Question

a nuclear-power station with a life of 25 years produces 750 mw per year as useful energy. the energy cost is as follows: 150 mw lost in distribution 20 mw needed to mine the fuel 50 mw needed to enrich the fuel 80 mw (spread over 25 years) to build the plant 290 mw lost as heat what is the efficiency of the plant? what is the efficiency of the system (including distribution losses)?

Answer 1

The efficiency of the nuclear power plant is approximately 66.25%, and the efficiency of the system, including distribution losses, is approximately 58.5%.

Step-by-step explanation:

The efficiency of a power plant is calculated by comparing the useful output energy to the energy input. For the nuclear power station in question, the energy costs and production need to be considered to determine its efficiency. The plant produces 750 MW of useful energy, while the energy costs are: 150 MW lost in distribution, 20 MW to mine the fuel, 50 MW to enrich the fuel, 80 MW to build the plant (averaged over 25 years), and 290 MW lost as heat. The efficiency of the plant is calculated by considering the useful output energy and the total input energy excluding the distribution losses, while the efficiency of the system includes distribution losses.

The total energy input is the sum of the energy produced and the losses incurred during production, which is 750 MW + 20 MW + 50 MW + 80/25 MW/year + 290 MW = 1132 MW. Therefore, the efficiency of the plant is (750 MW / 1132 MW) * 100 = approx. 66.25%. To include distribution losses in the system efficiency, we must add 150 MW to our energy input, giving us a total input of 1282 MW. The efficiency of the system is then (750 MW / 1282 MW) * 100 = approx. 58.5%.