Nuclear energy with its capabilities acts as an attribute of a modern civilized society, demonstrates the development of social culture and acts as one of the most important areas in international relations. Nuclear energy directly affects the life of people and its main components in particular, namely, it is undoubtedly in demand in science and technology, politics, economics, healthcare and environmental protection, as well as the well-being of society.

The anthropogenic risk of the use of atomic energy is traced in the influence on the general data of the quality of life indicators, namely, the average life expectancy, the "price of life", the quality of life and the ecological situation. In this regard, work is underway to manage those factors that are associated with the use of the atom, aimed at reducing its negative effects.

The use of the atom, undoubtedly, has its positive aspects, providing opportunities for improving the indicators of life in general. For political and economic reasons, controversy arises from conflicts of interest among influential international organizations. Bursts of radiophobia among the common population also accompany recurrent nuclear accidents.

In what period did the influence of radiation on the life of people become apparent?

In 1895, Roentgen discovered X-ray radiation, and a little later Becquerel indicated the existence of natural radiation activity. Initially, these phenomena were used for scientific research and increased knowledge and education, including in medicine. So, Maria Skladovskaya created an apparatus for urgent X-ray examination of injured people. She has created at least two hundred X-ray units, which have brought great benefits to medicine and the treatment of the wounded.

What happened afterwards?

Initially, nuclear energy was used purely for science, but very soon nuclear weapons were designated in the prerogative. The greatest discoveries and a colossal leap in scientific and technological progress thanks to discoveries in this area have brought humanity to a fundamentally new level of quality of life.

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Purpose: to find out the purpose and benefits of atomic energy

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People have always treated nature pragmatically. It was this approach that led to the fact that in the XX century. there have been global changes that made a real threat to the self-destruction of mankind. One of them is the mastery of atomic energy. Today we will try to find out the positive and negative aspects of its application.

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With the development of human society, energy consumption has increased continuously. So. if a million years ago it was about 0.1 kW per capita per year, and 100 thousand years ago - 0.3 kW, then in the 15th century. - 1.4 kW, at the beginning of the XX century. -3.9 kW, and by the end of the XX century. - already 10 kW.

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Although almost half of the use of fossil fuels is now clear, its reserves will soon be depleted. Other sources are needed, and one of the most realistic is nuclear fuel.

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The process of obtaining energy is always associated with consequences harmful to humans, regardless of the type of fuel, but the degree of harmfulness is different ... Nuclear fuel is the safest, and its reserves are large. At present, nuclear energy is generated mainly in thermal reactors, brooders (fast neutron reactors) have already been developed. Nuclear reactors are constantly being improved and the level of safety is improving. The limiting dose is considered to be when uniform irradiation over 70 years does not cause the deterioration of health, which is detectable by modern methods. The annual dose of radiation that comes to us from space and from other natural sources is 2 mSv. NPP personnel receive a radiation dose of 1.1 mSv per year. The radiation emitted by all nuclear power plants will be significant.

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The radiation protection of the reactor is provided by many factors: thick walls and a reinforced concrete shell, a closed cycle, etc.

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The biggest challenge is spent fuel reprocessing and storage.

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Over time, this problem will be resolved. Now in our country there is solid radioactive waste in steel barrels and in salt beds.

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The use of atomic energy now solves some of the energy problems. But the harm from the use of atomic energy is greater than the benefit. The entire technological process of mining and manufacturing of atomic fuel at each stage is associated with the likelihood of radioactive contamination of the environment and human exposure.

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Humanity cannot do without using the phenomenon of radioactivity and isotopes. We use this phenomenon in almost all areas of activity: medicine, archeology, defectoscopy, crop breeding

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For example, the use of labeled atoms makes it possible to diagnose many diseases: with the help of a radioactive isotope of iodine, diseases of the thyroid gland are diagnosed at an early stage, cancerous neoplasms are first irradiated with radioactive cobalt, and then diseased tissues are already removed, lung diseases are recognized at an early stage thanks to fluorography - an instant X-ray ...

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In addition, we use a wide variety of equipment, which, at first glance, does not emit anything, however, strong alternating electromagnetic fields are formed around working refrigerators, televisions, microwave ovens and other household equipment, i.e. electromagnetic radiation, which also affects our body and causes changes in it

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Quite often, a person receives a dose in a year that significantly exceeds the allowable one. Especially this danger has increased in our country after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, we receive radioactively contaminated products and materials. We know that radioactivity is an invisible killer, does not cause painful reactions during irradiation, but manifests itself later when a cure is no longer possible.

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One of the most dangerous contradictions of the modern world is the growing gap between the degree of development of technology and the level of life support, culture and morality of the main part of humanity. On this basis, technological terrorism arose. There are national borders and national interests, tough economic and trade competition in the world raw materials and technological markets. Nuclear terrorism is one of the most dangerous types of technological terrorism.

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Today we will talk about nuclear energy, its performance compared to gas, oil, thermal power plants, hydroelectric power plants, as well as the fact that nuclear energy is the great potential of the Earth, its danger and benefits, because today in the world, especially after a number of world disasters associated with nuclear power plants and war, there are disputes about the need for nuclear reactors.

So, first, what is nuclear power.

“Nuclear power (Nuclear power) is a branch of energy that produces electrical and thermal energy by converting nuclear energy.

Usually, to obtain nuclear energy, a nuclear chain reaction of fission of plutonium-239 or uranium-235 nuclei is used. Nuclei fission when a neutron hits them, and new neutrons and fission fragments are produced. Fission neutrons and fission fragments have high kinetic energy. As a result of collisions of fragments with other atoms, this kinetic energy is quickly converted into heat.

Although nuclear energy is the primary source in any field of energy (for example, the energy of solar nuclear reactions in hydroelectric and fossil fuel power plants, the energy of radioactive decay in geothermal power plants), nuclear power refers only to the use of controlled reactions in nuclear reactors.

Nuclear Power Plants - Nuclear power plants produce electrical or thermal energy using a nuclear reactor. Officially, the share of electricity produced today with the help of nuclear power plants has decreased over the past decade from 17-18 percent to a little more than 10, according to other sources, the future belongs to nuclear energy, and now the share of nuclear power plants is increasing, new nuclear power plants are potentially being built, including in Russia ... While nuclear power plants for the most part are not designed to meet the thermal needs of the population (only in a few countries), atomic energy is used for nuclear submarines, icebreakers, the United States has a project to create a nuclear engine for a spacecraft, an atomic tank. Countries that actively use atomic energy to meet the needs of the population are the USA, France, Japan, while nuclear power plants in France cover more than 70% of the country's electricity needs.

Nuclear energy has the advantage that at low resource consumption, nuclear power plants produce a huge energy potential.

As much as it may seem to us mere mortals that nuclear power is far and not true, in fact, it is today one of the most pressing issues discussed in the world at the level of global technologies, since the sphere of supplying the planet with energy is becoming more acute, and the most promising the direction is just nuclear power, why - we will explain in the article.

The nuclear cycle is the basis of nuclear power, its stages include the extraction of uranium ore, its crushing, the conversion of separated uranium dioxide, the processing of uranium into a highly concentrated and special form to obtain heat of release elements for introduction into the nuclear reactor zone, then the collection of spent fuel, cooling and disposal in special “cemeteries of nuclear waste”. In general, the most dangerous thing in the use of nuclear fuel is the extraction of uranium and the disposal of nuclear fuel; the operation of a nuclear power plant does not cause any particular harm to the environment.

An operating nuclear reactor that is out of order can cool down (attention !!) 4.5 years!

The first attempts to implement a chain reaction of nuclear decay were made at the University of Chicago, uranium as a fuel and graphite as a moderator - at the end of 1942.

At least one fifth of all energy on the planet is generated by nuclear power plants.

“According to the report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), at the end of 2016, there were 450 operating nuclear power (that is, producing recyclable electrical and / or thermal energy) reactors in 31 countries of the world (apart from power ones, there are also research and some others).

About half of the world's nuclear power production comes from two countries - the United States and France. The US at nuclear power plants produces only 1/8 of its electricity, but this is about 20% of world production. "

The USA, France are the most productive countries in nuclear energy, French NPPs provide more than two-thirds of the country's thermal needs.

Lithuania was the absolute leader in the use of nuclear energy. The only Ignalina nuclear power plant located on its territory generated more electric energy than the entire republic consumed (for example, in 2003, Lithuania generated a total of 19.2 billion kWh, of which 15.5 Ignalina nuclear power plant). With its surplus (and there are other power plants in Lithuania), the “extra” energy was exported. "

In Russia (the 4th country in terms of the number of nuclear power units, after Japan, the USA and France), the cost of nuclear energy is one of the lowest, only 95 kopecks (2015 data) per kilowatt / hour, and relative safety from an environmental point of view: no emissions into the atmosphere, only water vapor. And in general, a nuclear power plant is a fairly safe source of energy, BUT! When working safely! As experts say, any technology has its drawbacks ... Of course, it is a controversial statement that thousands of victims and millions of victims are just disadvantages of technologies, but if you count the victims of modern progress in other areas, the picture will be unflattering.

Let's discuss the benefits and dangers of nuclear power. It is very strange, in the opinion of many, to discuss the benefits of atomic energy .. especially after such events as the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Fukushima, the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ... However, everything that is dangerous in large doses, either when used improperly or when it fails, causes disasters - when used correctly, in a peaceful rhythm, it is often quite safe. If we analyze the structure and mechanism of nuclear bombs, the cause, the problem of the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, then we can understand that this is comparable to a poison, which in small quantities can be a medicine, and in large quantities and when combined with other poisons, it is fatal.

So, the main arguments of those who are against nuclear energy are that waste after nuclear fuel reprocessing is difficult to dispose of, it does a lot of harm to nature, and that failed and operating nuclear power plants can serve as weapons of mass destruction in the event of a war or in case of an accident.

“At the same time, the World Nuclear Association, which advocates for the promotion of nuclear energy, published data in 2011, according to which a gigawatt * year of electricity produced by coal-fired power plants, on average (taking into account the entire production chain), costs 342 human victims, and on gas - 85 , at hydroelectric power stations - in 885, while at nuclear - only in 8 ".

Radioactive waste is dangerous because of its harmful radiation and the fact that its half-life is very long, respectively, they emit radiation in huge doses for a long time. Special places are used for waste disposal; today in Russia the most urgent question is where to make a "graveyard" of radioactive waste. A similar burial was planned to be done in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Today in Russia there are several burials of this type, in the Urals, for example, where enriched uranium is obtained (40% of world production !!).

They are buried in sealed barrels, each kg under strict accountability.

The safest nuclear power plants are being built by Russia. After the tragedy with Fukushima, the world took into account the mistakes of the nuclear power plant, the construction of today's nuclear power plants generally provides for a safer design than those built earlier. Russian nuclear power plants are the safest of all the world ones, just in "our" nuclear power plants all the mistakes made in the case of Fukushima are taken into account. The project even includes a nuclear power plant that will withstand a 9-point earthquake and tsunami.

In Russia today there are about 10 nuclear power plants and the same number of those under construction.

Russia is in 5th place in uranium mining, but in 2nd place in terms of reserves. The main amount of uranium is mined in Krasnokamensk, in deep mines. It is not so much uranium itself that is dangerous, but radon - the gas formed during uranium mining. A lot of miners, who have been mining uranium for most of their lives, die of cancer before they reach retirement age (do not believe films where they say that everyone is healthy and alive, since this is an exception), people in nearby villages also die early or suffer from illness.

There is a fierce debate among environmentalists and scientists about whether nuclear energy is safe. There are completely different opinions, such radicalism is caused, among other things, by the fact that nuclear energy is still a relatively young niche in world technologies, therefore, there is no sufficient research confirming danger or safety. But from what we have today, it is already possible to draw a conclusion about the comparative safety and benefits of nuclear energy.

As for efficiency, everything is doubtful from the point of view of those who are against nuclear energy.

Today, more and more costs are required to maintain the operation of a nuclear power plant, in particular for normal safe operation, for fuel extraction and waste disposal. And the nuclear power plants themselves, as we wrote above, can be a potential means of mass destruction of the population, a weapon.

Chernobyl, Fukushima, although rare, did take place, which means that there is a chance of a repeat.

Radioactive burials retain radiation for many thousands of years !!!

The vapors generated as a result of NPP operation create a powerful greenhouse effect, which, when accumulated, has a destructive effect on nature.

Hydroelectric power plants, for example, are not at all safer, as experts say, when a dam breaks, no less serious disasters occur, when using other types of fuel, nature also suffers, and many times more than with nuclear energy.

Now about the pros.The conclusion about the benefits of nuclear energy can be drawn, firstly, because of the economic profitability, profitability (already mentioned above "tariffs", where in Russia, for example, the cheapest nuclear power plant), and secondly, because of the comparative safety for the environment, after all, with the correct operation of a nuclear power plant, only steam is released into the atmosphere, there are only problems with waste disposal.

1 gram of uranium provides as much energy as burning 1000 kg of oil or even more.

Chernobyl is an exception and a human factor, but a million tons of coal means several human lives, while the energy from the combustion of coal and oil is much less than from nuclear fuel. The radiation background from burning coal and oil is comparable to that of Fukushima, only when a disaster is a lot at once, and the gradual harm is not so noticeable, but more serious. And how much of nature is destroyed by cut open pits and when raw materials are extracted, heaps.

According to a number of ecologists, the absence of radiation is sometimes more harmful than its presence and sometimes even excess. Why?

Radioactive particles surround us from birth to death. And radiation "within the framework" trains the immunity of cells to protection from radiation, if a person is completely deprived of contact with a radioactive environment, he may die from the very first contact with it later. And nuclear power plants, according to scientists, emit only a small part of the harmful radiation. The absence of radiation is no less dangerous than its excess - some ecologists believe.

Those who adhere to the opposite point of view that atomic energy is evil, speak of the insecurity of nuclear reactors and the alternative of other types of energy - the sun, wind.

Discussions on the topic of good and evil of atomic energy are even called loudly: "Will a peaceful atom bring peace?" And these discussions are endless today. But we can say the main thing - people have no other choice but to develop nuclear energy all over the world, since the volume of consumed energy and heat resources is increasing more and more, and no other form of energy production and production is capable of meeting the needs of mankind better than nuclear energy.

We are becoming incredibly many, only those who live in distant outbacks no longer know this, the planet has exhausted all possible resources to maintain a normal standard of living for mankind. Even based on the data presented in the article, nuclear power is the most promising industry, capable of producing a much larger amount of energy with less harm to the environment and costs, its productivity is higher than other known energy sources.

Using nuclear power plants to generate electricity is a very tempting and promising idea. NPPs have a number of indisputable advantages over hydroelectric power plants and thermal power facilities. There is practically no waste, no gas emissions into the atmosphere.

When constructing nuclear power plants, for example, there is no need to build expensive dams.

In terms of environmental characteristics, only installations that use wind energy or solar radiation can be compared with nuclear power plants. But such alternative energy sources currently do not have sufficient capacity to meet the rapidly growing needs of mankind. It would seem that it is necessary to focus on the construction of exclusively nuclear power plants.

However, there are factors that prevent the widespread use of nuclear power plants. The main one is the possible harmful consequences for the life and health of people, which, in principle, bears in itself radiation, as well as the insufficient development of systems that could provide protection against possible technological disasters.

What is the danger of nuclear power plants

The greatest concern of specialists is caused by the harmful effects of radiation on the organisms of humans and animals. Radioactive substances can enter the body with food and during breathing. They can accumulate in bones, thyroid gland, and other tissues. Severe radiation damage can cause radiation sickness and lead to death. These are just a few of the problems that radiation accidentally out of control can cause.

For this reason, when drawing up projects for nuclear power plants, one has to pay close attention to ecology and radiation safety issues. If technological failures are observed in the operation of a nuclear power plant, this can lead to consequences that are comparable to the results of application.

The development and implementation of safety systems at nuclear power plants significantly increases the cost of construction and, accordingly, increases the cost of electricity.

Even the most stringent and comprehensive safety measures with the current development of technology, alas, cannot provide complete control over the processes taking place in a nuclear reactor. There is always a risk that the system will crash. At the same time, disasters can be caused by both personnel errors and the impact of natural factors that cannot be prevented.

Nuclear energy specialists are constantly working to reduce the likelihood of equipment failures to an acceptable minimum. And yet it cannot yet be argued that they have found a trouble-free way to eliminate harmful factors that still prevent nuclear power plants from becoming the leaders of modern energy.

The work was performed by students of the 11th grade V. Seliverstov, N. Rudenko.

The need for nuclear energy.

• We have learned to obtain electrical energy from non-renewable resources - oil and gas, from renewable resources - water, wind, sun. But the energy of the sun or wind is not enough to ensure the active life of our civilization. And hydroelectric power plants and thermal power plants are not as clean and economical as the modern rhythm of life requires.

Physical foundations of nuclear power.

The nuclei of some heavy elements - for example, some isotopes of plutonium and uranium - decay under certain conditions, releasing an enormous amount of energy and turning into nuclei of other isotopes. This process is called nuclear fission. Each nucleus, splitting, "along a chain" involves its neighbors in splitting, therefore the process is called a chain reaction. Its course is continuously monitored using special technologies, so that it is also controlled. All this happens in the reactor, accompanied by the release of enormous energy. This energy heats up the water that drives the mighty turbines that generate electricity.

NPP operation principle

World nuclear energy.

• The leading nuclear energy producers in the world are almost all the most technically developed countries: USA, Japan, Great Britain, France and, of course, Russia. There are now about 450 nuclear reactors operating around the world.

• Abandoned nuclear power plants: Germany, Sweden, Austria, Italy.

Russian nuclear power plants.

• Balakovskaya

• Beloyarskaya

• Volgodonskaya

• Kalininskaya

• Kola

• Kursk

• Leningradskaya

• Novovoronezh

• Smolensk

Russian nuclear energy.

The history of atomic energy in Russia began on August 20, 1945, when the “Special Committee for Uranium Operations Management” was created, and 9 years later the first nuclear power plant, Obninskaya, was built. For the first time in the world, atomic energy was tamed and placed at the service of peaceful purposes. Having worked flawlessly for 50 years, the Obninsk NPP has become a legend, and having exhausted its resource, it was turned off.

• Now in Russia there are 31 nuclear power units operating at 10 nuclear power plants, which power a quarter of all light bulbs in the country.

Balakovskaya Atomic.

Balakovskaya Atomic.

Balakovo NPP is the largest electricity producer in Russia. It generates over 30 billion kWh annually. hour of electricity (more than any other nuclear, thermal and hydroelectric power plant in the country). Balakovo NPP provides a quarter of electricity production in the Volga Federal District and a fifth of the generation of all nuclear power plants in the country. Its electricity is reliably supplied to consumers in the Volga region (76% of the electricity supplied by it), the Center (13%), the Urals (8%) and Siberia (3%). Electricity of Balakovo NPP is the cheapest among all NPPs and thermal power plants in Russia. The installed capacity utilization factor (ICUF) at Balakovo NPP is over 80 percent.

specifications.

• Reactor type VVER-1000 (V-320)

• A turbine plant of the K-1000-60 / 1500-2 type with a rated power of 1000 MW and a rotational speed of 1500 rpm;

• Generators of the TVV-1000-4 type with a capacity of 1000 MW and a voltage of 24 kV.

• Annual electricity generation is over 30-32 billion kWh (2009 - 31.299 billion kWh.

• The installed capacity utilization factor is 89.3%.

History of the Balakovo nuclear power plant.

• October 28, 1977 - laying of the first stone.

• December 12, 1985 - start-up of the 1st power unit.

• December 24, 1985 - the first current.

• October 10, 1987 - 2nd power unit.

• December 28, 1988 - 3rd power unit.

• May 12, 1993 - 4th power unit.

Advantages of nuclear power plants:

• Low volume of fuel used and the possibility of its reuse after processing.

• High unit capacity: 1000-1600 MW per power unit;

• Relatively low cost of energy, especially heat;

• Possibility of placement in regions located far from large water-energy resources, large deposits, in places where opportunities for the use of solar or wind power are limited;

• Although during the operation of a nuclear power plant, a certain amount of ionized gas is emitted into the atmosphere, an ordinary thermal power plant, along with smoke, removes an even greater amount of radiation emissions due to the natural content of radioactive elements in coal.

Disadvantages of nuclear power plants:

• Irradiated fuel is hazardous: requires complex, expensive, lengthy processing and storage measures;

• Variable power operation is undesirable for thermal reactors;

• From a statistical point of view, major accidents are very unlikely, but the consequences of such an incident are extremely severe, which makes it difficult to apply the insurance usually used for economic protection against accidents;

• Large capital investments, both specific, per 1 MW of installed capacity for units with a capacity of less than 700-800 MW, and general ones, necessary for the construction of the station, its infrastructure, as well as for the subsequent liquidation of used units;

• Since it is necessary for NPPs to provide for especially careful disposal procedures (due to the radioactivity of irradiated structures) and especially long-term monitoring of waste - in time much longer than the period of the NPP operation itself - this makes the economic effect of NPP ambiguous and difficult to calculate correctly.