An Idiots Guide To Nuclear Reactors:

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An Idiots Guide To Nuclear Reactors What
types? How do they work? And what about in the
future?
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• The PWR The Workhorse
• 230 ? electricity, 200 ? military
• Water between fuel rods ? moderator
• _at_ 150 atm , 350oC ? liquid
• Primary circuit transfers to secondary
• Primary active, shielded
• Enriched UO2 Fuel
• Vulnerable to 2nd coolant loss
• Negative void coefficient/temperature coefficient

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The PWR
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• The BWR For The Safety Conscious
• Single circuit ? turbines shielded ? 7s ½ lf
• _at_ 75 atm, 285oC ? 15 reactor core steam
• Heat from decay w/o coolant ? meltdown
• Cheaper, thermally efficient
• Still Negative Void etc
• Vulnerable ? Blocks in coolant circuit ?
  Pressure Increase
• Systems designed for pressure release

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• The BWR (Boiling Water Reactor)

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• The AGR British Through and Through
• Developed from MAGNOX
• Graphite moderator, CO2 coolant
• 650oC, Enriched UO2 Fuel
• Thermally great, Compatible
• Efficiency gt PWR/BWR
• Refuel w/o shutdown
• Vulnerable ? Coolant loss ? Moderator fire

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The AGR
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• The RBMK - reaktor bolshoi moshchnosty kanalny
• Water cooled, graphite moderated
• Natural Uranium ? Unstable
• Positive Void Coefficient ? Dangerous
• Oxygen exposure ? Fire
• Weapons Grade Plutonium Out
• Rods increase power
• Now safer but highly inefficient

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• The CANDU Best of the bunch?
• Runs on un-enriched ? LEDCs
• Similar to PWR except heavy water
• _at_ 250oC in Calandria
• Individual pressure vessels, cheap and A.T
• Most efficient, least downtime
• New version ? Oil Coolant ? Cheap
• Nuclear weapons? ? India
• Refuel w/o shutdown

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• The FBR The New Kid On The Block
• Produces more than consumes
• No moderator
• 20 PuO2/80 UO2
• Core surrounded by non-fissile material gets
  irradiated
• Na coolant neutron transparent
• No political support
• Rather dangerous

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• The MSR The Future?
• Coolant Fuel
• Graphite moderator
• _at_ 1000 ? Chemistry industry ? Hydrogen
• UF4 typical fuel ? No waste!
• All piping shielded ? expensive
• Most efficient ? No political support ? US regs
• Small Light ? US bomber project
• Very very safe ? low pressure

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• Safety Aspects
• SCRAM ? Big control rods/marbles of barium
• Emergency Coolant system ? to prevent China
  Syndrome
• Containment Structure
• Healthy amount of paranoia

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