What is the risk associated to nuclear power?

Answer 1

Any nuclear fission reactor contains very dangerous radioactive material after it has been operating for a time. These are mainly the fission products, and hence are contained in the partly used up fuel. You will have seen the result of the accident at Chernobyl, where a lot of this was released to the atmosphere.

The processes of designing and operating the plant safely must ensure that this does not happen.

1. The fuel cladding must not be damaged by melting or any other form of damage in any conceivable fault.

2. The cooling medium of the reactor (water/steam or gas) must not be released in an uncontrolled way.

3. The reactor must always be able to be shutdown safely and held down.

The skill of the designers and operators is what makes a potentially dangerous plant safe to operate.

Answer 2

There are two types of nuclear power plants: fusion and fission reactors. Fusion reactors are not yet used in power plants. If a FUSION reactor is operated continuously and the magnetic plasma containment would fail, the reaction would simply stop. If I remember correctly, during a visit to the JET some years ago (in Oxfordshire, UK), it was explained to me that the only "dangerous" side effect from fusion power in the current tokamak reactors is that the inner shielding (which I believe is carbon) becomes radioactive itself due to the bombardment by neutrons. This leaves some radioactive waste, just like with fission reactors, but less. Aside from the waste, FISSION reactors are not completely fail-safe. Once ongoing a fission reaction keeps itself going, until the reaction is interrupted. If this interruption does not occur and/or the reactor is not cooled enough, the core could melt , releasing its contents into the atmosphere (see Nuclear Meltdown on wikipedia). Notes: 1. Neither fusion nor fission reactors can cause a nuclear explosion. A nuclear explosion requires specific components and conditions which are not present in these reactors. 2. A fusion reactor does not need radioactive fuel, nor are its reaction products radioactive. A fission reactor does need radioactive fuel, and a siginificant amount of its products are radioactive as well.

Answer 3

First all nuclear power is cheap and efficient thats why we are now relying on nuclear power

But the most dangerous process of power gwneration is this,we are using nuclear fission in reacters,so the uranium nucleus by hitting of neutrin split into plutonium(another radio active material) and neutrons,this neutron will hit other like the chain reaction is continues,we are using cadmium rodes in reacters to control it,the reacter temperature reaches to high as surface of sun,and by this we vaporise water and makes energy

1)if cooling sytem went wrong the reaction will become un controllable and nuclear plant may explod,it will result in massive nuclear radiation

2)natural disasters like tsunami,earth quakes etc may case high damages to the(like fukushima)

3)nuclear waste is highly radio active,so we cannot throw it away like other waste,we have to make undeground storages or seal the inside container and dip in sea

4)the water from powerstation will reach sea,which result in temperature increase in sea,so it may effect the ecosystem of sea

Answer 4

Nuclear Power, although clean (to the extent), produces a large amount of power. A Nuclear Power Plant may have a meltdown if not treated properly meaning if it overheats or something happens like the Chernobyl accident. Another is what to do with the nuclear waste that come out after the fuel rods have wasted themselves out. The waste can be sent to an underground bunker somewhere in the West of America. (I don't know the precise location) but there is always the risk of it leaking into the environment and killing many organisms.

Answer 5

well.....nuclear fission is very dangerous

Answer 6

You could die from the radiation, have a problem and cause an explosion (like the Chernobyl accident) or even forget some important step in controlling the energy.