A fast breeder is a type of nuclear reactor which uses what is known as fast neutron to generate more nuclear fuels than they consume while generating power, dramatically enhancing the efficiency of the use of resources.
Nuclear fission by fast neutron causes the increase in neutrons generated.
Other fast breeder types include supercritical water cooled reactors, molten salt reactors, and gas-cooled reactors.
The difference between a breeder reactor and a regular reactor is the regular nuclear reactor can use only the readily fissionable but more scarce isotope uranium-235 for fuel while a breeder reactor employs either uranium-238 or thorium, of which sizable quantities are available.
Uranium-238, for example, accounts for more than 99 percent of all naturally occurring uranium.
The average lifespan of a traditional fission nuclear reactor is 40 to 60 years.
Nuclear reactors are very reliable at generating electricity, capable of running for 24 hours a day for many months, if not years, without interruption, whatever the weather or season.
Additionally, most nuclear reactors can operate for very long periods of time – over 60 years in many cases.
A nuclear reactor can be shut down but not with just the flip of a switch.
Shutting down a nuclear reactor is a complex thing to do so the nuclear reactor will remain on and in it's active operating state unless they really need to shut it down.
To shut down a nuclear power plant, the reactor must be brought into a permanently uncritical state (subcriticality) and the heat that continuous to generate must be discharged safely.
A nuclear power plant uses uranium fuel to produce steam for generating electricity.
This process changes uranium into other radioactive materials.
If a nuclear power plant accident occurs, heat and pressure build up, and the steam, along with the radioactive materials, may be released.
Nuclear meltdowns are most often started by a loss of coolant, loss of coolant pressure, or low coolant flow rate or be the result of a criticality excursion in which the reactor is operated at a power level that exceeds its design limits.
Alternatively, an external fire may endanger the core, leading to a meltdown.
The reason Chernobyl exploded is because of a flawed reactor design which was operated with inadequately trained personnel.
The resulting steam explosion and fires that were released at least 5% of the radioactive reactor core into the environment, with the deposition of radioactive materials in many parts of Europe.
Nuclear power plants cannot really run without people.
A nuclear power plant needs someone and people to operate the power plant and oversee the control room to ensure the power plant is operating properly.
Without people the nuclear power plant could not operate properly and then could eventually shut down.
Nuclear power plants can run up to 18 months at a time before the nuclear power plant needs refueled with uranium.
Nuclear reactors have a permitted lifespan of 40 to 60 years or longer and only need refueling every 18 months.
Uranium is the most widely used fuel by nuclear power plants for nuclear fission.
Nuclear power plants use a certain type of uranium—U-235—as fuel because its atoms are easily split apart.
Although uranium is about 100 times more common than silver, U-235 is relatively rare at just over 0.7% of natural uranium.
The world has at least 80 to 90 years of uranium left so the uranium as of now should last at least another 80 to 90 years before we run out.
The world's present measured resources of uranium (6.1 Mt) in the cost category less than three times present spot prices and used only in conventional reactors, are enough to last for about 90 years.
This represents a higher level of assured resources than is normal for most minerals.
The worlds uranium is controlled by Kazakhstan, Canada, and Australia.
Australia, the world's biggest uranium reserve holder, was estimated to possess 1.66 million tonnes (Mt) of known recoverable uranium resources as of 2011, accounting for about 31% of the world total.''
In 2019, 53,656 tons of Uranium were produced in mines.
Over two-thirds of the world's production of uranium from mines in Kazakhstan, Canada, and Australia.
Kazakhstan produced about 43% of the world's uranium supply in 2019, Canada produced 13% and Australia produced 12%.
You can legally buy and legally posses uranium.
Uranium can actually be purchased online in small amounts through Amazon.com and eBay.com
People typically buy uranium for experiments and science.
Not only can you legally buy uranium you also won't have to produce any special authorization to get it.
The purpose of buying Uranium-238, the most common isotope of the element, is purely for research.
By regulation, the general public is allowed to order these materials without possessing a radioactive materials license, so vendors will sell these compounds directly to any customer.
However, educational institutions are not allowed to possess more than 3.3 pounds of uranium or thorium at any one time.
Processed depleted uranium may be sold for commercial uses such as counterweights, military penetrators, shielding, etc.
Alternatively, material may be transferred to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for a fee.
In the U.S., since 1986, it has been legal for anyone to own as much uranium 235 as they can pay for. (See 10 CFR 70.20 10 CFR 70.20 General license to own special nuclear material. )
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the periodic table, with atomic number 92.
It is assigned the chemical symbol U.
A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons.
Uranium has the highest atomic weight of all naturally occurring elements.
Inhaling large concentrations of uranium can cause lung cancer from the exposure to alpha particles.
Uranium is also a toxic chemical, meaning that ingestion of uranium can cause kidney damage from its chemical properties much sooner than its radioactive properties would cause cancers of the bone or liver.
A further property of U-235 is that it is fissile and so neutrons emitted during fission can cause other U-235 nuclei to fission also, releasing a lot of energy.
This reaction is the basis of operation for the world's current nuclear power stations and is the major reason why uranium is a valuable mineral resource.