CANDU Reactor Power Plant and its Advantages and Disadvantages

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CANDU Reactor Power Plant and its Advantages and Disadvantages A reactor developed and designed by Canadian is called as CANDU (Canadian Deutorium Uranium) reactor. It uses pressurized heavy water (PHW) (which is 99.8% deutorium oxide, D2O) a moderator and primary coolant while the fuel used is natural uranium. A CANDUPHW (Canadian Deutoriam Uranium Pressurized Heavy … Read more

The Gas Cooled Reactors (GCR) and its Advantages and Disadvantages

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The Gas Cooled Reactors (GCR) and its Advantages and Disadvantages A gas cooled reactor was first developed in U.K. uses CO2, as coolant instead of water and graphite as moderator. It is called gas cooled graphite moderated (GCGM) reactor. It uses natural uranium as fuel. The coolant pressure is about 7 bar and temperature 336°C. … Read more

The Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) Power Plant and its Advantages and Disadvantages

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The Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) Power Plant and its Advantages and Disadvantages The arrangement of a boiling water reactor power plant is shown in Figure. It uses enriched uranium as fuel and water is used both as coolant and moderator. These reactors do not require a heat exchanger as needed in case of pressurized water … Read more

The Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) Power Plant and its Advantages and Disadvantages

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The Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) Power Plant and its Advantages and Disadvantages The schematic diagram of PWR power plant is shown in Figure. It uses enriched uranium. The water or heavy water (usually) under pressure is used both as coolant and moderator. Before starting the reactor the water in pressuriser is boiled and converted into … Read more

Types of Nuclear Reactor Power Plants

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Types of Nuclear Reactor Power Plants There are many concepts for nuclear reactors, however, we shall limit our discussion to the following types of plants which have been built commercially. These are : Thermal reactors : Pressurized water reactor (PWR) power plant. Boiling water reactor (BWR) power plants. The gas cooled reactor (GCR) power plants. … Read more

Classification of Nuclear Reactors

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Classification of Nuclear Reactors The nuclear reactors can be classified based on the following systems : 1. Based on neutron energy : There are further classified as : (i) Fast reactors : A reactors in which the fission is due to non-moderated neutrons is called fast reactor. Such reactors use enriched uranium. (ii) Slow or thermal … Read more

Main Components of a Nuclear Reactor and their Functions

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Main Components of a Nuclear Reactor and their Functions The main components of a nuclear reactor are shown in Figure. The function of various components and the reactor control is described below. 1. Reactor vessel : The reactor vessel is designed to withstand high pressures and it is usually made from low carbon steel. It … Read more

Radioactivity

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Radioactivity Most of the naturally occurring elements are stable. However, some of the isotopes of heavy elements such as thallium, bismuth, radium and uranium are unstable isotopes. These unstable elements undergo stages of disintegration and emit radiations till a more stable nucleus is reached. Such elements are called radioactive isotopes. Thus the radioactivity can be … Read more

Conversion of Nuclear Energy

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Conversion of Nuclear Energy Natural uranium consists of three isotopes of uranium as 92U238, 92U235, 93U234. In natural uranium the availability of U238 is largest upto the extent of 99.28%, U235 is only 0.715% which is most unstable and the remainder 0.006% is U234. In 92U238, number 92 represent 92 protons, number 238 represent its mass number and the difference (238-92) … Read more