The study set out to identify the advanced technological solutions which will curb the negative perceptions associated with nuclear energy, and then to find the most effective way of successfully conveying this information to the public, ultimately promoting its use. In identifying the concerns surrounding nuclear energy, the study considered past nuclear disasters from which fear often stems, as well as looking at how these incidents affected public opinion about the technology in the subsequent years. It was discovered that past disasters still have a strong grip on people’s opinion of this technology today, and that this is often where fears originate from. An explanation for the public fixation on these past events stemmed from how the human brain works and perceives risks, revealing that the risks of nuclear are often grossly overestimated, while the risks emanating from technologies such as fossil fuel generation are underestimated. Further contributing to the negative perceptions towards nuclear energy is the fact that the public has previously been under informed about the workings and possible dangers associated with this technology, as only limited information was made available during the early days of nuclear power. The challenge resides in successfully convincing the public that nuclear technology has come a long way since its early days, particularly through the implementation of advanced technologies and safety systems which ensure the safety of these power plants. After identifying the concerns, the aim was to prove that nuclear power plants, and specifically nuclear reactors, are safe and that waste produced by these power plants is disposed of suitably so as to pose no risk to the environment or public. To prove the safety of these power plants, the study considered the advances made in safety and design in moving from generation I to generation II, III, III+ and IV reactors, with focus on the increased automation of newer generation reactors, reducing the probability of human error. The study also focused on the advantages of the increasing use of passive safety systems, which in recent years have become the focus of safety systems developers. The working of passive safety systems is also considered in greater detail to compare these to conventional active systems and show how the increased implementation of passive systems could have assisted in preventing past disasters, and how they are likely to protect a nuclear power plant from unforeseen circumstances in the future. This likelihood is further supported by the comparison between the two conducted simulations of a LOCA, the first making use of overwhelmingly passive safety systems, while the second representing the same type of generation II reactor, but with more conventional active systems. Results revealed how the active and passive safety systems of each work and are initiated, providing an understanding of why passive safety systems are considerably more reliable and rugged than active systems.
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Other concerns surrounded the methods employed in disposing of nuclear waste; it was found that contrary to popular belief, the nuclear industry does indeed have a thorough plan for the disposal of all types of radioactive waste it produces. This involves casting LLW and ILW in cementitious materials inside storage containers, followed by a thorough decontamination and inspection for any leaks before being sent off for storage in underground repositories. HLW, which is also the smallest amount of the total waste produced, undergoes several storage, treatment and drying processes to reduce its quantity and radioactive half-life before it is vitrified in a glass matrix and sent off for deep geological disposal. The process of waste disposal further involves transporting the waste between treatment and burial sites, which has been a concern as this opens the opportunity for waste packaging to be damaged and leak radioactive material. Research, however, revealed that nuclear waste is transported in special containments, adhering to strict requirements to ensure that it can withstand any accident or rough handling which might occur. The designs of these containments have in fact been so successful, that there has never been an accident resulting in radioactive material escaping during transportation.
The focus also fell on how nuclear power generation compares to its alternative, which for producing reliable and affordable base load electricity, would be fossil fuels. It is a well-known fact that fossil fuel generation produces among the worst air pollution of all the generation methods. The research came across studies which suggest that under normal operating conditions, fossil fuel power plants release pollution in the form of fly ash, which is 100 times more radioactive than that allowed to leave a nuclear power plant without being treated. Further comparisons between fossil fuels and nuclear are made, considering the fatalities caused by each during both accident conditions and daily pollution, revealing that the overall numbers are much higher for fossil fuels largely because of the harmful air pollution it produces.
This research considered the negative perceptions surrounding nuclear technology, from its origin to the advanced technological solutions available today for curbing the fears surrounding this technology. Negativity and fears have shrouded this technology since its early days, mainly because of events and decisions made in the past. The reality is, however, that although there are possible dangers associated with this technology, nuclear can still easily compete with its alternatives in terms of both safety and reliability. The nuclear industry has admirably gone to extreme lengths, including strict safety regulations for all safety systems and waste disposal methods, to ensure that safety at nuclear power plants is among the highest priorities. Nuclear power generation is also the only generating industry taking full responsibility for all the waste is produces, showing its commitment to safety and addressing the concerns of the public. It is
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therefore vital to successfully inform the public of the advantages of making use of nuclear energy, as the current perception is outdated and inaccurate, meaning that this vital resource remains underexploited, and the unnecessary pollution by older forms of generation continues.