You state there is an inhalation exposure zone of ~10 miles and an ingestion zone of ~50 miles. But you also stated the facility generates more than 2000 MW of “emissions-free” power. Why are there inhalation and ingestion zones of double digit miles if the power is emissions-free? Help me understand.
St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant is a nuclear-related power station which is located in St. Lucie County near to Port St. Lucie. In essence, the station generates power through the two or twin nuclear power stations located on Hutchison Island, which act together as one to offer a nameplate capacity of more than 2000MW (FPL, 2019). Substantially, the two separate stations operate with a plume exposure pathway zone that has a radius of about ten miles. This is typically an inhalation of and exposed to contamination of airborne radioactive. Moreover, it has an ingestion pathway zone of approximately fifty miles with the primary ingestion of liquid and food contaminated by the radioactivity process. Generally, the units produce power by combustion of engineering reactors of pressurized water.
One of the critical steps involved in such related the generation process is the creation of heat from the nuclear reactor that is required to make steam. When water passes through the reactor, the nuclear reactor provides heat that boils the water and turns it to steam. Another necessary process is the turning of the turbine, which is typically connected to a generator. Here, the steam generated by the nuclear reactor turns the turbine that is directly linked to an electromagnet, the generator. The final step is the production of electricity from the turbine turnings. The turnings made by the turbine causes electromagnetic effects which in turn produces electricity.
The plant facility generates more than 2000 MW of emissions-free power to homes and businesses located in Florida and its environs. In essence, the process does not involve any carbon or element that can produce contaminated gases. The nuclear reactor produces heat by a physical process known as fission which releases three neutrals and infinite binding energy. The uranium-238 atoms then absorb the neutrons, and no reaction is continued; thus, no emission of carbon-like gases.
Electricity generated from the nuclear facility is first taken through a transformer which helps to boost the original voltage to the required high voltage that can satisfy the number of end-users. The power is then transmitted through transmission lines to the destined local communities. On entering the destined cities, the low transformer is introduced to minimize the voltage according to the acceptable and suitable level in homes and businesses appliance. For instance, the low power transformers which are mainly located within the residential streets tend to reduce the power levels to 120/240volts for lights and larger appliances in homes and small businesses respectively.
References
FPL. (2019). Nuclear Power Plants: Nuclear power provides a safe, clean and reliable source of electricity. Retrieved from; https://www.fpl.com/clean-energy/nuclear/power-plants.html