Nuclear Energy: Principles, Practices, and Prospects (Hardcover)

~ David Bodansky (Author) "The discovery and exploitation of new sources of energy has been central to human progress from the early struggle for biological survival to today's technological..." (more)
Key Phrases: adaptive staging, water dilution volume, subseabed disposal, United States, Yucca Mountain, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The material presented here is largely accessible to anyone interested in nuclear energy. This book is the best of its kind in providing a well-written survey of the science, technology, safety, and economics of the full range of nuclear issues, including power, waste, weapons, terrorism, biological effects, and the future of the nuclear industry. This book is highly recommended both for its content and its accuracy, and should be ready by everyone interested in our nuclear future."

-CHOICE

Product Description

As energy resources, particularly fossil fuels, become strained, nuclear energy (despite its known shortcomings) must be considered as an alternative. This book presents an objective view of nuclear energy as an important source for future energy needs. It discusses various types of reactors, the nuclear fuel cycle, the problem of nuclear waste disposal, reactor accidents, safety and new types of reactors that are being considered, and the cost of electricity from nuclear power. Additional themes include the problem of nuclear weapons, their storage, and, very important, their disposal as nuclear arsenals are pared down.

This new edition has been brought up to date throughout, with new data, figures, and tables added.  The chapter on costs of electricity has been shortened, simplified, and revised to make reference to the changes caused by the electricity deregulation. A motivating introductory chapter, and a new chapter on nuclear waste disposal at Yucca Mountain have been added.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 693 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 2nd edition (September 9, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0387207783
• ISBN-13: 978-0387207780
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #213,007 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #23 in	Books > Professional & Technical > Engineering > Nuclear
  #68 in	Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Physics > Nuclear Physics
  #75 in	Books > Science > Physics > Energy

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book, November 13, 2005

By	Adi Oltean - See all my reviews

I am amazed that nobody wrote yet a review of this book.

I liked this book a lot. David Bodansky's style is logical, concise and fun to read. What I liked most is that the author succeeds to attack with equal clarity a wide range of diverse subjects about nuclear energy:
- Economic considerations on nuclear energy.
- The physics principles behind nuclear reactions, and their relevance in reactor design, etc.
- Engineering considerations around nuclear reactor design and operations
- Administrative considerations around waste disposal.

To conclude: if you have some background in physics, math and/or economy, and you need a no-nonsense introduction in the field of nuclear energy, then this book is for you. However, if you just like to read prose, (and you don't enjoy technical details being sprinkled during the exposition) then the book migth be too high-level.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fast review, April 23, 2009

By	Enrico Marchetti (Roma, Italy) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Nuclear Energy: Principles, Practices, and ProspectsThis book offers a wide coverage of both, theory and application, of nuclear energy. Nuclear energy is treated as source of electrical power and as a weapon, with obvious distinction. The physical theory is easy but complete and serves as a good starting point to a wide set of applications that include electrical power production (with a good comparison of costs between nuclear and oter ways of producing electricity), research and weapon principles. All these subjects are explored rather deeply, along with their ramifications.
It is a good book, worth his prize.