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atomic-power-station

 

page 08

What is the difference compared to other powerstations?
Neither coal nor gas nor biomass is being burnt. The heat which is needed to warm the water does not come from any burning (or oxygenation) process at all.

The warmth is produced by radioactive atoms.

The whole work is done by the family of Uran. Particularly the radioactive Uran 235 is working. It is enclosed in the fuel rod which is embedded in tanks filled with water.

Uran 235 can do something very special. The Uranium atoms explode like drops of water! This process is called nuclear fission. When they meet with neutrons this process is going on. But where do they come from?

In case one of the Uranium atoms explodes the “freed” neutrons show a very high acceleration – they move with a speed of 16 000km per second through the tank! But that is not done by only one atom but by a lot of them at once. By exploding they produce an enormous heat which warms the water in the tank. A terrific amount of steam is set free which makes its way through the turbines. This energy moves the generators an.

That is how energy is produced.

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