Types of nuclear reactors

breeder reactor, The first experimental breeder reactor, designated Types Fast breeder reactors In the early 21st century, all large power plants using fast breeder reactors employed Proposed fast breeders include lead-cooled fast reactors. Additionally, a supercritical water fast reactor has been proposed that would operate at a supercritical pressure to utilize fluid Another type of breeder, the thermal breeder reactor, employs

The successful demonstration of neutron fission in 1938 and the setting up of the first nuclear reactor in 1942 paved the way for harnessing power from the atom. Since then several hundreds of reactors catering to various applications have been built and operated. Most of the nuclear energy produced is based on the only natural fissile species 235U. Ninety percent of the world's nuclear reactors use light water as the coolant. However, there are several designs based on other coolants of low atomic mass such as heavy water, graphite, or carbon dioxide gas. The nuclear reactors can also be grouped with respect to the neutron energies or their operating pressure and temperature conditions. This chapter gives historical perspective of different types of nuclear reactors currently in operation and a brief introduction to their designs. Another basic source of energy is the fusion of light nuclei. While fission reactors are being discussed, it is also important to understand the concepts of accelerator-driven systems and fusion reactor design aspects. Subcritical systems are driven by accelerators and are another form of reactor design which can be effectively used for power production and incineration of nuclear waste. This chapter gives a brief compilation of some of these energy systems too. • Previous chapter in book • Next chapter in book

Article Summary & FAQs What is a nuclear reaction? A nuclear reaction is considered to be the process in which two atomic nuclei or subatomic particles interact to produce one or more new particles or Key Facts • Perhaps the most notable nuclear reactions are the • The most notable man-controlled nuclear reaction is the nuclear reactors. • Classification of nuclear reactions is according to the time scale of these reactions. • In direct nuclear reactions, a projectile and a target nucleus are within the range of nuclear forces for a very short time allowing for an interaction of a single nucleon only. • In compound nuclear reactions, a projectile and a target nucleus are within the range of nuclear forces for the time allowing for a large number of interactions between nucleons. • 10B(n,alpha)7Li is typical notation of nuclear reactions. • Energetics of nuclear reactions is determined by the Q-value of that reaction. What are main types of nuclear reactions? Although the number of possible nuclear reactions is enormous, nuclear reactions can be sorted by types: • Elastic scattering • Inelastic scattering • Capture reactions • Transfer reactions • Fission reactions • Fusion reactions • Spallation reactions • Nuclear decay What are the main characteristics of nuclear reactions? In nuclear physics, the nuclear cross-section of a nucleus is commonly used to characterize the probability that a σ and measured in units of the area [m 2]. The standard unit for measuring a nuclear ...

A reactor’s fuel must conform to the The light-water reactor (LWR), which is the most widely used variety for commercial power generation in the world, employs a fuel consisting of pellets of sintered pins or rods, measure approximately 1 cm (less than half an inch) in The CANDU ( heavy-water reactor, uses natural uranium compacted into pellets. These pellets are inserted in long tubes and arranged in a lattice. A CANDU reactor fuel assembly measures approximately 1 metre (almost 40 inches) in length. Several assemblies are arranged end-to-end within a channel inside the reactor core. The use of In one version of the high-temperature graphite reactor, the fuel is constructed of small spherical particles, or microspheres, containing uranium dioxide at the centre with concentric shells of energy conversion: Fission reactors In a The most common type of fuel used in research reactors consists of plates of a uranium- Coolants and A variety of substances, including light In many cases, the same substance functions as both coolant and moderator, as in the case of light and heavy water. The moderator slows the fast (high-energy) neutrons Reflectors A reflector is a region of unfueled material surrounding the core. Its function is to scatter neutrons that leak from the core, thereby returning some of them back into the core. This design feature allows for a smaller core size. In addition, reflectors “smooth out” the power density by utilizing neutrons that would otherwise leak out...