In movies, a #NuclearReactor is always shown with a shining electric blue haze & we all assume that it’s part of the special effects.
BUT, I've got news for you: It's actually called the Cherenkov Effect & as said by @DE_Nuclear:
Cherenkov Effect is Science, Not Science Fiction
The electric blue haze is a natural phenomenon known as the Cherenkov radiation or Cherenkov Effect.
Let's check out the science behind it👇
As you may already know, the Cherenkov effect can be seen near the reactor & used fuel pools at #NuclearPowerPlants.
The particles concerned by the effect (electrons and positrons) are very light, & they can reach very high speeds causing brief flashes of light. 🤯
And guess what?... It also has other great uses! 😱
1️⃣Detection of labeled biomolecules:
Radioactive atoms such as P-32 are introduced into biomolecules by enzymatic and synthetic means. Then it may be easily detected in small quantities to illuminate biological pathways.
2️⃣ Astrophysics experiments:
A high-energy photon or cosmic ray interacting with the 🌎’s atmosphere produces an electron-positron pair with enormous velocities.
The Cherenkov radiation emitted is used to determine the direction & energy of the ray used by MAGIC🔭👇
3️⃣Particle physics experiments:
Mainly used for particle identification. The velocity of an electrically charged particle can be measured by the #Cherenkov light it emits in a certain medium.
Check out the Ring Imaging Cherenkov Detector (RICH) 👇
& more recently:
4️⃣Medical imaging of radioisotopes & external beam radiotherapy:
#Cherenkov light has been used to image substances in the body. By using either internal sources such as injected radiopharmaceuticals or external beam radiotherapy in oncology.👩⚕️👨⚕️
As you can see, the shining electric blue light that is characteristic of a #NuclearReactor or the spent fuel pool, not only looks nice but also has many different uses. 💙
Do you know any other benefits of this effect?
Let me know! 👇
If you'd like to read more about the benefits mentioned before, I recommend the following articles: 👇
This is a provocative and deeply misleading statement. Comparing peaceful nuclear energy with weapons proliferation… a narrative that’s been debunked by decades of safeguards, international treaties, & engineering reality.
So, let’s break this down (again)🧵
Why nuclear energy ≠ atomic weapons:
🔺 Nuclear energy ≠ atomic weapons.
Most commercial reactors use low-enriched uranium (LEU): which is 3–5% U-235.
Weapons, on the other hand, require highly enriched uranium (HEU): ~90%.
That’s not just a difference in numbers. It’s a totally different fuel cycle.
🏗️ You can’t build an atomic weapon with what’s in a civilian power plant.
The fuel isn’t weapons-grade. The infrastructure isn’t secret. And the facilities are under constant international monitoring & compliance.
Am I the only one that wonders what would happen if I fell into those pools where spent nuclear fuel rods are cooled down?
How would falling in here affect our health? And could we actually survive this?
Let’s evaluate this possibility. 🤔
So, I’ve just accidentally fallen into a spent fuel pool. But what is it?
While powering a nuclear reactor, the fuel rods become very hot. We’re talking 1k°C (1832°F), so this pool of crystal clear water is meant to cool spent fuel rods after they come out of a nuclear reactor.
Spent fuel rods typically stay in the spent fuel pool (SFP) for 2–5 years, stored under ~20 feet of water for cooling and shielding.
Recent news about the planned release of treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi NPS into the ocean has sparked concern & debate.
As someone who cares about the environment & public health, let’s talk about the water discharge & the Advanced Liquid Processing System behind it.
But first: Where is this water coming from?
After the March 2011 accident, using water to cool the melted fuel & debris at Fukushima Daiichi NPS has been necessary.
Aside from this, when groundwater & rainwater comes into contact with melted fuel/debris, it becomes polluted.
After becoming contaminated, the water undergoes filtration through the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS), which eliminates a significant portion of the radioactivity before it is put into storage.
Am I the only one that wonders what would happen if I fell into those pools where spent nuclear fuel rods are cooled down?
How would falling in here affect our health? And could we actually survive this?
Let’s evaluate this possibility together.🤔
So, I’ve just accidentally fallen into a spent fuel pool. But what is it?
While powering a nuclear reactor, the fuel rods become very hot. We’re talking 1k°C (1832°F), so this pool of crystal clear water is meant to cool spent fuel rods after they come out of a nuclear reactor.
Spent fuel rods stay in the SFP typically for 2-5 yrs and are stored under ~20ft of water.
According to @NEI , the U.S. avoided ~471M metric tons of CO2 emissions in 2020, equivalent of removing 100 million cars from the road & more than all other clean energy sources combined.
There are 54 commercially operating NPP with 92 nuclear power reactors in 28 U.S. states.
Of the currently operating nuclear power plants, 19 plants have 1 reactor, 32 plants have 2 reactors, and 3 plants have 3 reactors.
The Palo Verde nuclear power plant in Arizona is the LARGEST nuclear plant, and it has 3 powerful reactors with a combined net summer electricity generating capacity of 3,937 MW.
The R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant in New York is the smallest nuclear plant, and it has one reactor with a net summer electricity generating capacity of about 581 MW.