Acknowledgements
The unit is acknowledged as a National HE STEM Programme-funded activity and was prepared by Liz Whitelegg, Sam Smidt and Nick Adams from the OU Science Faculty.The material acknowledgement below is...
View ArticleReferences
Act on CO2 carbon calculator, http://carboncalculator.direct.gov.uk/index.html (accessed 4 May 2012). Environment Agency, www.environment-agency.gov.uk (accessed 3 May 2012). Google Scholar,...
View ArticleNext steps
After completing this unit you may wish to study another OpenLearn study unit or find out more about this topic. Here are some suggestions:Living without oil (S176_1)Energy resources: an introduction...
View Article9 Where next?
You have been introduced to skills of independent learning that will become increasingly valuable to you throughout life, so now it is worth spending a little time reflecting on this skill. Box 8...
View Article8 Sustainability
The discussion here on sustainability involves reading an extract from the book Sustainable Energy: Without the Hot Air by Professor David MacKay. The box below will help you to develop your skills in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
7.2 Nuclear fusion
Nuclear fusion is often held up as the ultimate nuclear future technology. Like fission, fusion is a nuclear process, because fusion reactions involve changes in the numbers of protons and neutrons...
View ArticleClik here to view.
7.1 Thorium: an alternative fuel cycle
Which fuel has dominated the nuclear power industry to date?Uranium has been the main fuel used in nuclear power stations.Nearly all of the power plants currently operating are based on using uranium...
View Article6.3 Regulatory bodies
The key regulatory bodies in the UK are: Health and Safety Executive (HSE)Environment AgencyScottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab.] Use...
View ArticleClik here to view.
6.2 The Nuclear Installations Act
The main act of Parliament that relates to nuclear power plants, and other sites, is the Nuclear Installations Act (1965/69). This Act:requires a site licence to be issued prior to the operation of a...
View Article6.1 Why is legislation important?
Legislation is important because the regulation of nuclear installations is part of UK law. The Acts of Parliament and Regulations can lead to prosecution if they are breached. Legislation is used...
View ArticleClik here to view.
6 Regulation
In this section of the unit we will look at the regulatory framework around the licensing and operation of nuclear facilities in the UK.Because of the potential health risks to workers and the general...
View ArticleClik here to view.
5.4 Acute radiation syndrome (ARS)
The most important parts of the body to be affected by large instantaneous doses of radiation are the bone marrow, the blood, and the cells lining the stomach and intestines. Often, the skin is also...
View Article5.3 High dose radiation
When high doses of radiation are involved, the nature of the threat to life is different to that faced by the low doses to which we expect to be exposed. With low doses, the main concern is the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
5.2 How does a low radiation dose cause cancer?
What do we mean by the word ‘cancer’? Put very simply, cancer is the uncontrolled proliferation of some of the body’s own cells, whose genetic code has been disrupted in such a way, so that they no...
View Article5.1 How radiation interacts with living cells
Radionuclides can emit a variety of different particles. These are called alpha, beta, and gamma. All of these are classed as ionising radiation, which can have effects on living cells. With the...
View Article5 Health effects of radiation
You cannot have nuclear power without also having ionising radiation. The hardware in and around the nuclear reactor is designed to keep this radiation away from people because it can be harmful to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Decommissioning in the UK
The ease, or otherwise, of decommissioning is affected by the original design and construction methods, as well as by the maintenance history of the plant. It is a goal of the next generation of...
View Article4.2 Decommissioning
At the end of its life, a nuclear power plant needs to be shut down, and the site and plant managed in some way. This management process, which may take a variety of forms, is known as decommissioning....
View ArticleClik here to view.
4.1 Underground waste disposal
If isolation from the biosphere is unlikely and a significant reduction in the radioactivity of waste is still several years away, the most viable option for managing waste must be removal from the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
4 Waste management
The range of activity levels of the materials in the waste that must be considered is vast, from minute traces of radioactivity on a pair of worker’s gloves to the contents of spent fuel rods which...
View Article
