0
They are not used commercially at present, but U-238 and thorium can be used to produce fissile material, in breeder reactors. The technology has been demonstrated in experimental plants but is not commercially attractive whilst there are plentiful supplies of uranium with U-235 enriched.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
Which source of energy is used for fusion?
Nuclear fusion produces energy from the changes in the nuclear composition of the fuel, which is a mixture of deuterium and tritium. Essentially what happens is that some of the mass of the nuclei is destroyed and this releases energy
What is nuclear energy released by?
In fission reactors, which are the only ones we have at present for useful power, energy is released by the fission of the nuclei of the nuclear fuel, usually uranium-235, but sometimes plutonium-239.
How is nuclear energy sustainable?
nuclear energy is produced by taking advantage of natural decay in large nuclei of atoms. atoms with large enough nuclei can only be produced by very large scale nuclear fusion such as stars during a supernova, and making it on earth would take enormous amounts of energy. So no, nuclear energy is not totally sustainable, but a small amount of fuel lasts a long time. For this reason energy can be stored by scientifically making large nuclei atoms and utilizing them later.
Possible options for spent nuclear fuel rods include?
burying them in deep caverns.removing lighter nuclei and reusing them re-mixing them and putting them back in the mines
In a reactor what is nuclear energy produced in?
It is produced in the fuel rods by fission of the U235 nuclei. Each fission produces a certain amount of heat, and this is transferred to the water or gas which is pumped past the fuel, by contact heat transfer.
Is fuel enrichment done for thorium?
No, Thorium is a fertile nuclear material.
How is nuclear energy in stars?
Stars obtain energy through the majority of their lives by the process of thermonuclear fusion of the nuclei of light elements to produce nuclei of heavier elements. Initially the processes fuses hydrogen nuclei, producing helium nuclei (similar to what hydrogen bombs do), but the process ceases when it produces nickel and iron nuclei at which point the star begins dying as it has run out of nuclear fuel.
What is nuclear energy if it is not renewable and not a fossil fuel?
It is energy stored by ancient supernovas in heavy nuclei like Uranium, when the stars exploded.It is also energy stored by the Big Bang in light nuclei like Hydrogen.This energy is stored in the Strong Nuclear Force as excess Nuclear Binding Energy.
What is nuclear energy made from?
In general, nuclear energy comes from the energy associated with atomic nuclei. There is nuclear fusion, which happens in stars and in fusion weapons, and there is nuclear fission. Nuclear fusion is the "combining" of lighter atomic nuclei to create heavier ones, and many fusion reactions release energy. (Again, think of stars.) In contrast, nuclear fission is the "splitting" of atomic nuclei to release energy. The latter is technology that we've come to use fairly widely, and we have developed fission nuclear weapons and the nuclear reactor to tap nuclear energy via fission. Let's look at the latter device, the reactor. The fission of nuclear fuel (also known as atomic fuel, such as uranium or plutonium) is where we get nuclear energy. And what happens during nuclear fission is that the nuclei of fuel atoms absorb neutrons and fission (split), releasing lots of energy. In fission, that larger atomic nucleus breaks into a pair of smaller ones, and these fission fragments recoil with a lot of kinetic energy. The fuel traps the fission fragments, and the energy they came away with is converted into thermal energy in the fuel. We derive nuclear energy by tapping the energy of formation of atomic nuclei via fusion or fission. This is advanced technology that is less than a century old. We're still working to use it well and wisely.
What is Thorium breeder reacter?
In this type of nuclear reactor the fertile isotope thorium-232 is transformed in the fissile isotope uranium-233 and this act as a nuclear fuel.
Where does nuclear energy get its power?
From the fissioning of the nuclei of uranium235 and plutonium239. The energy released appears as thermal energy in the surrounding fuel material
What process generates the heat and energy in present day nuclear power plants?
Nuclear fission and nuclear fusion are the two processes that are used in the nuclear power plants. Nuclear fission refers to the process of splitting the atomic nuclei while nuclear fusion refers to the process of joining the atomic nuclei.
Do nuclear power plants make electricity from fossil fuel?
No. Nuclear power plants use a uranium to provide the heat to generate electricity from. By splitting the nuclei of uranium atoms (called nuclear fission), energy is released, which will be used for electricity generation. Uranium is a radioactive metal, not a fossil fuel.
Why is uranium 238 not used as fuel?
Uranium-238 is a fertile nuclear material that is useful in producing fissile material (Plutonium 239)
What has the author Hugo Rytz written?
Hugo Rytz has written: 'Nuclear power plants and the fuel cycle industry in the COMECON countries' -- subject(s): Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, Nuclear industry
Which form of energy results from the fission of uranium-235 nuclei that is used to generate electrical power?
Thermal energy is produced in the fuel by nuclear fissions.
Which source of energy is used for fusion?
Nuclear fusion produces energy from the changes in the nuclear composition of the fuel, which is a mixture of deuterium and tritium. Essentially what happens is that some of the mass of the nuclei is destroyed and this releases energy
