![]() Perhaps the most iconic symbol of a nuclear power plant is the cooling towers, seen in Figure 4. The rotation of the turbines is used to spin an electric generator, which produces electricity that is sent out the the electrical grid. These get up to extremely high speeds, causing the steam to lose energy, therefore, condensing back to a cooler liquid water. Once steam has been produced, it travels at high pressures and speeds through one or more turbines. Two cooling towers of a nuclear power plant. The production of steam is common among all nuclear power plants, but the way this is done varies immensely.įigure 4. The reactor is what makes it differ from other external heat engines. The power plant encompasses not just the reactor, but also cooling towers, turbines, generators, and various safety systems. This heat is then transferred to the reactor's coolant, which provides heat to other parts of the nuclear power plant.īesides their use in power generation, there are other types of nuclear reactors that are used for plutonium manufacturing, the propulsion of ships, aircraft and satellites, along with research and medical purposes. ![]() Uranium is the dominant nuclear fuel used in nuclear reactors, and its fission reactions are what produce the heat within a reactor. The reactor is the heat source for the power plant, just like the boiler is for a coal plant. The reactor is a key component of a power plant, as it contains the fuel and its nuclear chain reaction, along with all of the nuclear waste products. Components and Operation Nuclear Reactor main article A boiling water nuclear reactor in combination with the Rankine cycle forms the basis of a nuclear power plant. Water based and non-water based advanced reactors are under development all over the world and significant progress towards widespread use is expected in this decade.Figure 2. Non-Light Water Reactors (LWRs) and Advanced ReactorsĪdvanced reactors build on the lessons learned from LWRs and non-LWRs and offer the potential of more economic, safer, diverse, and efficient ways to generate clean energy for the future. Other SMR and microreactor designs are in development or operation around the world, including floating SMRs in Russia, heat generating reactors in China, and a variety of other concepts. The first non-water based microreactor license application was submitted in March of 2020 the Nuclear Regulatory Commission certified the reactor design in August 2022. SMRs and microreactors may be small, but they can utilize a wide variety of nuclear technologies and open new markets at lower cost. Research shows that SMRs and microreactors can be installed and generating power within a week of arriving on site. In addition, they are designed to be self-adjusting and fail-safe with passive safety systems that prevent the possibility of over-heating. Their simpler design, compared to conventional reactors, means they require fewer components, less maintenance, and fewer workers.The military is researching use of small reactors for reliable heat and power at even remote bases. They can be transported on a semi-trailer or a barge wherever they are needed.There are a number of significant advantages to SMRs and microreactors. When more energy production is needed, more SMRs can be added. These reactors are small in terms of size and energy production, compared to large existing reactors, so they can be constructed in a factory. ![]() SMRs and microreactors gained significant attention in recent years. ![]() Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Microreactors By absorbing neutrons, the control rods sustain the chain reaction and keep it at an efficient rate. BWRs generate steam directly in the core of the reactor, eliminating the need for some equipment, but resulting in radioactive steam in the turbine.Ĭontrol rods, neutron absorbing movable rods, are used in both reactors to control the chain reaction caused by neutrons from fissioning atoms being released and creating more fissions.
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