Nuclear Materials Synopsis, Essay Example

This journal article is based on the challenges faced in dealing with nuclear materials. It was written by Todd Allen, Jeremy Busby, and David Petti. The first main point in this article concerns the concept of nuclear energy. Nuclear energy is the energy that is obtained to manipulate the internal structure of atoms. It can be obtained through the division of the nucleus (nuclear fission) or the union of two atoms (nuclear fusion) as explained in this journal article. Nuclear energy is mainly used to produce general electric energy; this energy (that is obtained in the form of heat) is used to generate electricity in nuclear power plants, although there are many other applications of nuclear energy. Physics defines a nuclear reactor as an installation capable to initiate, maintain and monitor the reactions of fission chain that takes place in the reactor core, composed of the fuel, coolant, the control elements, structural materials and the moderator in the case of thermal nuclear reactors.

The second main point in this article deals with the fuel that nuclear materials can produce. It is necessary to have a critical mass of fuel, that is, enough fissile material, in an optimum arrangement of the fuel and the rest of the core materials, to keep the chain-reaction. The layout of the absorbent of neutrons and the control rods allow you to maintain the criticality in operation and the process of shutdown and start up. The core is the part of the reactor where it produces and maintains the nuclear chain reaction. Its objective is to heat the water in the primary circuit. It is designed to operate in a safe and controlled manner, so as to maximize the amount of energy extracted from the fuel. Each component of nuclear materials plays an important role in the generation of heat as this article further explains. The graphic depictions of how this heat system works is defined in detail under figure one of this journal article.

The third main point in this article concerns the testing of such nuclear materials. To ensure the quality of fuel elements, there are numerous inspections and testing of both raw materials and the finished product that a nuclear plant produces. Bundles of control rods provide a rapid means for the control of the nuclear reaction, allowing quick changes of power of the reactor and its eventual stop in case of emergency. They are manufactured with absorbent materials of neutrons (boron carbide or alloys of silver, indium and cadmium, among others) and generally have the same dimensions as the fuel elements. The reactivity of the core increases or decreases by raising or lowering the control rods, that is to say, by modifying the presence of neutron-absorbent material contained within them in the kernel.

The fuel of a nuclear reactor is a material fission in such quantities as to reach the critical mass, and placed in such a way that it will be possible to extract rapid heat that occurs in its interior due to the nuclear chain reaction. Fuels used in the nuclear power plants are in solid form, although they vary from the ceramic uranium dioxide slightly enriched uranium in tubes, magnesium alloy dioxide until natural or enriched uranium in tubes of zirconium alloy, everything depends on the type of the reactor. Unfortunately, there are challenges of erosion and contamination with such nuclear materials as depicted in figure three of the journal article.

The article closes out with a brief summary of how nuclear materials are being used for advanced research in energy. It was noted that the National Scientific User Facility or (NSUF) was designated in 2007 by the US Department of Energy. This is journal effectively informs the reader of the basics of nuclear materials and would be useful to anybody with interest in the subject.