Читать реферат по английскому: "Nuclear Power Essay Research Paper The term" Страница 2

(Назад) (Cкачать работу)

ordinary water to produce steam. The steam produced is used to turn turbines which are connected to electric generators. Condensers change the steam back into water so it can be cycled back to the steam generator. If excess heat builds up in the calandria, the heavy water can be drained out. This causes the chain reaction to stop, because the moderator is no longer present. Supporters of the use of nuclear energy feel that it is a safe and effective way to produce energy. With the demand for energy Increasing, and the problems associated with burning fossil fuels, such as acid precipitation and the greenhouse effect, they regard the use of nuclear energy as being necessary.

Nuclear energy avoids some of the problems of generating hydro-electric power. Flooding land to build dams creates environmental and social problems. The use of nuclear energy may avoid the need for long transmission lines. Nuclear plants can be built in relatively close proximity to where the power is needed. Nuclear energy produces very small amounts of waste by volume. The radioactive materials can be concentrated for storage and monitoring in one place. Poisonous metals (such as arsenic, lead, and mercury), toxic gases, carbon dioxide, and fly ash are not released into the atmosphere. Critics of the use of nuclear energy cite various problems with its use. The opposition to the use of nuclear energy has grown so strong in recent years, that some reactors have been shut down. Other reactors scheduled for development have been delayed or were never completed because of the social and political pressure exerted by the antinuclear lobby. The debate continues. The Chernobyl n!

uclear accident lead to a justifiable scepticism about any claims of the safety of nuclear reactors, particularly if those claims come from spokespersons of the industry, who often cite the strict controls and regulations faced by the industry. Used nuclear fuel is both hot and radioactive. It is stored under water in large cooling pools for up to two years after use, until it cools. Some of the used fuel will still remain radioactive for up to several thousand years. This concerns many people. The storage of used fuel is a contentious issue for those concerned about the protection of the environment. No ideal solution has yet been developed to dispose the waste. Current proposals for waste management merely offer temporary storage solutions until better methods become available. Storage of waste in underground salt mines offers one possible solution. Arguments for or against the use of nuclear energy should be based on reason?not emotion. One needs to remain open-minded, list!

ening carefully to the arguments presented by those who hold a different position. If one examines the uses of energy since before the Industrial Revolution, it becomes apparent that the major source used has changed throughout time, based on economics, the development of new technologies, and a variety of other factors. Some of these same factors are at work today, determining which sources of energy will be most advantageous to use in the future. A concern for the protection of the environment needs to play a prominent role whenever decisions which might have an adverse affect on the environment are being considered. Alternative solutions to problems need to be examined with regard to their environmental impact. One very important strategy is to promote conservation. Instead of demanding more and more energy, at the expense of the environment and our resources, individuals, institutions, and government all have to search for ways to conserve energy. If everyone strives to us!

e energy wisely, existing resources will last longer. Less damage to the environment will occur.

321

Похожие работы