You are here:
- Home
- Industry
- Nuclear Power
- Nuclear Power
Nuclear Power/Questions Answered by Expert Dr. Kent Welter
| Subject | Date Asked |
| maintenance, repairs, and safety | 9/21/2011 |
| Q: On average, how often do Pressurized Water Reactors need to be repaired and maintained in order to ... A: Nuclear power plants adhere to a very strict maintenance rule as part of their license to operate ... | |
| science | 4/22/2011 |
| Q: What is the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power? A: Sorry for the delay. To answer your question, nuclear power for electricity generation is a safe and ... | |
| Nuclear & other power generation deaths | 4/6/2011 |
| Q: 1/ Can you give a figure on deaths in the Nuclear power generation cycle compared to the coal & ... A: sorry for the delay in answering your question. Was on a trip to Sandia National Lab and just got ... | |
| HTTR concentric hot gas duct | 3/31/2011 |
| Q: Kent: Why the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) use a concentric hot gas duct? ... A: The gas duct is a cross connect to the intermediate heat exchanger. In a sense, the inner tube is ... | |
| Question about radiation in Japan | 3/14/2011 |
| Q: Dr. Welter: My name is John Lyman, I'm a professional freelance journalist and I'm just trying to ... A: Please see responses below... 1. Are there any websites available to the public where you can see ... | |
| General Inquiry of Fissile Materials and Control Rods + Hypothetical Inquiries of SCW Reactors | 3/13/2011 |
| Q: Welter- Before I present my question, I feel it necessary to apologize in advance if my terminology ... A: Please see answers below... 1. About how long after enriched uranium fuel is considered spent does ... | |
| Ph.D.Topic | 3/8/2011 |
| Q: I am looking for suggestions on research topics for a Ph.D. thesis in Nuclear Engineering. I have ... A: I would suggest small modular or scalable modular reactors. There are a lot of areas that are new ... | |
| Reuse of nuclear waste fuel | 4/6/2010 |
| Q: The problems of spent fuel are; heat that can break down the crystalline structure of rock in which ... A: The issue is there currently is no licensing process or technical basis that the NRC could rely on ... | |
| Coal Energy Vs. Nuclear Energy | 11/17/2009 |
| Q: Why does the U.S not rely more on nuclear energy compared to coal energy? What other alternatives ... A: This does seem to be the most popular one I get. I personally believe in what is called a diverse ... | |
| Can the use of nuclear energy be justified? | 9/28/2009 |
| Q: Can the use of nuclear energy be justified? What are the facts, stastistics & case studies regarding ... A: Can you provide me with more information with respect to your basis. For example, nuclear energy for ... | |
| Ph.D research topics | 8/27/2009 |
| Q: I am looking for suggestions on research topics for a Ph.D. thesis in Nuclear Engineering. I have ... A: so very sorry for not getting back to you sooner. i love to have the opportunity to suggest research ... | |
| Useful isotopes from fission | 6/1/2009 |
| Q: Isotopes from fission are generally regarded as a problem. Aren't there important uses for some of ... A: Sorry for taking so long to answer your question. Swamped at work lately. You bet there are good ... | |
| reuse of nuclear waste fuel | 4/7/2009 |
| Q: You may be interested that I,like you,volunteer here under the screename tbaarr and may be able to ... A: I like your thinking, but it still won't work :( For effective heat transfer, you would need a fluid ... | |
| reuse of nuclear waste fuel | 4/7/2009 |
| Q: You may be interested that I,like you,volunteer here under the screename tbaarr and may be able to ... A: OK. The tank would not reach boiling temperature. Only the cladding, right next to the fuel inside ... | |
| reuse of nuclear waste fuel | 4/2/2009 |
| Q: You may be interested that I,like you,volunteer here under the screename tbaarr and may be able to ... A: com! Please see below for response to your questions. 1. Is not the temp that is permenantly put ... | |
| research homework | 3/13/2009 |
| Q: whats the chemical name of the radioactive substance used in a nuclear powerstation? A: A typical nuclear power station in the U.S. is fueled with uranium (U235 and U238). During the ... | |
| nuclear reactor waste | 2/19/2009 |
| Q: Is the critera for disposing of nuclear waste from the newer generation reactors different from ... A: The short answer is no. The long answer is that there is no clear criteria for long term disposal of ... | |
| Career vs. Compensation | 11/6/2008 |
| Q: I am a Grad student, at a very(somewhat) prestigious Northeastern school. I am doing a PhD, well ... A: I would always suggest the PhD. Not for the pay, but for the experience. Getting a PhD involves a ... | |
| how much energy does a nuclear plant generate | 10/28/2008 |
| Q: about how many houses would a standard size nuclear power plant give power to? about how large is a ... A: Nuclear power plants range in many sizes. A typical nuclear power plant in the U.S. produces about ... | |
| Canned reactor cooling pumps for AP 1000 | 9/26/2008 |
| Q: We are looking ath this reactor technology and read that the reactor coolant pumps are "canned" and ... A: The AP1000 reactor coolant pumps are high-inertia, high-reliability, low-maintenance, hermetically ... | |
| Nuclear Power Plants | 4/28/2008 |
| Q: How much does it cost to build and maintain a nuclear power plant? A: This article from the world nuclear association gives a good overview of where the major ... | |
| nuclear reactions | 2/10/2008 |
| Q: what are the differences between nuclear and chemical reactions A: From wikipedia... A chemical reaction is a process that always results in the interconversion of ... | |
| purpose of a reflector in a nuclear reactor | 2/1/2008 |
| Q: I am looking to understand what the purpose of a reflector within a nuclear reactor has? And, could ... A: In order to sustain a fission chain reaction, neutrons must be reflected back into the reactor core. ... | |
| Nuclear Fusion Topology | 1/31/2008 |
| Q: Hell Dr. Welter Can you please tell me the reason that doughnuts (Donuts) are used to contain a ... A: At the temperatures required for fusion, the fuel is in the form of a plasma with very good ... | |
| Nuclear power | 1/2/2008 |
| Q: I am a Year 10 student (England) doing a piece of GCSE coursework on whether Britain needs more ... A: Good questions. Let me dig back through some of my previously answered questions and recap them for ... | |
| Is neutron-neutron fusion easier to facilitate than proton-proton fusion? | 12/27/2007 |
| Q: Neutron-neutron fusion is an example of nuclear fusion because neutrons are nucleons. Is it possible ... A: Although neutron-neutron fusion is theoretically possible, it produces considerably less energy than ... | |
| actinides | 12/26/2007 |
| Q: I have three questions about Gen.IV reactors: 1- why control rods in GFR inserted from the bottom of ... A: In theory it is possible under a program such as the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership ... | |
| actinides | 12/24/2007 |
| Q: I have three questions about Gen.IV reactors: 1- why control rods in GFR inserted from the bottom of ... A: Sorry for the delay! Holiday time, you know. 1. Why control rods in GFR inserted from the bottom ... | |
| Drawbacks | 12/15/2007 |
| Q: What are the main Drawbacks of Nuclear power? ANSWER: Good question! Every energy source has pros ... A: Sadly, that is completely false. Plants are run at their rated power, which is what their safety ... | |
| Drawbacks | 12/14/2007 |
| Q: What are the main Drawbacks of Nuclear power? ANSWER: Good question! Every energy source has pros ... A: There is actually a large range in power output of US power plants. Typically they are ~1200 MW(e), ... | |
| Drawbacks | 12/13/2007 |
| Q: What are the main Drawbacks of Nuclear power? A: Good question! Every energy source has pros and cons. It is unrealistic to think that any energy ... | |
| nuclear power | 11/19/2007 |
| Q: how many nuclear power plants are there in the world A: As of 2004, nuclear power provided 6.5% of the world's energy and 15.7% of the world's electricity, ... | |
| nuclear power | 9/6/2007 |
| Q: How is the power of Nuclear power formed..as in to say how does nuclear get its power. A: Conventional nuclear power plants rely on nuclear fission to provide power. Uranium atoms are split ... | |
| Breeder Reactors | 7/7/2007 |
| Q: Why did Jimmy Carter essentially ban breeder reactors? Don't they produce less radio active waste ... A: Actually, Jimmy Carter banned reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel, which is part of the breeder ... | |
| Nuclear fusion | 7/1/2007 |
| Q: If the primary problem with fusion is containment, would it not be possible to use leached out salt ... A: Sorry for the delay, but I wasn't exactly sure how to answer this question. So I asked one of my ... | |
| Nuclear fusion | 6/29/2007 |
| Q: If the primary problem with fusion is containment, would it not be possible to use leached out salt ... A: OK...that's probably the most interesting question I've ever gotten. Based on the nonproliferation ... | |
| nuclear energy | 6/5/2007 |
| Q: how can i make people more aware of nuclear energy ANSWER: Hmm...that is a very interesting ... A: Wow! Excellent initiative! Here's a link to the American Nuclear Society Communication Toolkit ... | |
| Going nuclear... | 5/19/2007 |
| Q: How many nuclear power plants would be needed to satisfy the United States’ energy needs and at the ... A: I'm thinking that you are asking me how many plants it would take to power all of the US with ... | |
| Alternative Energy?? | 5/9/2007 |
| Q: Ok. I'm going to play devil's advocate and say, "There are alternative fuels instead of nuclear ... A: Let's start by defining some terms, so that we're on the same page. Fuel is a substance that can be ... | |
| radiation | 5/8/2007 |
| Q: how can make radiations normal for humans?is their any equipment to prevent radiation?explain A: Well...actually, most people don't know, but humans ARE radioactive. You are made up of chemicals, ... | |
| nuclear power plants | 5/4/2007 |
| Q: What are the odds of dying because of a nuclear power plant? A: The 1975 WASH-1400 study conducted by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission ... | |
| nuclear power plants | 5/4/2007 |
| Q: What are some startling facts or stats. about these plants that show their good side and that they ... A: Interesting question. Here are some less known facts about nuclear power in the US: -There are 104 ... | |
| nuclear power | 5/12/2006 |
| Q: What are the advantages of nuclear power over other energy resources? Will building a plant create ... A: In my personal opinion, comparing the advantages and disadvantage of different energy system isn't ... | |
| nuclear power in iran | 5/2/2005 |
| Q: what is your idia about nuclear power in iran.what you think about the end of negotiasions. thanks A: Well, my personal opinion any is that country capable of maintaining safe nuclear power for ... | |
| Gen IV and Hydrogen Economy | 2/24/2005 |
| Q: As a team policy debate student I've been researching nuclear and hydrogen technologies and was ... A: This is an interesting one. First let me direct you to the American Nuclear Society's web site on ... | |
| Nuclear fusion | 11/28/2004 |
| Q: I am required to interview an expert for a science paper. I was hoping you could anwer these ... A: Well...I'm not really on expert on fusion, but I think I can answer your questions. 1. Nuclear ... | |
| nuclear reactor | 7/31/2004 |
| Q: why does a nuclear reactor have a dome shape and not any other shape? A: Let me provide a little background information before I address your answer. A nuclear reactor can ... | |
| Pool entrainment setup | 4/26/2004 |
| Q: If one would like to set up an experiment to model pool entrainment, what would be the correct way ... A: First I would consider the relatistic effects of pool entrainment in high gravitational fields. ... | |
| Fusion | 3/21/2003 |
| Q: my name is Paul. I am interested in acquiring information on fusion for a school paper I am ... A: Let's get right to your questions... 1. What is your educational background and job title? Reactor ... | |
| Reactors | 1/18/2003 |
| Q: Doctor; I am a student in Hacettepe University(Turkey) - Nuclear Department Please,can you give me ... A: For each category of reactor, Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs), Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs), ... | |
| Advanced Reactors | 11/26/2002 |
| Q: Do you feel that the current PWR's are safe and economical? Which advanced reactor do you feel is ... A: Current PWRs are safe! The only major accident in the US industry has been TMI. Of which no release ... | |
| getting information | 10/9/2002 |
| Q: I am a nuclear engineering student. I heard about using of natural circulation in reactors cooling. ... A: Natural circulation cooling is a method for removing core heat sink capacity without the use of ... | |
| Ph.D. Thesis | 7/27/2002 |
| Q: I am looking for suggestions on research topics for a Ph.D. thesis in Mechanical Engineering. I ... A: Wow, you need a topic for a PhD. I have a couple of friends in the NE department at Florida. I think ... | |
Nuclear Power
Answers by Expert:
Dr. Kent Welter
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
Nuclear Reactor Safety Analysis, Generation IV Reactors, Thermal-Hydraulics, Nuclear Analysis, Environmental Aspects of Nuclear Power, Sustainable Development, Nuclear Engineering Education and Training, Knowledge Management, and Climate Change.
Experience
Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from Oregon State University (2002). Experience as a Reactor Systems Engineer at the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Executive Committee Member, Enviromental Sciences Division, American Nuclear Society.
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.