Question

DO PROBLEM 2

Problem 1 Consider a nuclear power plant that produces 1200 MW of power and has a conversion efficiency of 34 percent (that is, for each unit of fuel energy used, the plant produces 0.34 units of electrical energy. Assuming continuous operation, determine the amount of nuclear fuel consumed by the plant per year. Hint: You will have to find out how much energy nuclear fuel produces. Cite your source of information Problem 2 Repeat problem 1 for a coal power plant that burns coal whose heating value is 28,500 kJ/kg.

Answer 1

Problem 2 :

The power plant is producing 1200 MW (1200 x 10⁶ W) of power.

It means that, the power plant is producing 1200 x 10⁶ Joule of energy per second.

According to the question, 1 kg of coal can produce 28500 kJ energy.

So, for producing 1200 x 10⁶ Joule of energy per second, the amount of coal needed is

  

So, 42.1 kg of coal is needed per second in the power plant.

Therefore, in 1 year we need

42.1 x 365 x 24 x 60 x 60 = 1.327 x 10⁹ kg of coal.

Hence, the plant will consume 1.3 x 10⁹ kg of coal in one year.

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