safety Features and Concerns	Safety of Nuclear Power Plants- Gives history and half way down general info. Q & A Format - Go about halfway down for safety info. Q & A- Dr. Charles Till, Argonne West Laboratory - Uranium, Plutonium, bombs, waste, recycling Nuclear World - click some links on left Nuclear Links - Contains a number of antinuclear links
D. Spent Fuel Rods	Spent Fuel Rod Storage - Nucler Fuel Storage - current and future ProfO Notes: Dry Cask Storage photos

5. Nuclear Power Plant Accidents The greatest fear of a nuclear power plant is what may happen in the event of a nuclear accident. One result of a nuclear accident that will NOT happen is a nuclear type explosion. Accidents and chemical explosions may result in the release of radioactive isotopes into the air, land, and water with potential disastrous consequences. In this section you may learn about two such accidents - one in the U.S. and one in the Ukraine.

A. Three Mile Island	PBS - TMI What Happened Washington Post series Three mile Island Judge's ruling that TMI did not releases significant radiation
B. Chernobyl	Chernobyl Accident What really happened at Chernobyl- lengthy reading

6. Environmental Impact

7. Radioactive Waste Disposal Methods One of the unsolved problems relating to nuclear energy is the disposal of nuclear waste. Actually there are technical solutions, but the politicians and the general public do not have any confidence in the assurances of the scientists that the methods will work. The problem is whether anyone can guarantee that no leaks will occur for up to 10,000 years after disposal. What disposal methods are currently being proposed?

A. Low level nuclear waste sources - hospitals, laboratories -states to develop own sites	Nuclear Waste - in general  Nuclear Waste - very brief Nuclear Waste storage - very simple animations Waste Management Options
B. Nuclear Power Plant Waste - Yucca Mountain	General Information on Yucca Mountain EPA Yucca Mountain Storage containers
C. Defense and Weapons production wastes - low and high level - WIPP	Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Home Page (WIPP)

8. Next Generation Power Plants Can Nuclear Power plants be made to operate more safely and overcome the objections about the current generation of power plants? Examine the designs and features of new power plants being tested and which could replace the current power plants. Breeder Reactors and Advanced Safe Designs (text p.393)	Nuclear Power for the Future - Chemical and Engineering News, Sept. 13, 2004 - gives overview of all new plant designs. Advanced reactor designs - summary Pebble Bed Reactor Modular High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor HTG also used for Hydrogen Synthesis The Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) is a new reactor concept that was being developed by Argonne National Laboratory-West. Some of the main features of the IFR are metallic fuel, a liquid metal coolant, and on-site fuel recycling. Advanced Design for the Thermochemical Synthesis of Hydrogen
9. Fusion Reaction - Can it be controlled and used?	Course on Fusion - virtual tour Home Page for Educational Fusion Description
10. What is the future of nuclear power as an answer to energy shortage or global warming?