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There are many effects of the power plant on the environment.
Nuclear plants use diesel generators (and some times gas, or combustion, turbines) for emergency electrical power. These diesels or turbines are typically started and run at least once a month to ensure they can function as backup power, if required, during a loss of power condition or accident condition. When these diesels or turbines startup, usually black plumes of exhaust gases are released. Operation of these diesels or turbines is the only source of greenhouse gases (e.g. carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides) at a nuclear plant.
The air ejector exhaust at PWRs is usually non-radioactive. Only in those cases where there may be leakage through a steam generator tube could that exhaust have any radioactivity. At BWRs, the air ejector exhaust is radioactive, but that exhaust must also pass through delay pipes, storage tanks and a hydrogen recombiner before being released to the environment from the very tall stack that you sometimes see at BWRs. Ventilation exhaust from buildings containing radioactive processes have radiation monitors that sample for particles and gases. If unacceptable levels are reached, special fans start, the normal ventilation system is shutdown, and the exhaust is routed through special particulate, high efficiency particulate, and charcoal filters before being exhausted. These systems are designed to reduce the release below acceptable levels.
Radioactive gases may be removed from the systems supporting the reactor cooling system. These gases removed are compressed and stored. The gases are periodically sampled and can only be released when the radioactivity is less than an acceptable level according to the 10CFR20regulation. Releases of this nature are done very infrequently.
All potential paths where radioactive materials could be released to the environment are monitored by radiation monitors.
Solid Releases-Ground Effects
Solid radioactive materials only leave the plant by three paths:
- Routine non radioactive office, process, and building material waste via traditional means
- Radioactive waste (e.g. clothes, rags, wood) is compacted and placed in drums. These drums must be thoroughly de-watered. The drums are often checked at the receiving location by regulatory agencies. Special landfills must be used.
- Spent resin may be very radioactive and is shipped in specially designed containers.
For introductory information on low level waste, see Low Level Waste and More on Low Level Waste.
Currently, the used fuel assemblies are stored underwater in large cooling pools at the plant. In some cases, where storage has become limited, dry cask storage on-site may be used. This storage is covered by the regulation 10CFR72 for Independent Spent Fuel Storage Facilities. For introductory information on high level waste, see High Level Waste and More on High Level Waste.
Impact on the Biosphere
In the 1960's, the Atomic Energy Commission funded research to investigate effects of radiation on people, plants, and animals. Some of the studies were conducted at the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory in Livermore, California and at various government and university laboratories. A number of studies entitled the BEAR (Biological Effects of Atomic Radiation) and BEIR (Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation) studies reported on these effects. The most recent, BEIR VII Phase 2, "Health Effects of Exposure to Low Levels of Ionizing Radiation", (see summary) was published by the National Academy Press in 2005. A down to earth discussion of radiation is presented in the University of Wisconsin Graduate School'
Other findings, methodology
The activists' report also found that:
- People dying prematurely from problems associated with exposure to fine particle pollution, or soot, lost an average of 14 years.
- Power plant pollution is responsible for 38,200 nonfatal heart attacks and 554,000 asthma attacks each year.
- Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida had the highest overall mortality rates each year, and West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee - states with a large number of coal-fired plants - had the highest per capita mortality risk.
The study relied on computer modeling to compare EPA data on power plant emission levels and dispersal patterns with results of epidemiological studies by Harvard University in 1993 and the American Cancer Society in 1995, said Ledford.
The data came from 2002 for soot - microscopic particles linked to asthma, Heart disease and other health problems - along with acid rain-causing sulfur dioxide and smog-forming nitrogen oxides, Ledford said.
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Disadvantages of geothermal power plant?
A geothermal power plant has a very low carbon footprint. However these types of plants are not efficient at producing energy.
Do electric automobiles produced carbon dioxide?
It depends on the source of the electricity used to power them. Power plants can generate carbon dioxide a lot (coal and oil fired) or a little (watering nuclear), Although the car does not itself generate carbon dioxide the source of its power does and so the car is responsible for the carbon dioxide footprint. In areas serviced by coal fired power plants the carbon footprint of an electric car may be very similar to that of a hybrid or efficient conventional fuel car.
Does geothermal power leave a carbo footprint?
A small one yes. To harvest the geothermal energy you need to drill, build plant and infrastructure. This drilling, and construction has a carbon footprint (it needs energy to do). However the geothermal energy harvested has no carbon footprint.
Is solar power carbon neutral?
No, it is not, not at first. But the first three months of use usually compensates for for the production emissions. In calculating the carbon footprint, the carbon costs of manufacture, transportation, and installation all have to be included, as do the costs of uninstallation and disposal at the end of the life cycle of the apparatus. The carbon footprint of solar power is small. Solar thermal power, such as is used in solar hot water, can have a smaller carbon footprint than wind or hydro, because the manufacturing cost (in terms of carbon emissions) of solar thermal can be kept to a minimum. Solar photovoltaics (PVs) have a larger carbon footprint than wind or hydro, though modern PVs have a carbon footprint that is not much bigger, perhaps twice as big. This is because a lot of energy is used in manufacture. Older PVs had a much larger carbon footprint because they were less efficient (produced less power) and manufacture required gasses like nitrogen trifluoride (NFl3), which is about 17000 times as powerful as CO2 as a greenhouse gas. The NFl3 was trapped, but tiny amounts of it escaped, and these had to be accounted for. The operation of solar power can be carbon neutral, but this does not consider the total carbon footprint as it should be - "cradle to grave," as they say.
How is light useful to humans?
It can feed the plants, which produce oxygen for us to breathe.It can produce solar power, which helps reduce our carbon footprint, and the cost of monthly bills.It helps us see.
Are you in favor of building Nuclear plants to reduce emissions of C02?
I, personally, am not. The nuclear plants have their own carbon footprint, which is a good deal more than the footprint of wind, hydro, or solar. It is possibly greater than the carbon footprint of biomass or geothermal, and, in fact, the only power sources with a larger carbon footprint than nuclear are fossil fuels. This is because the construction and decommissioning of nuclear plants, and the mining, refining, and enrichment of nuclear fuel are all carbon intensive. Also, we have no idea how the waste is going to be handled, so we are somewhat unsure of the total cost of nuclear power in terms of carbon emissions. Consider this: In Vermont, where I live, we are in the middle of a political decision over whether or not to permit a nuclear plant to continue operation. The amount of electrical power put out by the plant is some what less that what would be saved if the uninsulated or poorly insulated living and working buildings in the state were insulated. The saving of doing that job is mostly fossil fuels. If the fossil fuels saved were applied to distributed power generation, with the waste heat being recycled to heat buildings (which cannot be done with nuclear power because the plants are to far from cities) the carbon footprint for electrical generation would be reduced for electrical generation to about four to five times the carbon footprint of nuclear power. In addition, the electrical power grid would be more robust and reliable. Such distributed systems can be converted to use biomass instead of fossil fuels. Wind and solar can be added so the base-load plants can burn less fuel when renewable power is supplied. By the time you are done, the nuclear plant is replaced with locally fueled power. Nuclear plants will have to be built, but not for combating global warming. They will have to be designed to reduce nuclear waste as a way of dealing with it. We have a supply sufficient to power noncritical reactors for several centuries. In the meantime, the waste is dangerous. There is no excuse to make more. Clearly other people will have other ideas.
Does nuclear energy release greenhouse effects?
Yes.Most power plants burn fossil fuel (coal, oil and natural gas) to generate electricity and so contribute to global warming.Burning of these fuels releases long-hidden carbon dioxide (CO2) which adds to the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The natural carbon cycle and the natural greenhouse effect are being overwhelmed by this extra gas. The carbon cycle can only distribute about half of it. The greenhouse effect has become an accelerated greenhouse effect, warming the planet.Power plants like nuclear, hydro, solar, wind, wave, tidal, and geothermal do not release CO2. Biofuel plants release CO2, but as it was only captured during the growing season of the fuel, it is part of the carbon cycle, so it is carbon neutral. None of these renewable energy power plants contribute to global warming.
Do nuclear power plants have carbon emissions?
No
Why is the carbon cycle essential to life on Earth?
Well we can't breath it so there had to be a way to cycle it in to oxygen so that all living things except plants have to have oxygen so but plants have to have carbon dioxide, in other word we need plants and plants need us
How do you go green?
You can reduce your carbon footprint by planting plants outside in your backyard, using solar panels and wind power, turn appliances off when you don't need them, drive hybrid cars, grow your own plants, make fertilizer by putting worms in your backyard and giving them food scraps to eat, etc.
What is the advantage of having a solar roof?
The advantage of having a solar roof is to reduce your carbon footprint on the environment by reducing your dependence on power plants. Another advantage is some governments actually offer a financial incentive to people who have invested in a solar panels on their roof.
What is the main chemical pollutant released by power plants and industries?
Carbon dioxide (but not from nuclear plants)
