Name: Chu Mnh Tun

ID: ILI12118

Explain how a nuclear power plant works and what are the risks of accident are
Authors name
Abstract: This article discuss several fundamental principles of a
modern nuclear power plants mechanism. Also this paper will cover
the risks of accidents caused by nuclear power plant
1. Introduction
Rising expectations best characterize the current prospects of nuclear power in a
world that is confronted with a burgeoning demand for energy, higher energy prices,
energy supply security concerns and growing environmental pressures. It appears that
the inherent economic and environmental benefits of the technology and its excellent
performance record over the last twenty years are beginning to tilt the balance of political
opinion and public acceptance in favor of nuclear power. Nuclear power is a costeffective supply-side technology for mitigating climate change and can make a
substantial contribution to climate protection.
2. Definition
A nuclear power plant is a facility that converts atomic energy into usable power. In a
nuclear electric power plant, heat produced by a reactor is generally used to drive a
turbine which in turn drives an electric generator. Nuclear power plants are usually
considered to be base load stations, since fuel is a small part of the cost of production.
The fuel is usually a fissile material (plutonium, uranium, palladium...)
3. How do Nuclear power plant work
Nuclear plants, like plants that burn coal, oil and natural gas, produce electricity by
boiling water into steam. This steam then turns turbines to produce electricity. The
difference is that nuclear plants do not burn anything. Instead, they use uranium fuel,
consisting of solid ceramic pellets, to produce electricity through a process called fission.
Nuclear power plants obtain the heat needed to produce steam through a physical
process. This process, called fission, entails the splitting of atoms of uranium in a nuclear
reactor. The uranium fuel consists of small, hard ceramic pellets that are packaged into
long, vertical tubes. Bundles of this fuel are inserted into the reactor.
4. Chain reaction detail
A nuclear chain reaction occurs when one single nuclear reaction causes an average
of one or more subsequent nuclear reactions, thus leading to the possibility of a selfpropagating series of these reactions. The specific nuclear reaction may be the fission of
heavy isotopes (e.g. 235U). The nuclear chain reaction releases several million times more
energy per reaction than any chemical reaction. The chain reaction is as followed:
92 235+ 0 (1 3) 0 +

Nuclear power plants operate by precisely controlling the rate at which nuclear
reactions occur, and that control is maintained through the use of several redundant
layers of safety measures. Moreover, the materials in a nuclear reactor core and the
uranium enrichment level make a nuclear explosion impossible, even if all safety
measures failed. On the other hand, nuclear weapons are specifically engineered to
produce a reaction that is so fast and intense it cannot be controlled after it has started.
When properly designed, this uncontrolled reaction can lead to an explosive energy
release.
5. Control the chain reaction
Chain reactions naturally give rise to reaction rates that grow (or shrink) exponentially,
whereas a nuclear power reactor needs to be able to hold the reaction rate reasonably
constant. To maintain this control, the chain reaction criticality must have a slow enough
time-scale to permit intervention by additional effects (e.g., mechanical control rods or
thermal expansion). Consequently, all nuclear power reactors (even fast-neutron
reactors) rely on delayed neutrons for their criticality. An operating nuclear power reactor
fluctuates between being slightly subcritical and slightly delayed-supercritical, but must
always remain below prompt-critical.
6. Water inside the reaction
Inside the core of a typical pressurized water reactor or boiling water reactor are
nuclear fuel rods equivalent to the diameter of a large gel type ink-pen, each about 4 m
long, which are grouped by the hundreds in bundles called "fuel assemblies". Inside each
fuel rod, pellets of uranium, or more commonly uranium oxide, are stacked end to end.
Also inside the core are control rods, filled with pellets of substances like boron or
hafnium or cadmium that readily capture neutrons. When the control rods are lowered
into the core, they absorb neutrons, which thus cannot take part in the chain reaction.
The heat of the fission reaction is removed by the water, which also acts to moderate
the neutron reactions. An alternative form of nuclear fuel would be fissile uranium-233 (U233) made by the neutron-bombardment of the common thorium-232.
7. Turbines
All power plants - gas, coal, nuclear, hydro use turbines to drive the generator. In
many parts of the world, a plant will have 2 turbines of 1/2 full load, rather than a single
unit as is common in the United States.
The Turbine has one major function: Convert the energy from the high pressure steam
to mechanical energy in the form of shaft rotation so that the generator will turn. This
conversion is done in two (2) stages - first in a smaller High Pressure Turbine, and after
passing through the moisture separator, then in 2 or more large Low Pressure Turbines.
The Turbine Support Systems have the following functions: Control the amount of
steam admitted to the turbine, lubricate the generator, keep the steam inside the turbine,
protect the turbine in the case of a fault (electrical or mechanical)
8. Risks from any nuclear power plant in Vietnam
First of all, disasters such as tsunami, hurricanes, typhoons... can cause dangerous
affect to the nuclear reactor and release radioactive materials to the natural environment
and human life surrounding that area. In addition, errors caused by human such as errors

of operators can cause a disaster, just like in Chernobyl. Another factor that nuclear
power plants in Vietnam are not safe is the substandard construction. Also, thieves can
steal materials for scrap metals. Last but not least, terrorists can sabotage these power
plants, causing leaks of dangerous radioactive elements into the environment. These
radioactive elements remain there for a long time.
9. Conclusion
Nuclear power plant, is very popular electricity generator in the world but it also cause
a lot of terrible disasters. No safety guarantee yet for nuclear power plants in Vietnam
because of many reason we mention above. Instead of spending money developing that
system we should use that money to invest in other green power plants like wind farms or
solar arrays.
References
[1]. Wikipedia, Nuclear power plant, Wikipedia Foundation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_power_plant#Safety_valves, March 13th 2008, April
22th 2015.
[2]. Wikipedia, Nuclear reactor , Wikipedia Foundation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_reactor, July 16th 2015.