Работа на конкурс по физике на английском языке

Municipal autonomous educational institution

Secondary school №18

Nuclear power industry in the UK

Completed:

Student of 10th form << A >>

Galieva Valeria Olegovna

E-mail: leragaliewa@mail.ru

Teachers:

Zamaraeva Larisa V.

Penkina Elena V.

LZamaraeva@bk.ru

Tel. 9276270272

2016

Nuclear power industry in the UK

Contents:

Introduction

1. Development of nuclear energy in the world
2. History of nuclear energy in the UK
3. Information about Calder Hall nuclear power units
4. "Today and tomorrow"
5. British plans "Rosatom"

Conclusion

Reference        

Introduction:

Atomic energy has had a mixed history in the half-century or so since the world's first commercial nuclear power plant opened at Calder Hall (now Sellafield) in Cumbria, England in 1956. Huge amounts of world energy have been produced from atoms ever since, but amid enormous controversy. Some people believe nuclear power is a vital way to tackle climate change; others insist it is dirty, dangerous, uneconomic, and unnecessary. Either way, it helps what nuclear energy is and how it works—so let's forget the politics for a moment and take a closer look at the science. I'd like to tell you about nuclear industry of UK because I like this country, its history and traditions. Also, I was attracted by the condition that the work must be performed in English.

1   Development of nuclear energy in the world

Nuclear power engineering is a complicated production, including a lot of industrial processes, what together form a fuel cycle. There are different types of fuel cycles, depending on the type of reactor and how step of cycle proceeds. The nuclear power stations produced about 16% of world electric power in 1990 year. Such power-stations worked in 31 countries and were built in 6 countries. The nuclear sector of power engineering is more significant in France, Belgium, Finland, Sweden, Bulgaria and Switzerland, i.e. in those countries, where there are insufficient natural energy resources.

The nuclear power engineering was considered the fastest growing and most promising branch of the electric power even in 80th years of XX century.

Top-10 nuclear power stations in the world

2. History of nuclear energy in the UK :

The United Kingdom took first place in nuclear power engineering in Western Europe in 1970-80 years. The slowdown in the economic development of the country, the deep economic development of the country, the discovery of oil and gas fields in the North Sea and the dramatic improvement of the situation of Great Britain in the supply of liquid fuels has led to a slowdown of development in nuclear power engineering.

But nevertheless there are 16 operating reactors, including the UK's largest Heysham nuclear power station with total capacity 9246 MW, what allows the country to enter the top-10 in the total number of reactors in the world.

Heysham nuclear power station is located in the same city of the UK. At the moment, Heysham nuclear power station includes four reactors of type AGR - advanced gas-cooled reactor. The total capacity of the stations is 2610 MW, what make this station the most powerful station in the UK. Guidance connects regular shallow breakages with a big age of the station. However, according to them, it doesn’t carry to threat to the environment and people.

But a year after the opening of Calder Hall nuclear power station, a serious accident happened. In October in 1967, fire broke out at the reactor for the production of weapons-grade plutonium, which led to radioactive releases. This accident was considered the most serious in the global nuclear power engineering before the incident at Three Mile Island in the United States.

Calder Hall nuclear power station is the first British nuclear power station.

Heysham nuclear power station is.

Magnox reactor

In December 1957, construction of the power station was begun by the business combination Clarke Chapman, Head Wrightson, CA Parsons & Co., A. Reyrolle & Co., Strachan & Henshaw and Whessoe, now known as the Nuclear Power Plant Company (NPPC). The station began to produce energy in 1962. The station consisted of two Magnoxreactors, what gave 242 MW of clean energy. The power station could provide electricity to three cities, such as Chelmsford, Colchester and Southend-on-Sea. The reactors were supplied by The Nuclear Power Group (TNPG).

The first two reactors in the nuclear center in Sellafield (UK) were reactors "Vindskeyl Peyl". Reactors had graphite moderated and air-cooled. These reactors were used for producing weapons-grade plutonium. The power of one reactor was 180 MW. These two reactors produced 35 kg of weapons-grade plutonium annually. Both reactors "Vindskeyl Payl" were in operation from 1950 to 1957, when a fire led to a significant radioactive contamination of the territory in the reactor №1.

This accident demonstrated the serious flaws in the design of these reactors with air cooling, both in terms of technology and in terms of security.

Four reactors were the second generation of British reactors (start of the first was in 1956)  in Calder. They all were Magnox reactors gas-cooled carbon dioxide.

 Magnox reactor is gas cooled graphite moderated reactor in what the coolant is carbon dioxide and natural uranium is used as a nuclear fuel.

At the end of the 20th century, the British government had decided to reduce the use of carbon dioxide in the industry in the fight against global warming, and the construction of this type of reactor has been stopped.

But the 30 of December in 2015, it was known that the UK's oldest nuclear power station was closed. The nuclear power station "Wilf 1", located in Uelse, ceased to operate. A whole generation Magnox was ceased to exist together with it’s closing. «Wilf 1" worked about 45 years. Earlier it was reported that former US nuclear complex would turn into a park for tourists.

UK nuclear power stations:

• Broadwell nuclear power station was built on the outskirts of the airport of World War II, half a mile from the coast of Essex. This location was chosen deliberately, because the land was cheap and didn’t represent the interests for agriculture. In 1999, it was announced that the station would be closed in 2002. It was the first station, closed on a scheduled basis in the UK.
• Calder Hall nuclear power station is famous because it’s the first nuclear power station in a capitalist country, although the construction of the station was begun in 1047. However, the official opening of the station by Catherine 2 took place only at the 17 of October in 1956. Since 1995, the complex Calder Hall carried out exclusively peaceful functions, what was due with stop of production of weapons-grade plutonium in the UK. The last reactor was closed in 2003.        

3. Information about Calder Hall nuclear power units

•  Hartlepool nuclear power station is located on the north shore of the River Tees mounth 2.5 miles (4 km) south of Hartlepool in County Durham, North East England. The station has an electrical power 1190 MW, provides 2% of the total electricity demand of Great Britain. Electric power is produced by two advanced gas-cooled reactors (AGR). Hartlepool is third nuclear power station in the United Kingdom, using the AGR technology. Construction was begun in 1969 and was completed in 1985. The station began electric power generation from 1983. Originally operated by the Central Electricity Generating Board. During the privatization electric power industry in the UK in 1990, the station was taken over into the Nuclear Electric and the British Energy, and it belongs to and is operated by the EDF Energy now.  The British government announced that Hartlepool was one of eight grounds which was suitable for future nuclear power stations.

4. "Today and tomorrow"

In 2008, the projet on the further development of the industry and construction of 8 new reactors was drafted in the next 15 years. At the 21 of October in 2010, the decision was taken to build eight new nuclear power stations what would be connected to the network between 2018 and 2025. But, after the accident at the nuclear power plant "Fukushima-1" in Japan, a lot of countries began to treat to the ideas about the construction of nuclear power station with great care on its own territory. However UK still sticks to it’s plans. And that is why the president of China has invested and continues to invest huge amounts of money for the development of UK nuclear power engineering. While the government speaks enthusiastically about the upcoming construction of the facility, the public relates to the idea of ​​nuclear power station in the UK rather negatively. According to the British, they became pioneers of nuclear power engineering, but the era of glory is gone, and now they have to raise money from China to build at least one new nuclear power station.

The accidents:

• In 1966 20 fuel rods was stolen from Broadwell. They were stolen by station worker Harold Arthur dreams for their sale. The theft was discovered by local police when a minibus was transporting the rods to final destination. The rods were found, Sneath and Hadley, each were fined 100 pounds and were required to pay the costs of the lawsuit.

• In October in 1967, there was a fire at the reactor for the production of weapons-grade plutonium. This accident had been considered the most serious in the global nuclear power engineering before the incident was been at Three Mile Island in the United States.

History:

With economic success of other advanced gas-cooled reactors (AGR), suck as the nuclear power station in Dungeness, the Central Council of generating CEGB proposed to build a third station AGR type in 1967 year and arrange it on the edge of the coalfield Durham, near to the sea resort of Seaton Carew. The decision was made at that time when the movement CEGB towards alternative fuels threatened the existence of the coal industry. Despite this, and a short delay on the part of ministers plans to building a station in Seaton Carew (which later became known as the nuclear power station in Hartlepool) progressed. The station, located in the 1.65 mile (2.66 km) from Seaton Carew, and in the middle of an industrial complex Teesside, was to be located very near to the city line. For it, the reactors of the station were to be placed in the prestressed concrete pressure vessels.

Station during construction in June 1972.

The final plan of construction of the power station, which has been created with the support of English Electric, Babcock International Group and Taylor Woodrow Construction, started in 1969. Construction was stopped in 1970, when the inspections of nuclear facilities said that they are displeased a part of the boiler construction of station, which was remounted for 25 million pounds. Reactors of station were provided by the National Nuclear Corporation, and generator sets were provided by the company General Electric. During fourteen years of construction, the first of two blocks of the station was put into operation in 1983, the second in 1985. First the station produced electricity for commercial use August 1, 1983.

Specification:

The station has an advanced gas-cooled reactor (AGR). It provides electricity to more than 3% of the United Kingdom, are using two AGR reactors of 1575 MW and two generators of 660 MW each, giving a maximum generating capacity of 1320 MW. Net electric power of station is 1190 MW. This electrical energy is enough to power 1.5 million homes.

Visitor Center:

The interactive visitor center was opened at the place of the station in the 1990 years. There was also a program of visits to the power-station by schoolchildren. This program allowed to spend a lot of special events. Also, there were guided tours of the station. Currently the center is closed.

Future station :

Originally it was supposed, that the power station would be closed in 2009 year. But the inspection of nuclear directions decided to extend the operation in five years in 2007 year, what meant that it could continue to produce electrical power until 2014 year. The term was extended for another five years in 2010 year, so the work of the station could continue until 2019 year.

The new station :

The British Energy suggested that the area of the station would be a good place for the construction a new nuclear power station in July 2008. Then, a year later, the British government entered Hartlepool in the list of eleven areas of England and Wales, where a new nuclear power station could be built. On the 9 of November in 2009, the government announced that ten of these areas, including Hartlepool, were approved for the construction of new reactors. New built station will use reactors each capable of generating 1,800 MW. The cost of the project is from 5 to 6 billion pounds, it will employ up to 3 thousands workers at the 8 years during the period of construction, and also at the 600 full working days after its completion. The new station has an expected service life for 60 years. A lot of environmental groups such as Greenpeace oppose these plans . Some local residents also oppose the construction, because power-station is located in 1.65 miles (2.66 km) from Seaton Carew local resort, although others support the idea, because even the current power station is one of the largest employer in this area with high unemployment. However, after a serious nuclear accident at Fukushima in Japan in 2011, there is a greater risk of closing the program on the construction of the new station. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the reactors, proposed for Hartlepool, differ from those, what were at Fukushima. Besides, the threat of similar natural disasters is negligible in UK.

Nuclear power stations

Photos.

Chapelcross
Location: Dumfriesshire
Operator: British Nuclear Fuels Ltd
Configuration: 4 X 60 MW gas-cooled nuclear reactor
Commissioning: 1959-1960 (it was stopped in 2004)
Supplier reactor: The UK Atomic Energy
Supplier turbogenerator: Parsons
Photograph by Ric Gemmell and courtesy of BNFL

Dounreay DFR
Location: Caithness

Operator: The UK Atomic Energy

Configuration: 1 X 14 MW reactor, fast breeder

Commissioning: 1958 (It was stopped in 1969)

Supplier reactor: The UK Atomic Energy

Supplier turbogenerator: n / a

Comment: Dounreay nuclear power station was designed for research.
Photograph courtesy of UKAEA

Dounreay PFR
Location: Caithness

Operator: The UK Atomic Energy

Configuration: 1 X 250 MW reactor, fast breeder

Commissioning: 1976 (It was stopped in 1994)

Supplier reactor: The UK Atomic Energy

Supplier turbogenerator: General Electric (UK)

Photograph courtesy of UKAEA

Hunterston-B
Location: Ayrshire

Operator: British Energy plc

Configuration: 2 X 625 MW of advanced gas-cooled reactor

Commissioning: 1976, 1977

Supplier reactor: Nuclear Power Group

Supplier turbogenerator: Parsons

Photograph courtesy of British Energy

Hunterston-A
Location: Ayrshire

Operator: British Nuclear Fuels Ltd

Configuration: 2 X 160 MW GCR

Commissioning: 1964 (It was stopped in 1989-1990)

Supplier reactor: General Electric (UK)

Supplier turbogenerator: Parsons

Engineering: General Electric (UK), Mowlem

Comment: It was the most powerful nuclear power station in the world upon completion of building.

Photograph by David Partner and courtesy of BNFL

Torness
Location: East Lothian

Operator: British Energy plc

Configuration: 2 X 700 MW of advanced gas-cooled reactor

Commissioning: 1988-1989

Supplier reactor: National Nuclear Corp

Supplier turbogenerator: General Electric (UK)
Photograph courtesy of British Energy

Trawsfynydd
Location: Gwynedd, Wales

Operator: British Nuclear Fuels Ltd

Configuration: 2 X 235 MW gas-cooled nuclear reactor

Commissioning: 1965 (It was stopped in 1991)

Supplier reactor: The UK Atomic Energy

Supplier turbogenerator: Richards and Westgarth

Photograph by Skyscan and courtesy of BNFL

Wylfa
Location: Gwynedd, Wales

Operator: British Nuclear Fuels Ltd

Configuration: 2 X 495 MW gas-cooled nuclear reactor

Commissioning: 1971

Supplier reactor: The Nuclear Power Group

Supplier turbogenerator: English Electric

Comment: Wilfa was the last nuclear power station with gas-cooled nuclear reactor.

Photograph courtesy of Pisces Conservation Ltd

5. British plans "Rosatom":

The project on two new nuclear power stations was started in England, the island Anglesey and Gloucestershire. Production and maintenance of reactors had assigned to the German companies, but after the sharp increase in the budget, they left the project. Now the project Horizon offered for sale. All companies of nuclear power engineering didn’t show interest but "Rosatom" did it. Sergei Novikov, a company representative, already declared compliance with all international standards and requirements of the IAEA for the nuclear power station in England. The construction of each sixth reactor was accounted to the share of "Rosatom". There were articles of negative content In the British press. Reporters reminded the building of Chernobyl nuclear power station, where "Rosatom" had been successor of company, building it. What consequences were brought by the accident, figures of deaths from premature death were cited and quantity of square, what been under pollution. Versions of British dependence from the supply of nuclear fuel Russia were provided, and part of the energy market was owned by the French company. And all of this was possible "thanks" to the government's energy policy.

The UK plans to create a new generation of nuclear power stations.

Conclusion:

Britain intends to continue building the latest generation of nuclear power stations.On this day, there are ten nuclear power stations and they have 19 reactors in total quantity all over the UK. Most of the nuclear power stations are close to the deadline of operation, and experts will need to disable them for this reason. It is expected that the UK will already have five nuclear power stations over ten years, and each will have two reactors at least. They will also be reliable as a bank deposit.

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http://miraes.ru/aes-mira-top-10-stran-po-kolichestvu-yadernyih-reaktorov/

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http://dal-prom.ru/news/201/08-02-14-11/

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