The following is a report by Andy Kienlen, age 11, for his 7th grade English class. He did his own research at the University of North Texas library in preparing the report.

 

Nuclear Power Compared to Coal Power

 

By: Andy Kienlen, age 11

For: Ms. Balistrer’s

7th grade English Class

December 16, 2004

 

Nuclear power is a better source of energy than coal power.

 

Report outline:

 

I‑       Nuclear Safety

                A. Nuclear power is safer for the people working there

1. Less risk of injury

2. Safety precautions

                B. Nuclear core protection

1. Safety precautions

C. Chernobyl

II‑      Nuclear fuel

A. Nuclear fuel is available and profitable

B. Nuclear fuel can be reused

III-      Environmental safety

                A. Coal mine clean up is costly

                B. Coal power produces a lot of waste

 

Nuclear power is generated from mined uranium. It works like this: first nuclear fission makes heat, it heats the water to make steam, the steam turns the turbines, the turbines turn the generator, and electrical power is sent all across the country. Enrico, Rutherford, and Neil Bohr invented nuclear power. The first large scale nuclear power plant was opened at Calden Hall in Cumbria, England, in nineteen fifty‑six. The United States of America uses twenty percent nuclear power, Sweden uses forty‑seven percent, Belgium uses sixty‑five percent, and France uses seventy‑four percent nuclear power. No accidents have occurred in any of these countries that utilize nuclear power. Nuclear power produces less waste than coal power, produces more energy, has a safer working environment, and a better living environment than coal power. Nuclear power does not pollute as much as coal power, therefore, helping to prevent the greenhouse effect, and acid rain. Nuclear power is a better source of energy than coal power.

 

Nuclear power has a safer working environment. One reason is the safety precautions taken to protect the people and the nuclear core. The United States safety precautions for nuclear power plants include five barriers, four safety levels, and manual override switches. The four safety levels are prevention, core protection, containment, and emergency preparedness. They also have emergency crews on stand by if an accident happens. Workers at a nuclear power plant are not exposed to any more radiation than the environment. Workers in coalmines can get killed or injured in a mine collapse, or from dangerous gasses. Thus nuclear power is safer for the people who work there.

 

 The opinions of people on nuclear power were set by Chernobyl. Chernobyl was a Russian nuclear power plant in the nineteen‑eighties. There was an accident at the Chernobyl power plant, and it blew up. After the accident a United States committee said that nuclear power in America is the best. The Chernobyl reactor containment prevented a large amount of radioactivity from getting released, however "The United States was making even safer designs"(Dean 60). The Russians made Chernobyl dangerous because they handled it wrong. Dr. Kouts says "the world should make nuclear power safer and that it's an excellent resource". He says, "that the N reactor is safe" (7). Chernobyl was a water reactor but the reactor could burn. United States water reactors can't burn. The United States reactors have a more in depth containment. The United States reactors have five barriers, and four safety functions. The functions are prevention, core protection, containment, and emergency preparedness. United States barriers can withstand more. The Chernobyl barriers could not withstand as much. Chernobyl control rods could only be run on electricity. United States control rods can be manually controlled. Scientists who studied it think the power went out and they could not cool down the reactor at Chernobyl. The United States has more than one system to stop a meltdown. The Russian power plant Chernobyl did not. The United States test their systems more than they did at Chernobyl. The United States has a lot of units on stand by in case there is an accident. The accident at Chernobyl teaches us that nuclear power is safe, however if power plants are not properly constructed the effects can be disastrous.

 

Nuclear fuel is available and profitable, can be recycled, and is available in large quantities around the world. "Coal power requires one hundred trainloads of coal to work. "There have been reported transportation deaths". "Never had an accident with transportation of nuclear fuel"(Robinson 8). Nuclear power uses less uranium and plutonium than coal power uses coal. "Coal power if it runs all of the United States would take 2.12 billion tons of coal". "Nuclear power would take three thousand tons of uranium" (Robinson 3). Nuclear power has over seven hundred years worth of nuclear fuel. This fuel is located in Oakridge, Tennessee, and is worth over seventy trillion dollars. This fuel is Uranium Hexafloride (DUF6) and is stored by the Department of Energy (DOE). This fuel is a by‑product of the K‑25 project. DOE stands for the department of energy. However, the DOE is planning to dispose of the fuel.

 

Nuclear power protects the environment better than coal power does. "Coal power burns over ten thousand pounds of coal per day". "Coal power produces one thousand pounds of waste per minute". "Ash, and sludge disposal requires one hundred and eighty acres to a depth of one hundred feet for a coal power plant" (Robinson 10). "Coal power pollution causes nine thousand two hundred ninety‑two deaths per year, and 22.2 million respiratory cases" (Robinson 19).

 

Nuclear power does not cause that many deaths, nor as many respiratory cases per year. Coal power pollution also causes global warming, droughts, and dust bowls. Nuclear power does not make that much waste per minute, nor does it make that much pollution. Coal power requires large amounts of strip mining. "Coal power usually requires one thousand six hundred acres of strip mining". "if all of the United States was run on coal power it would take up 1.3 million acres per year' (Robinson 10). "Coal mining results in acid mine damage". "The government expects repairs for the coal mines to cost 6.6 billion dollars". "The process to get coal takes longer because they have to crush the coal, and wash the coal". "The washing takes a lot of water to be done" (Robinson 7). Therefore that nuclear power is better for the environment than coal power is.

 

Nuclear power is a better source of energy than coal power. It is safer, available, and environmentally friendly. Nuclear power is not dead it is just sleeping. Even the environmentalists are starting to give it another look. Nuclear power will help us get to the future, and the United States has the resources to do it.

 

 

Works Cited

 

Robinson, Mark. 100 Grams of Uranium Equal 290 tons of coal. Washington: R:D Engineering, 1987.

 

Hearing number 138, Committee on Science and Technology. House of Representatives, 99th  Congress, Second Session. Positive Safety Features of U.S. Nuclear Reactors. Willis 3rd floor Y4.Sci 2:99/138 University of North Texas.

 

Fossil fuel power plants environmental aspects United States. Willis 3rd  floor‑Ep 1.113:310‑R‑97‑007 University of North Texas.