Nuclear Reactors

A device designed and operated to achieve a selfsustained neutron chain reaction in some
combination of fissile, fissionable, and other
materials. Power reactors use the fission process
for the primary purpose of producing usable
energy in the form of electricity.

Reactor..
A nuclear reactor is a device in which nuclear chain
reactions are initiated, controlled, and sustained at a
steady rate, as opposed to a nuclear bomb, in which
the chain reaction occurs in a fraction of a second
and is uncontrolled causing an explosion.
A plant that uses nuclear reactions to produce heat, to
make steam. It has two very thick shells to keep it as
safe as possible.
means an apparatus, other than a nuclear explosive
device, designed or used to sustain nuclear fission in
a self-supporting chain reaction.

Components of Nuclear Reactor

1. MODERATOR
2. REFLECTOR
3. REACTOR COOLANT
4. REACTOR CORE
5. IONIZATION CHAMBER
6. PRESSURE VESSEL
7. CONTROL RODS
8. CONDENSER
9. COMPRESSER / TURBINE

MODERATOR
The material which is used to reduce neutron
energy by scattering without appreciable
capture is called a moderator.
A moderator is required to slow down the
neutrons.

REFLECTOR
A material which is reflects incident radiation
is called reflector.

REACTOR COOLANT
A coolant is a fluid which flows through a device
in order to prevent its overheating, transferring
the heat produced by the device to other devices
that utilize or dissipate it.

REACTOR CORE
A large number of fuel assemblies when place in
a special arrangement in a reactor container , are
called reactor core.

IONIZATION CHAMBER
Ionization chamber are used to collect and measure
the electric charge of ions and electrons that results
from the interaction of incident radiation and
secondary radiation from the chamber structure
with the fixed, known volume of gas in chamber.

PRESSURE VESSEL
Pressure vessel are used to prevent the escape of
fission products and radiation from the core.

CONTROL RODS
Control rods are used to control or adjust power level
of a reactor. These rods are made of those materials
which are strong neutron absorbers. They are moved
in side or out side of the core in order to vary the rate
of fission or power level.

CONDENSER
The exhaust steam is passed through a heat exchanger
that serves as condenser.

COMPRESSER / TURBINE
The turbine used in convert K.E into rotary
form. A turbine is rotary engine that extracts
energy from fluid flow.

PUMP
It is used to pump the coolants and to circulate it
through the core of the reactor.

TYPES OF REACTORS
1.

LIGHT WATER REACTOR (LWR)

2.

BOILINF WATER REACTOR (BWR)

3.

PRESSURIZED HEAVY WATER REACTOR (PHWR)

4.

GAS-COOLED REACTORS (GCR)

5.

LIGHT WATER GRAPHITE REACTORS(LWGR)

Pressurized Water Reactor

Pressurized Water Reactor

Energy from the fission reactions can cause
the temperatures in the reactor core to reach
300oC.

Boiled Water Reactor

Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR)

Gas-cooled Reactors (GCR)

Light Water Graphite Reactors

(LWGR)

HOW A NUCLEAR REACTOR WORKS

Think of a Tea Kettle

The fission process creates heat that produces steam in a secondary water system.
The steam turns a turbine-generator which produces electricity.

Three Barriers to Contain Radiation

Defense In Depth
48 concrete containment
building
35 concrete shield
8 steel reactor vessel
solid nuclear fuel inside
steel tubes

How Used Fuel is Removed

What Happens to Used Fuel?

Nuclear reactors split atoms of

uranium which creates heat. This
process is called fission.

Uranium in a nuclear reactor comes

in the form of ceramic pellets.

Only one of the uranium isotopes

fission, U-235. New fuel contains
about 5% U-235, the rest is U-238.

When most of the U-235 has split,

the used-up or spent fuel is stored
in a large pool to cool off.

Dry Cask Storage

After the fuel has cooled,

it is moved into concrete
casks.

Eventually, the fuel will be

sent to Yucca Mountain for
permanent disposal deep
under ground.

Transportation Safety
A 120-ton locomotive, speeding at 80
miles an hour, crashed broadside into a
container on a flatbed.

The impact demolished the train, but

hardly dented the container.

Transportation Container

Used nuclear fuel:

ceramic pellets encased
in steel tubes.

Used nuclear fuel

cannot explode.

Used nuclear fuel does

not burn.

Yucca Mountain
Volcanic eruptions created Yucca
Mountain about 10 million years ago.
Over the ages, layers of volcanic ash
compressed and consolidated into a hard
rock called tuff.
There is very little rainfall, most of which
quickly runs off the surface or evaporates.
The water table under Yucca Mountain is
extremely deep.

Permanent Disposal

Yucca Mountain is federally owned

land that borders the Nevada Test
Site.

More than 900 atomic weapon blasts

have been conducted at the Nevada
Test Site, mostly underground.

$2 billion dollars have been spent on

scientific investigation of the
geology and hydrology of the site.

Spent fuel will be stored 1000 feet

below under ground, 800 feet above
the water-table, protected by
corrosion-resistant containers.