Nuclear generators Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nuclear generators - verge Paper ExampleThe steam is then used to power the turbines that generate power. In atomic generators, the terminate comes from nuclear fission, which is essentially the breakdown of the nucleus of a heavy atom into two smaller and brightness nuclei. The primary elicit in nuclear generators is atomic number 92, either enriched, in its natural state, or in compounding with plutonium. ... This is true for so-called reactors that are based on light-water designs, and the table below details the different types of decay, emitted radiation, and the associated charge, host and energy (National Academy of Sciences) Table Source National Academy of Sciences Decay Process Radiation Emitted weed (amu) Electrical Charge Typical Energy (MeV) Alpha Emission Alpha particle (?) 4 +2 49 Beta Emission Beta particle () 0.0005 ?1 03 positron Emission Positron (?+) 0.0005 +1 03 Two gamma-rays (?) 0 0 0.51 Electron bewilder Characteristic x-ray 0 0 00.1 Internal Transit ion Gamma-ray (?) 0 0 0.13 Internal Conversion Converted electron (e?) 0.0005 ?1 0.11 Characteristic x-ray 0 0 0.01 Neutron Emission Neutron (n) 1 0 014 Spontaneous Fission (e.g., Cf-252) Fission products and another(prenominal) radiations ?200 Table Source National Academy of Sciences As earlier discussed, power is generated in nuclear power generators/reactors largely through fission, and largely through the use of two types of radioactive fuels, namely uranium and plutonium, either alone or in combination. The plot below provides what are called yield curves for two fuel types, uranium-235 and plutonium 239, as a function of the mass number (National Academy of Sciences World Nuclear acquaintance Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Graph Source National Academy of Sciences/CPSMA Fission yields are related to the amount of the grammatical constituent that is generated for every fission reaction that occurs. The yield curve that is generated is basically the same for every kind of cognise fission reaction, and so the plot above is universalizable and replicable,