Nuclear Reactor or Nuclear Energy / Power [ Part - 1 ]

Nuclear reactor

A nuclear reactor is a type of thermal device. Through this the nuclear fuel chain can react and generate huge amounts of thermal energy. At first this reactor was known as Automic Pile. According to the IAEA, there are currently 454 Nuclear Power Reactors and 227 Nuclear Research Reactors worldwide. Nuclear reactors are used in many fields, including power generation, medical science, and the development of nuclear weapons.

 

Structure and operation of nuclear reactors:

 

A nuclear reactor consists of the following parts:

1. Core

2. Moderator

3. Reflector

4. Control rod

5. Coolant and

6. Radiation shield

 

Only by knowing the structure and function of these parts can we get a clear idea of ​​the structure and function of a nuclear reactor. So let us try to know the details about the above parts.

 

1. Moderator:

 

We know that in order for a chain reaction to occur, it must strike and cause atomic fission. But uranium-235 cannot be easily hit at high speeds, so it has to be slowed down to hit it. And the one who does this is the moderator. It is basically a component of a moderator reactor that converts the neutrons of this high-speed uranium into slow-moving neutrons. The method by which this is done is called moderation or thermalizing.

A moving neutron typically has a kinetic energy of 2 million electron volts (2 mev) and a velocity of about 14,094 kilometers per second. There, with the help of a moderator, this speed is reduced to 1 electron vault and the speed is reduced to 2 miles (3.22 km) per second.

Since the hydrogen atom is very light, the hydrogen atom is used more as a moderator in the reactor. Also clean graphite, ordinary light water, heavy water etc. are used as moderators. Here, light or heavy water is made by using more or less amount of oxygen with water. These components of the moderator are mainly mixed with the reactor core or with the fuel.

 

Modern nuclear reactors use highly enriched uranium fuel, so there is no need to use a corner moderator in the reactor. This is because neutrons do not have to be slowed down to split very fertile fuels, they can only be split by fast or high speed neutrons. Some amounts of uranium-236 and tharium-232 are used to fertilize the fuel and facilitate chain reactions.

 

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2. Core:

 

The core is the main part of a nuclear reactor. It basically mixes non-fission fuels under pressure in the fuel rod and reacts well to generate a lot of heat energy. The fuel reaction time in the core is about 593 ° C. Heat is generated.

 

 

3. Reflector:

 

The reflector is located around the reactor core and on the inside of the thermal shield (see Figure 1). There is a possibility that some of the fuel neutrons will be released from the core of the reactor, the main function of the reflector is to bind them back. The neutron of the atom collides with the atom of the reflector and cools slightly by exchanging heat.

 

That is, the function of the reflector is to prevent neutron leakage from the core and to maintain the correct separation principle with the uranium atom. This basically results in no wastage of fuel atoms and the right amount of heat energy is obtained from the fuel.

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