Exergy and the fusion and fission nuclear reactions in nuclear powerplants

The present research specializes in the second law analysis to characterize the balances of properties and efficiencies of processes occurring in nuclear reactions. The conceptual schema is underpinned by the paradigm of microscopic few-particle systems and the inter-particle kinetic energy and binding potential energy determined by interactions among atomic nuclei and subatomic particles in non-equilibrium states along with irreversible phenomena. The proposed thermodynamic entropy calculation is based on energy and exergy, both being measurable properties used to directly derive entropy variations determined by elemental fission and fusion nuclear reactions in operating industrial plants. The interest in developing second law analysis founded on exergy method applied to fission and fusion nuclear reactions can be found in: i) the observation of physical phenomena and nuclear processes through a thermodynamic standpoint; ii) the need of adopting a more extended approach to nuclear reactors design in the perspective of the optimization and confrontation of different types of technologies and plant configurations