Nuclear Reactor - Theory Of Fission Reactors, Reactor Core, Moderators, Control Rods, Reactor Types, Applications
energy nuclei fusion device
A nuclear reactor is a device by which energy is produced as the result of a nuclear reaction, either fission or fusion. At the present time, all commercially available nuclear reactors make use of fission reactions, in which the nuclei of large atoms such as uranium (the fuel) are broken apart into smaller nuclei, with the release of energy. It is theoretically possible to construct reactors that operate on the principle of nuclear fusion, in which small nuclei are combined with each other with the release of energy. But after a half century of research on fusion reactors, no practicable device has yet been developed.
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When neutrons strike the nucleus of a large atom, they cause that nucleus to split apart into two roughly equal pieces known as fission products. In that process, additional neutrons and very large amounts of energy are also released. Only three isotopes are known to be fissionable, uranium-235, uranium-233, and plutonium-239. Of these, only the first, uranium-235, occurs naturally. Plutonium-239 …
The heart of any nuclear reactor is the core, which contains the fuel, a moderator, and control rods. The fuel used in some reactors consists of uranium oxide, enriched with about 3-4 % of uranium-235. In other reactors, the fuel consists of an alloy made of uranium and plutonium-239. In either case, the amount of fissionable material is actually only a small part of the entire fuel assembly. The …
A chain reaction could easily be sustained in a reactor containing fuel elements and a moderator. In fact, the reaction might occur so quickly that the reactor would explode. In order to prevent such a disaster, the reactor core also contains control rods. Control rods are solid cylinders of metal constructed of some material that has an ability to absorb neutrons. One of the metals most commonly …
In most cases, the purpose of a nuclear reactor is to capture the energy released from fission reactions and put it to some useful service. For example, the heat generated by a nuclear reactor in a nuclear power plant is used to boil water and make steam, which can then be used to generate electricity. The way that heat is removed from a reactor core is the basis for defining a number of different…
At the end of World War II, great hopes were expressed for the use of nuclear reactors as a way of providing power for many human energy needs. For example, some optimists envisioned the use of small nuclear reactors as power sources in airplanes, ships, and automobiles. These hopes have been realized to only a limited extent. Nuclear powered submarines, for example, have become a practical realit…
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over 1 year ago
nuclear power plant is used to create electricity