 Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mphil-in-nuclear-energy-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2021/paper-ne1/1/d/i/solution

After three half-lives,

P (T) = P_{0} /8

. Therefore the minimum initial thermal power is

P_{0} = 8 (250 W) = 2000 W .

Equality gives the stated terminal power exactly in the idealized exponential decay model. The associated duration is

415.2

days. No thermal-to-electrical efficiency is needed because both specified powers are thermal.

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