We want to get an idea of the actual mass of 235U involved in powering a nuclear power plant. Assume that a single fission event releases 200 MeV of thermal energy. A 1,000 MWe electric power plant has a thermal power of approximately 3,000 MWth. What rate of fission reactions is required to produce this power? (Note: 1 eV = 1.6 × 10−19 J.)
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We want to get an idea of the actual mass of 235U involved in powering a nuclear power plant. Assume that a single fission event releases 200 MeV of thermal energy. A 1,000 MWe electric power plant has a thermal power of approximately 3,000 MWth.
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What
rate of fission reactions is required to produce this power? (Note: 1 eV = 1.6× 10−19 J.)
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The reactor core consists of approximately 100 tonnes of UO2 (1 tonne = 1,000
kg), which is enriched in 235U to 4%. How many full-power years could the reactor operate if all of the 235U were to be fissioned? What factors prevent such complete depletion of the 235U from occurring?
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Under the 235U depletion scenario of part b, what mass of fission products and what mass of high-level wastes (HLW) would be produced?
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