If you are preparing for an interview in the energy industry, having a set of questions you have practiced and are ready to respond to will help you stand out on the interview panel. Thinking outside the box of standard interview questions, it’s smart to prepare for several industry-specific questions. It’s clear that the industry as a whole is experiencing dramatic shifts and changes in long-time trends. Make sure you come to the table with some modern and intriguing ideas to this question to make sure you get a callback.
What Particles Are Used in Nuclear Fission?
Be prepared to answer technical questions to show your experience and expertise in this area. For example, speaking to what particles are required for Nuclear Fission is a great ice breaker. High energy alpha particles, protons, deuterons, X-rays as well as neutrons can be used for the fission process. However, neutrons are chosen because neutrons are electrically neutral in nature, and thus, they do not require high kinetic energy to overcome electrical repulsion from the positively charged nuclei and can participate in a fission reaction.
What Is Fertile Material and Fissile Material?
Not all the Uranium extracted from the ore can be used as fuel for plants for carrying out the fission reaction. Natural uranium consists of 99.3% of 23892U and only 0.7% of 23592U. Out of these isotopes, 23592U is used in a fission reaction. Materials such as 23392U, 23592U, and 23994Pu are called fissile material or fissionable materials. This material is required to carry out the fission reaction. Materials such as 23892U and 23290Th, which occur in nature, are called fertile materials. Fissile materials (23392U, 23994Pu) can also be artificially produced using fertile materials.
How Can We Increase the Reach of Nuclear Power?
The nuclear energy production process of today is very different than the nuclear energy of the past. Now is the time to be smart about what nuclear means for the industry and for the world. Nuclear power in South Korea is the cheapest there is. They have saved costs by picking a standardized design and building them out in a very modern, industrialized fashion. The initial investment is big, but costs are reduced the more reactors come online. The scalability of nuclear power is a real benefit to the industry and should be considered as a key influence in how the increase in reach is likely to take place.
How Are Modular Concepts Likely to Change the Market?
A new, more flexible alternative is small, modular reactors. These reactors offer the advantage of scalability, lower cost, and overall flexibility. They provide a simple and efficient design, modular components, and the ability to add further modules incrementally as energy demand increases. Flexibility is offered both in the short and long term with these low-cost reactors.
Where large plants are not needed, or there is a lack of the infrastructure to support a large unit, these small nuclear reactors are a perfect fit for smaller electrical markets, isolated areas, and sites with limited water or acreage. They are also more conveniently paired with other energy sources, including renewables and traditional fossil fuel energy sources, to produce higher efficiency and increase grid stability and security. In short, they are a very viable option for developing countries and provide an exciting option for countries looking to reduce pollution while increasing their power production.
For more advice on how to grow your career in the nuclear energy field, connect with the team at ESGI today.
