Current Development Trends in Nuclearenergy Engineering

• The recent focus on the global warming caused by greenhouse gases has drawn attention to thenuclear energy as a reliable, carbon-dioxide free source of electricity. The current optimistic view onthe nuclear energy can be compared to the situation that took place in sixties and early seventies ofthe past century, when the potential of the nuclear energy seemed to be almost unlimited. However,today’s enthusiasm, frequently referred to as the nuclear renaissance, is different. The nuclearcommunity learned its lessons, such as resulting from the two major accidents in Three Mile Islandand in Chernobyl, but also resulting from the competition with other energy sources and – last butnot least – due to the increasing public awareness of nuclear safety issues. Thus, the current trends ofdevelopment in nuclear energy engineering have different priorities than in the past. Currentlydesigned and constructed nuclear power plants will have so-called generation III+ reactors. Suchreactors are designed with focus on safety and efficiency aspects. Future generation IV reactors arecurrently under development and subject of intensive world-wide research. These reactors will notonly be safe and efficient, but also resistant to proliferation and will support the sustainabledevelopment in the nuclear energy field.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Maskinteknik -- Energiteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Mechanical Engineering -- Energy Engineering (hsv//eng)

Keyword

SRA - Energy

SRA - Energi

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)