Nuclear energy is generated through controlled nuclear reactions and is used for electricity and military purposes. It is considered cleaner than fossil fuels but has problems such as radioactive waste disposal. Uranium is used to fuel reactors, generating steam that powers turbines. Nuclear energy does not produce greenhouse gases but produces hazardous waste that requires proper management. The extraction and transportation of radioactive elements increase costs, and some nations have halted nuclear energy development until these issues are addressed.
Nuclear energy is energy produced with the use of a controlled nuclear reaction. Many nations use nuclear power plants to generate electricity for both civilian and military use, and some nations also use this type of energy to power parts of their naval fleets, especially submarines. Some people are in favor of expanding nuclear power plants because this form of energy is considered cleaner than fossil fuels such as coal, although it has a number of problems that need to be addressed, including the safe disposal of radioactive waste products.
The process of generating nuclear energy begins with the extraction and processing of uranium and other radioactive elements. These elements are used to fuel a power plant’s reactor, generating a reaction known as fission that creates intense heat, turning the water in the plant into steam. The steam powers steam turbines, which generate electricity and feed the electricity into the power grid.
When nuclear energy is used to power something like a submarine, the reactor drives the engines, with the steam directly powering the engines. Either way, the reactor requires close supervision, because runaway nuclear reactions must be stopped as quickly as possible to prevent serious problems. Many nuclear plants have extensive automated systems that help identify potential trouble spots, and these systems can also reroute power, shut down parts of the plant, and perform other tasks that make the plant safer and cleaner.
One of the advantages of nuclear energy is that it does not produce greenhouse gases. However, it produces hazardous waste. Spent nuclear fuel is radioactive and extremely dangerous, requiring a substantial infrastructure to protect the plant and to manage the fuel. Unfortunately, some nations do not have adequate spent fuel management measures in place, and it is not uncommon to see “interim” solutions for storing nuclear material that last for decades.
The process of extracting and refining the necessary radioactive elements used in a nuclear power plant is also not very clean, and these elements require safe transportation, which can significantly increase the cost of this type of energy. Several nations have instituted a moratorium on nuclear energy development until these problems have been addressed.
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