Nuclear power - facts, trends, problems

An attempt has been made to describe the state-of-the-art of nuclear power utilization, particularly for energy production. On the basis of information obtained from study tours through the USSR a rather comprehensive review of nuclear power plants and research establishments in the Soviet Union, of desalination reactors, ship propulsion reactors and fast breeder reactors is given, including nuclear facilities of other countries, e.g. France, USA, GDR. Heat generation, radiation-induced chemical processes and aspects associated with nuclear energy uses, such as risks, environmental protection or radioactive wastes, are also considered. Moreover, the author attempts to outline the social relevance of nuclear power