Nuclear Power Plant

Nowadays, the term of nuclear power station is very common, but do we know the reasons that led to develop this type of energy? ; What advantages and disadvantages does it present? Etc.

It is only spoken about the harmful that the nuclear power plants are, without bearing in mind the energetic profitability that they present. It is true that the consequences are very negative; but also it has many positive ones.

This type of energy appears during the oil crisis, after the World War II. In the middle of the 20th century the first nuclear power station was constructed in the former USSR, where the oil crisis fostered a second period of growth. Already at the end of the 80, the nuclear plants passed from the dozen to 250; due to the fact that the production cost was cheaper.

Distribution of the nuclear power stations in the world. 

Do we know how the nuclear power stations work?

The nuclear power stations consist on four differentiated zones, according to the process that they realize: The reactor, the steam generator, the turbine of steam and the condenser. These components form a cycle which final aim is the transformation of the nuclear power in the electric energy, which later is transported by the cables of high tension that we observe.

The reactor is the place where the fission of the fuel material rods occurs, like Uranium or the Plutonium. This process detaches great quantity of energy heat and is regulated by bars of control (moderators), which prevent a chain reaction.

The heat is led up to a secondary circuit, the steam generator that contains water. On having entered contact the heat with the water, it produces the necessary steam to continue with the process.

The following element is the steam turbine which axis starts rotating due to  the steam that comes from the previous process. This movement energy is exploited by the electrical generator to generate the above mentioned energy and to be supplied to the network by previously passing through a transformer.

The remaining steam of the process is led up to the towers of refrigeration; where it will become condensed by the help of a cold water source (rivers, lakes, etc …) and it will be introduced in the steam circuit again.

Advantages

The use of this type of energy presents big benefits to the ecosystem, since the acquaintance reduces greenhouse effect, reduces the employment of fossil fuels (coal, oil, etc ….) to generate electricity.

Another great advantage, it is the production of energy of a constant way during 90 % of the year.

Disavantages

But being a nuclear type energy, the particles emitted affect our body causing negative effects (malformations, cancer, etc …).

Some particles proceeding from the radiation are not eliminated until thousands of years, what makes any security failure, condemn all humanity.

It is a type of efficient energy, but nowadays one of the big problems that presents is the storage, of the radioactive elements that the fission of the Uranium produces. Big recent tragedies like that of Chernobyl and Fukushima, make doubt about the type of energy.

Speaking about nuclear power stations is more complex of here explained. With this article, I wanted to bring this kind of alternative energy that we like with, to be able to understand a little more why they are still working today.

Bibliography:

http://www.foronuclear.org/es/el-experto-te-cuenta/121361-cuales-son-los-distintos-componentes-de-una-central-nuclear

https://sites.google.com/site/centralestermicasnucleares/ventajas-e-inconvenientes-de-una-central-nuclear

https://hipertextual.com/2016/02/heroes-chernobyl

http://cinartec.blogspot.com.es/2011_04_01_archive.html