Radioactivity and Radioactive wastes Suhaib Khan
With governments searching for
effective sources of energy, nuclear energy has been touted for its effectiveness
in comparison to other energy sources. The high building costs and dangerous
wastes formed are countered by the relatively low fuel costs and low waste
output. However even while being much more efficient than fossil fuels, which
constitute about 70% of the energy used in the U.S., Nuclear energy makes up
only about 20% due to concerns about safety and the environment. Behind these
concerns are the volatile nature of the process and the production of
radioactive waste.
Nuclear power plants use a process
called nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. A commonly used isotope
is Uranium-235 which is bombarded with Neutrons and gives off energy. This
reaction is represented by the equation; as is shown,
neutrons are given off, resulting in a chain reaction. The products of the
fission reaction are very unstable and radioactive, as they release beta and
gamma rays. Actinides are also left over giving off alpha particles. The
radioactivity of these products paired with their extremely long half- lives
makes them a problem to dispose, as doing so in the conventional means would
prove disastrous for the environment.
There are four main levels of
radioactive wastes: very low (VLLW), low (LLW), intermediate (ILW), and high
(HLW). VLLW and LLW are very easily disposable and do not require any shielding
or excessive measures. ILW require a little bit more protection, but are still
relatively easy to dispose of. HLW, which include the used fuels and fission products,
are the ones that pose a serious threat to society. However, the 10,000 m3
annual world output of HLW is very small in comparison to the 200,000 m3
of all the other types of waste combined. These HLW are not disposed of
traditionally but are kept at the nuclear reactor sites, mostly in storage
ponds.
Scientists have tried to develop
more efficient and less dangerous ways to generate energy, one of which is
nuclear fusion. Reflected by the equation
the absence of radioactive isotopes significantly
reduces the waste output. Another solution that has been used is to combine the
wastes into mixed oxide fuel, which can then be used again, reducing the
radioactivity and volume drastically. Many strides have been achieved in making
nuclear power a safe alternative energy, and it is quickly becoming the
preferred fuel of the future.
__________________________________________________________Aiman Moiz
There are about 20
million shipments of radioactive material each year. Radioactive material is
used for many things other than the nuclear fuel cycle; in fact, about 5% of
the shipments are related to the fuel cycle. Ever since 1961,the
International Atomic Energy Agency has regulated all transport and storage of
radioactive materials. These regulations in turn have been adopted by most
nations as well. Despite the regulations on transportation, the IAEA does not
regulate usage as strictly as it does transportation.
Different
fuel cycle labs are located in many areas of the world and diverse types
and sizes of materials must be sent back and forth. A large amount of these
materials are similar to those used in corresponding endeavors. In the end, the
fuel and waste produced by this industry is radioactive on varying levels.
According to Ohio State
University,The U.S. Department of Transportation specifies regulations
for container safety, labeling, routing, and emergency response for the
transportation of low-level radioactive waste. The regulations can be found in
the "Hazardous Materials" section of Title 49 of the Code of Federal
Regulations. These regulations state that radioactive waste must be stored and
transported in a strong, tight container. There are different types of
containers for different levels of radioactivity, type A for lower level waste
and type B for anything that is highly unstable or giving of suffocating
amounts of radiation. It must also be labeled either white or yellow and
numbered according to how how
unstable it is. It's stored similarly, so as to keep from releasing radiation
or harming either humans or the environment.
I agree with the first essay on its statement that nuclear energy is a future power source, because of its high energy output. the only problem, obviously, is a storage or reactor leak.
ReplyDeleteRadioactive wastes are created by humans as a by-product from nuclear power-generation, research projects, and bomb productions. Failure to correctly dispose nuclear waste can cause mutations, cancers, and loss of plant and animal life. The only means of permanent disposal of radioactive material is to allow it to decay. Because this may take hundreds of years, proper precautions would mean effective storage. Recently, Thorium Molten Salt Reactors were created; the reactors are capable of using less than one hundredth the amounts as the Light Water Reactors the USA uses to generate electricity.
ReplyDeletehighly radioactive wastes are extremely dangerous and must be properly disposed of to decrease the chances of diseases harmful to human life. They must be placed under water for shielding and cooled for several years before they can safely be placed for storage.The fuel still retains most of its energy potential and can be recycled and reused as new fuel.
ReplyDelete