Nuclear Energy To Electrical Energy: How to Convert, 19+ Examples And Facts

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In this article how we can convert nuclear energy to electrical energy is going to be discussed.

In the nuclear power plants nuclear fission reactions take place continuously. These fission reactions produce huge amounts of heat energy from the nuclear energy that in turn boils water and produces steam. The blades of a turbine are turned using this steamed water. The movement of the blades is used as a driver to drive the electric generator to produce electricity.

How is nuclear energy converted to electrical energy

First we will try to relate electric motors and nuclear reactors indirectly. An electric motor is divided into two parts. The still part is the stator and the rotating part inside the stator is the rotor. Due to the nuclear fission reaction that is taking place inside the core of the nuclear reactor the fuel rods become hot and produce heat energy.

This heat in turn is used to boil water and produce steam that is used to rotate the rotor of the electric motor. When this rotor rotates the electricity emits out from the stator. The steam that is produced from the boiling water acquires more space than the boiling water from which it is produced.

Can nuclear energy replace electricity?

In the earlier times coal was the only source of generating electricity. But as days are passing by, the usage and dependence of coal for electricity generation are decreasing slowly. After some time coal will be wholly replaced by nuclear energy in the field of production of electricity.

Coal is the source of one third electricity generation globally. The closure of the coal plants is affecting production of electricity at a very high rate,this gap is filled by the nuclear reactors on a global scale.

Again nuclear power plants are more advantageous than the coal plants as they need the least amount of electric power to provide an electric grid at any time in all weather conditions.

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Nuclear energy to electrical energy conversion from wikipedia

How to generate electricity from nuclear energy?

Before going to start the actual process of electricity generation step by step the two processes of nuclear energy production should be clarified in a brief manner. Nuclear fission and nuclear fusion are the two types of chemical reactions that are used to produce electricity.

Nuclear fission is the process in which heavy radioactive elements like uranium,plutonium etc are divided into two equal parts. This procedure is cumulative in nature. In case of nuclear fusion light weight radioactive elements combine with each other to make a heavy weight nuclei.

The process of generating electricity from the nuclear energy is illustrated step by step:

  1. Through nuclear fission reaction heavy elements split into lighter ones and release huge amounts of heat energy.
  2. This heat is used to make steam.
  3. A turbine that is connected to an electromagnet is known as a generator of electricity. This generator is turned by the steam.
  4. At last electricity is produced from this generator.

Nuclear energy to electrical energy examples

20+ nuclear energy to electrical energy examples are written below:

Nuclear fission reactors

The most important example of conversion of nuclear energy to electrical energy are the nuclear fission reactors. For production of electricity in a nuclear power plant these types of reactors are used. In these types of reactors nuclear fission reactions take place which in turn produces heat energy.

This heat energy is used to boil water in the reactors and the produced steam drives the blades of the turbine. So here this heat energy is converted into mechanical energy first and after that this mechanical energy is changed to electricity means electrical energy.

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Nuclear fission from wikipedia

Nuclear fusion reactors

Nuclear fusion reactors are of the same importance as the nuclear fission reactors. This is another most important example of converting nuclear energy to electrical energy. The only difference between these two reactors is that in fission reactors nuclear fission reactions take place whereas in nuclear fusion reactors nuclear fusion reactions take place.

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Nuclear fusion from wikipedia

Mechanism of conversion of nuclear energy to electrical energy is the same for both the reactors.

Thermionic generators

In a thermionic generator basically heat is transformed to electrical energy. But the source that supplies heat energy to this type of generator sometimes can be a nuclear source. So in a nuclear thermionic generator at first fission or fusion reactions take place which in turn produce heat energy and after that electrical energy.

MRI machine

Magnetic Resonance Imaging machines basically use x rays. But in some modern MRI machines nuclear technology is used that convert nuclear energy to electrical energy.

Renal Scintigraphy

The components of renal scanning or Renal Scintigraphy are a small amount of radioactive elements,a gamma camera and a computer. In this type of scanning kidney functions are checked. In this machine also nuclear energy to electrical energy conversion is taking place.

Thyroid scanning

In this type of scanning machine Iodine is used as the radioactive material. With the help of this thyroid,hyperthyroidism etc are detected in a patient’s body.

Bone scanning

By bone scanning we can detect problems related to the bones of our body. They also use nuclear imaging technology to work properly.

Gallium scanning

To identify the cells that are dividing most quickly this type of scanning is used. They can also detect the cancer cells in a patient’s body.

Heart scanning

This machine also works on nuclear imaging technology. This is used to check whether the heart is working properly or not.

Brain scanning

This is also an example of conversion of nuclear energy to electrical energy through which functions of the brain are checked.

PET scanner

Positron Emission Tomography scanners use nuclear imaging technology to work. A small amount of radiopharmaceutical is used to detect the normal and abnormal metabolic functions in a patient’s body.

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PET scanner from wikipedia

Gallbladder radionuclide scanning

This is also another example of nuclear energy to electrical energy in the medical field.

Nuclear ventriculography

This is a noninvasive process that uses radioactive drugs(tracers) in a smaller amount to show the heart chambers.

Pulmonary ventilation

This is the process of inhalation and exhalation through using nuclear imaging technology.

Lungs scanning

This is used to detect lung problems using nuclear imaging technology.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses certain radioactive drugs to stop the growth of quickly growing cancer cells.

Thallium cardiac stress test

Through this image based study a doctor can know how well blood is flowing and circulating in our bodies.

Nuclear batteries

These types of batteries are mainly used in aircraft,spacecrafts,scientific stations etc. they use chain reaction methods unlike the nuclear reactors. In these batteries decay of radioactive elements is used to produce electricity.

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Nuclear battery from wikipedia

Nuclear weapons

From nuclear weapons we can also obtain electrical energy from nuclear energy.

Nuclear fuels

Nuclear fuels also help in converting nuclear energy to electrical energy. There are mainly used in the reactors.

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