nuclear reactor

(noun)

any device in which a controlled chain reaction is maintained for the purpose of creating heat (for power generation) or for creating neutrons and other fission products for experimental, medical, or other purposes

Related Terms

Examples of nuclear reactor in the following topics:

  • Nuclear Reactors

    • A nuclear reactor is a piece of equipment in which nuclear chain reactions can be harnessed to produce energy in a controlled way.
    • The energy released from nuclear fission can be harnessed to make electricity with a nuclear reactor.
    • A nuclear reactor is a piece of equipment where nuclear chain reactions can be controlled and sustained.
    • However, nuclear reactors produce nuclear waste containing radioactive elements.
    • Describe the nuclear chain reaction process utilized in most nuclear reactors

  • Nuclear Fission in Reactors

    • Nuclear reactors convert the thermal energy released from nuclear fission into electricity.
    • Just as conventional power stations generate electricity by harnessing the thermal energy released from burning fossil fuels, the thermal energy released from nuclear fission can be converted in electricity by nuclear reactors.
    • Nuclear reactors generally have automatic and manual systems to shut the fission reaction down if unsafe conditions are detected.
    • A nuclear reactor coolant -- usually water, but sometimes a gas, liquid metal, or molten salt -- is circulated past the reactor core to absorb the heat that it generates.
    • The nuclear power industry has improved the safety and performance of reactors and has proposed new safer (but generally untested) reactor designs.

  • The Effects of the Cold War

    • Moreover, other nations not previously acknowledged as nuclear-weapons states have developed and tested nuclear-explosive devices.
    • Commercial nuclear-reactor operation and construction have persisted, with some notable increase in worldwide energy production.
    • Several significant radiation-related accidents occurred at military and civilian nuclear reactors and facilities, causing direct fatalities, as well as involuntary occupational and public exposures.
    • Because of the potential risk to national and international security, states with nuclear weapons have inherited substantial responsibilities in protecting and stabilizing their nuclear forces.
    • Not only must nuclear weapons and their delivery systems be secured and protected, other nuclear facilities and devices, such as reactors and propulsion systems, must be safeguarded.

  • Water’s High Heat Capacity

    • Commercial nuclear reactors release large amounts of thermal energy (heat) during radioactive decay of fission products.
    • The heat is quickly transferred to a pool of water to cool the reactor.

  • Acute Radiation Damage

    • This might be the result of a nuclear explosion, a criticality accident, a radiotherapy accident, escape of radioactive waste, human error in a nuclear reactor, etc.

  • Present Sources of Energy

    • Present sources of energy include fossil fuels, various types of renewable energy, and nuclear power.
    • As of December 2009, the world had 436 nuclear reactors.
    • Since commercial nuclear energy began in the mid 1950's, 2008 was the first year that no new nuclear power plant was connected to the grid, although two were connected in 2009.
    • Annual generation of nuclear power has been on a slight downward trend since 2007, decreasing 1.8% in 2009 with nuclear power still meeting 13–14% of the world's electricity demand.
    • Nuclear (fission) power stations, excluding the contribution from naval nuclear fission reactors, provided about 5.7% of the world's energy and 13% of the world's electricity in 2012.

  • Transuranium Elements

    • Transuranium elements that can be found on Earth now are artificially-generated, synthetic elements made via nuclear reactors or particle accelerators.

  • Gamma Rays

    • Some rare terrestrial natural sources that produce gamma rays that are not of a nuclear origin, are lightning strikes and terrestrial gamma-ray flashes, which produce high energy emissions from natural high-energy voltages.
    • Notable artificial sources of gamma rays include fission such as occurs in nuclear reactors, and high energy physics experiments, such as neutral pion decay and nuclear fusion.
    • Gamma radiation from radioactive materials is used in nuclear medicine.

  • Fusion Reactors

    • A fusion reactor is designed to use the thermal energy from nuclear fusion to produce electricity.
    • Fusion power is the power generated by nuclear fusion processes.
    • This is similar to the process used in fossil fuel and nuclear fission power stations.
    • It was first derived for fusion reactors by John D.
    • State the Lawson criterion for a fusion reactor to be viable

  • Nuclear Fusion

    • In nuclear fusion two or more atomic nuclei collide at very high speed and join, forming a new nucleus.
    • Nuclear fusion is a nuclear reaction in which two or more atomic nuclei collide at very high speed and join to form a new type of atomic nucleus.
    • Researchers are working on a reactor that theoretically will deliver 10 times more fusion energy than the amount needed to heat up plasma to required temperatures.
    • Workable designs of this reactor were originally scheduled to be operational in 2018; however, this has been delayed, and a new date has not been released.
    • Analyze possibility of the use of nuclear fusion for the production of electricity.