NUCE 304: Evaluative Methods for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Security Lecture Notes PDF

NUCE 304: Evaluative Methods for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Security Introduction to nuclear safeguards and definitions Dr. Ahmed Alkaabi 1  Week #1 Learning Objectives & Topics Week 1 Learning Objectives: Applying Critical Thinking, the Scien...

NUCE 304: Evaluative Methods for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Security Introduction to nuclear safeguards and definitions Dr. Ahmed Alkaabi 1  Week #1 Learning Objectives & Topics Week 1 Learning Objectives: Applying Critical Thinking, the Scientific Method, and a Systems Approach to managing a Responsible Nuclear Energy Program (RNEP) within an Integrated Safety, Security, and Safeguard (3S) Framework. Week 1 Take-Away: A Responsible Nuclear Energy Program (RNEP) with a strong Safety, Security, and Safeguard (3S) Framework can be developed and maintained by using a Systems Approach and Critical Thinking Skills. 2  Week 1 Topics A Brief History of Nuclear Technology Development The Need for Electricity Types, Components & Economics of Nuclear Power Introduction to Responsible Nuclear Energy Program Critical Thinking Scientific Method Systems Thinking Responsible Nuclear Energy Programs as a system Managing RNEP & Decision Making Introduction to the Capstone 3  Learning Objectives Weeks 1-4: Technical Foundations Conceptual Foundations Develop Critical Thinking Skills Apply the Scientific Method Use a Systems Approach to problem solving Responsible nuclear energy program & 3S culture Physical Foundations Understand nuclear-energy generation, radiation fundamentals, reactor operations Policy Foundations Describe the nuclear fuel cycle International nonproliferation regime 4  Learning Objectives – 3S Safeguards Safety Security Weeks 5 & 6 Weeks 7 & 8 Weeks 9 & 10 Understand Understand Understand technical & technical & technical & operational operational operational objectives of objectives of objectives of International Nuclear Safety Nuclear Security Safeguards Describe its role in Describe its role in Describe its role in a responsible a responsible a responsible nuclear energy nuclear energy nuclear energy program and how program and how program and it relates to 3S it relates to 3S how they relate to 3S Understand relationships, synergies and potential conflicts among Safeguards, Security and Safety as part of a Responsible Nuclear Energy Program 5  Learning Objectives – CAPSTONE CAPSTONE RESEARCH PROJECTS Weeks 11 – 13 Guided & Independent Study for Capstone Project – Develop project topic & research outline – Capstone Research – Complete research paper and presentation for Symposium – Dry runs of Capstone presentations 6  A History of Firsts: Nuclear Science & Technology E = mc2 : Energy-Mass Equivalence (1905) Neutron Discovered (1932) Fission Discovered (1938) First Accident Involving Nuclear Material (1942) First Controlled Nuclear Chain Reaction (1942) First Nuclear Detonation (1945) First Nuclear Weapons (1945) First Death from a Nuclear-criticality Accident (1945) First Nuclear Electricity (1951) First Nuclear Reactor Accident (1952) First Nuclear Power Plant (1954) First Nuclear Propulsion (1954) First Nuclear Reactor in Space (1965) First 1,000 MW(e) Nuclear Power Plant (1974) First Major Accident at a Civilian NPP (1979) First Space Mission Powered by Plutonium RTG (1979) First NPP in an Arab Country: UAE (construction began 2012) 7  Atomic Structure Atom – Smallest subdivision of matter that retains its (chemical) identity as an element Electrons, neutrons, protons Electron – Nucleus orbitals Positively charged core of an atom Composed of neutron & protons – Electron (-) Negatively charged subatomic particle that occupies orbitals around the nucleus Responsible for chemistry – Proton (+) Positively charged subatomic particle within the nucleus Imparts elemental identity (Z) – Neutron (0) Neutrally charged subatomic particle within the nucleus Binds the nucleons & gives rise to isotopes Atomic Nucleus Essentially all an atom’s mass is in the nucleus 8  Early History (1930s) Neutron discovered – James Chadwick (1932) – Used to probe matter Penetrates nuclei Create new elements – “transmutation” Transmutation Experiments (1930s) – bombarding uranium with neutrons Enrico Fermi. Science teams in France, Italy and Germany Attempts to synthesize heavier elements “slow” neutrons were absorbed more efficiently than “fast” neutrons 9  Early History (1930s) Neutron-Absorption Experiments Uranium behaved in unexpected ways – Complex mixture of radioactive products – Assumed to be heavier than uranium difficult to characterize … or explain – Chemical properties resembled many known, but much lighter, elements – No known process could produce lighter elements from much heavier ones How to explain such unexpected results? 10  Early History (1930s) December 1938 Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann discover fission of uranium – uranium bombarded with neutrons produces elements with roughly half the original mass of the uranium – First verified Barium in the reaction products 1939 Lise Meitner said the original uranium had split (fissioned) – Neutrons absorbed by the nucleus added energy Destabilized the nucleau – Neil Bohr’s Liquid Drop Model for the Nucleus explained fission What is nuclear fission? Why was it such an important discovery? 11  Nuclear Fission – A Source of Energy Nuclear Binding Energy – E = Δmc2 Some nuclei absorb neutrons … and split – or fission ➔ “fission fragments “or “fission products” 12  Nuclear Fission – A Source of Energy Fission “releases” nuclear binding energy – E = Δmc2 – Imparts kinetic energy to fission fragments & neutrons Heat is generated – Kinetic energy is converted to heat as fission fragments slow down through matter Results of Fission – Energy – Fission Fragments – Neutrons More Neutrons ➔ More Fission 13  Nuclear Chain Reaction Chain Reaction – Neutrons fission more nuclei – Fission keeps repeating – Self-sustaining Critical Mass – Mass that can sustain fission Heat produced during sustained fission can be used to generate electricity 14  First Controlled Nuclear Chain Reaction CP-1 “went critical” December 2, 1942 – Chicago Pile no. 1 First man-made nuclear reactor CP-1 – Effort led by Enrico Fermi – Manhattan Project December 2, 1942 The world had entered the Nuclear Age Enrico Fermi (bottom left) and the rest of the team that initiated the first controlled nuclear 15 chain reaction (1942).  Nuclear Weapon Development Nuclear fission discovered at start of World War II – Military applications recognized Weapon development – US Army Manhattan Project Feared German advantage First nuclear device detonated – July 1945 Trinity Test in New Mexico, USA – “The Gadget” Plutonium device First Nuclear Weapons used in War – August 6 & 9, 1945 – Hiroshima & Nagasaki, Japan “Little Boy” (uranium bomb) & “Fat Man” (plutonium bomb) ~120,000 people perished Japan surrendered 16  Commercial Nuclear Reactor Development 1946: Light-water reactor (LWR) patented – thorium & uranium-233 Alvin Weinberg design Tested at Shippingport, Pennsylvania, 1957 Atomic Energy Act – Signed by US President Truman – US Atomic Energy Commission (USAEC) Civilian agency Replaces Manhattan Project 17  Commercial Nuclear Reactor Development 1951 First nuclear-powered electricity – Four light bulbs (Idaho Falls, US) First nuclear-powered submarine – Construction begins (December) 18  Commercial Nuclear Reactor Development 1953 “Atoms for Peace” at United Nations – Speech by US President Eisenhower (December 8) – Proposes to share US nuclear technology – Recipient nations must promise not to develop nuclear weapons. 1954 1954 Atomic Energy Act (USA) – Peaceful uses of atomic energy – Radioactive Waste Disposal is the government’s responsibility World’s first nuclear power plant – Obninsk Nuclear Power Plant (USSR) – 5 megawatts capacity (5 MWe) 19  Commercial Nuclear Reactor Development 1956 First Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in UK – Calder Hall Unit-1 – 50 megawatts electrical generating capacity (50 MWe) – Graphite-moderated 1957 First US commercial NPP – Shippingport, Pennsylvania – First commercial-only NPP 20  Commercial Nuclear Reactor Development Other countries’ first power reactors France (1956) New Nuclear Countries Each Year Canada (1962) Sweden (1964) Japan (1965) Pakistan (1972) India (1973) S. Korea (1978) Taiwan [ROC] (1978) China [PRC] (1994) Chernobyl Accident, 1986 21  Other Uses For Nuclear Technologies In addition to Military Use & Electricity Generation – Research Reactors: Radioisotope production agriculture, medical, and industrial applications Materials characterization, Basic science, Teaching – Medical Radiation Therapy – Geological Exploration Oil & gas – Space Power Sources These and other applications will be discussed in future lectures 22  Why do we need electricity? Source: US NRC file photo (http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/students/reactors.html) 23  How do We Generate Electric Power? N S http://www.generatorguide.net/howgeneratorworks.html © Walter Fendt, May 8, 1998 © Dept. of Physics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Source: www. hk-phy.org Reproduced with permission © Dept. of Physics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Source: www. hk-phy.org Reproduced with permission 24  Energy Basics Energy = The capacity to do work The Law of Conservation of Energy: Energy is neither created nor destroyed o We cannot create “new” electrical energy Common Types of Energy: ✓ Potential Energy ✓ Thermal Energy ✓ Kinetic or Mechanical Energy ✓ Electrical Energy We can only convert existing energy into electrical energy 25  Generating Electricity From Water Power Source: US Bureau of Reclamation Potential Energy → Kinetic/Mechanical Energy → Electrical Energy Hydroelectric Power Generation Source: US Nuclear Regulatory Commission 26  Generating Electricity From Wind Power Source: US Department of Energy Wind (Kinetic) Energy → Mechanical Energy → Electrical Energy 27  Generating Electricity Using Photovoltaics Solar Energy → Electrical Energy Source: solarenergyfactsblog.com 28  Rankine Cycle ❑ Thermodynamic basis for a Steam Engine Named for William Rankine, Scottish polymath ❑ Heat (thermal energy) ➔ mechanical energy ❑ Mechanical energy ➔ electrical energy Turbine ❑ Closed Loop “working fluid” (usually water) Rankine Cycle generates ~80% of all electric power solar-thermal, biomass, gas, coal, nuclear 29  Rankine Cycle Process (1) 1. Pump (cold) working fluid Low to High Pressure 2. Fluid enters Boiler – Heated by an external heat source (Qin) – Liquid vaporizes “saturated” vapor Flow Source: Andrew.Ainsworth at the English Wikipedia project 30