Low-carbon life requires nuclear power
Source: China Environment News Date: 2015-09-08
Electric energy supply is the basic guarantee for social and economic development. The peaceful use of nuclear energy is one of the greatest scientific and technological achievements of the 20th century. However, people's understanding of nuclear power is controversial. In fact, nuclear power is not only a powerful and stable energy source, but also low-carbon and environmentally friendly.
Natural radioactivity in nature
We live in all kinds of natural radioactivity but are unaware. Such as infrared, ultraviolet, X-ray, electronics and so on. These radiations are naturally occurring. One type is cosmic rays from the sky, such as sunlight and star light; the other type is radiation from the ground, such as radon released into the air by soil and rocks. In addition, the human body also has natural radioactivity, such as the isotope 40K, the most important element in human chemistry. These naturally occurring radioactivity are not harmful to humans and the environment due to very small doses. In fact, people can produce radiation using appropriate technology, such as electric lamps, medical CT, particle accelerators or nuclear power plants. The doses of gaseous and liquid radioactive effluents discharged from a normally-operating nuclear power unit into the environment are very small, in fact, they are much smaller than the radioactive background that exists in the natural state. Such small doses harm the public and the environment Can be ignored.
Nuclear power is an environmentally friendly clean energy source
Tritium nuclear energy includes fission energy of heavy nuclear and fusion energy of light nuclear. Currently, the fission energy of thermal neutron reactor has been commercialized. The commonly used nuclear fuel is 235U. When 235U nucleus is bombarded with neutrons, it will split into two (sometimes three) lighter nucleuses, simultaneously emit two (sometimes three) neutrons and release a lot of energy . The new neutrons released by nuclear fission are absorbed by the 235U atomic nucleus to cause new fission and maintain the chain reaction. According to the principle of nuclear power generation, nuclear power itself does not produce any CO2 greenhouse gases and air pollutants such as SO2, NOx, TSP (PM). Nuclear power can only produce a small amount of radioactive waste and effluent. Some gaseous and liquid radioactive effluents are discharged into the atmosphere and water bodies after treatment and monitoring, and their radioactivity is strictly controlled at a level far below the natural background. , And the solid waste is closed and not discharged to the environment. There has never been an increase in radiation doses near nuclear power plants, or an increase in leukemia and cancer patients.
Under normal circumstances, coal-fired power generation emits a large amount of air pollutants such as SO2, NOx, and TSP (PM) to the environment, which directly cause environmental impacts such as acid rain, dust fall, and smog, causing obvious harm to human health, forests, crops, and ecosystem The large amount of CO2 emitted by coal combustion has caused global climate change to become the most important environmental challenge facing human beings so far; even radioactive emissions, coal-fired power generation is higher than nuclear power generation, because coal contains native radionuclides, These radionuclides are enriched in flue gas (smoke and dust) and coal ash slag, part of which is emitted from the chimney to the atmosphere and generates radiation exposure to the surrounding public, and part of the coal ash slag is used as a building material filler for comprehensive utilization. Objects, roads, etc. generate more extensive radiation exposure to the public.
From an economic point of view, nuclear power has very low environmental impact external costs, and this advantage is commendable. Low-carbon, green and efficient energy and a good ecological environment can better enhance economic competitiveness and sustainable development capabilities. Now is the time for us to reduce energy consumption, switch to more nuclear power, and reduce (or even stop) burning fossil fuels, such as coal that pollutes the atmosphere, especially for industries that consume large amounts of electricity (such as electrolytic aluminum, ferroalloys, etc.) and lack of This is a great benefit for areas with conventional energy resources.
How is plutonium radioactive waste managed?
How do we dispose of radioactive waste from nuclear power plants? This is a very important issue. The biggest feature of radioactivity is that it decays naturally (exponentially) with time. Short-lived radionuclides with a half-life within 30 years usually account for a large proportion of radioactive waste, which means that simple storage and processing can greatly reduce Attenuates its radioactivity. Disposal of low-to-medium-level radioactive wastes uses volume reduction, cement packaging, and storage in specially designed near-surface disposal sites with strict monitoring; for spent fuel components containing high radioactive levels (reactor offloading), the Stored nearby for several years, and then post-processed to decompose it into different components. Most of the materials are recyclable. Only a small amount of high-level solid waste is glass-solidified and stored in long-term waste of suitable geological structure layers hundreds of meters deep Repository. These radioactive wastes are closed and monitored, and must not be discharged into the environment.
In fact, compared to other industrial wastes, the amount of nuclear waste is very small (even so, the nuclear industry continues to promote the implementation of radioactive waste minimization strategies through technological progress and management optimization). This means that transitional or long-term storage is feasible before taking long-term disposal decisions. If nuclear waste is buried deep in the ground and stored and monitored, it will not cause any harm to humans and the environment. Compared with fossil fuel waste, both in terms of mass and volume, its chemical toxicity is more harmful to the environment, and it cannot completely prevent its emissions to the environment, such as coal combustion, automobile exhaust emissions, etc. Adopting waste containment restrictions like the nuclear industry would ban the use of coal and oil.
Strict quality and safety standards minimize the risk of nuclear accidents
Tritium nuclear accidents or incidents are relatively rare, with limited consequences, and the possibility of serious nuclear accidents is very small.
There have been 3 serious nuclear accidents in history: the Three Mile Island nuclear accident in the United States in 1979 did not have a significant impact on the environment, and the leaked radioactivity was confined to the local atmosphere of the containment for a period of time; the Soviet Union Chel The Nobeli nuclear accident released a large amount of radioactivity into the atmosphere, causing 30 immediate deaths and 134 people suffering from acute radiation sickness, which has polluted the entire area for more than ten years (the surrounding biological population has been restored); the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan in 2011 Radioactive emissions were released into the atmosphere and the ocean, there were no cases of radiation-induced death or acute radioactivity, and the radiation dose to the public and staff was low. The social impact and economic loss caused by a serious nuclear accident are very large, especially the emergency transfer involving tens of thousands of people and causing people's mental stress and psychological fear disorders. Radiation hazards are limited. The main cause of widespread social impact and huge economic losses is the appropriateness and effectiveness of a series of actions in decision-making, rescue, protection, communication, information exchange, and supervision in nuclear emergency measures and crisis response activities. Especially the excessive social response caused by panic, such as the "salting storm".
Fortunately, lessons have been learned from several accidents, and nuclear power plants around the world have achieved higher safety goals and safety levels in terms of safe and stable operation, accident prevention, emergency response, and safety foundation. Similar to the safety management of the civil aviation industry, everything nuclear safety management does is to ensure safe operation and avoid various incidents, thereby maintaining public confidence. For example, the aviation industry will conduct detailed investigations and find out after each accident. Effective precautions to avoid another accident or correct existing operating procedures. Everything we do has a minimum risk. The nuclear industry has higher safety goals (that is, more emphasis on prevention and optimal performance) than other industries. We can regulate all stages of design, construction, operation, and decommissioning. Behavior, strict quality and safety standards minimize the risk and harm of a nuclear accident.
How should plutonium be viewed?
Plutonium scientists and environmentalists know that when nuclear power is applied in an advanced technology and effective regulatory manner, it is a powerful energy resource that has the least pollution on the planet. However, ordinary people still do n’t know much about nuclear power. Many people may think that nuclear power plants will explode like atomic bombs. Many people do n’t know how nuclear power plants work or they do n’t know that the radioactivity of nuclear power plants has existed in nature since ancient times. Natural radioactivity is much smaller. So, the more important question is how should the public view nuclear power?
In fact, to provide useful information truthfully, refuse to conceal or distort facts, and provide false information, it is important for the public, scientists and managers to maintain an open mind and open communication. Arbitrary criticism and complaints, exaggerated dangers, and distorted propaganda cannot solve the problem, and can only complicate the problem. Some nuclear energy opponents can express pessimistic and decadent opinions, entice as many followers as possible, and even use anti-nuclear to gain benefits. Does not support disapproval. We also do not support industrial companies that ignore the possibility and consequences of a nuclear accident, and have chances and conceal various environmental pollution activities.
I treat nuclear energy, we should insist on seeking truth from facts and make decisions with all the scientific and effective data in front of us. If nuclear power plants are carefully regulated, performant, and operate in optimal conditions, we should praise and support it so that the entire society can benefit from the advantages of the safest nuclear power.
At present, we need coordinated development of energy, environment and socio-economics to build a more developed, more beautiful, more habitable and respecting ecological environment. In order to achieve this goal, we must improve both energy production and use. On the one hand, we should build a more low-carbon, green, and efficient energy supply system; on the other hand, we should promote the use of greener and lower-carbon power sources, and save energy as much as possible. Nuclear power is environmentally friendly and can be applied on a large scale. Our future green and low-carbon life requires nuclear power.