NUCLEAR REACTORS

G. HETSRONI
Emeritus Danciger Professor of Engineering
Technion Haifa Israel

Contents
1. History
2. Fission
3. Nuclear reactor basics
4. Classifications
5. Current technologies

coal

Enrico Fermi

NUCLEAR CHAIN REACTION

Nuclear reactor principle

As of 2005, nuclear power provided 6.3% of the world's energy and 15% of the
world's electricity. As of 2007, there are 439 nuclear power reactors in operation
in the world, operating in 31 countries. In 2007, nuclears share of global
electricity generation dropped to 14%, because of earthquake in western Japan
on 16 July 2007. The United States produces the most nuclear energy, with
nuclear power providing 19% of the electricity it consumes, while France
produces the highest percentage of its electrical energy from nuclear reactors
78% as of 2006. In the European Union as a whole, nuclear energy provides 30%
of the electricity.

CLASSIFICATIONS BY TYPE
Boiling water reactor (BWR) is the simplest of all facilities.
Water absorbs heat from the reactions in the core and is
directly driven to the turbines. After condensing the water
is pumped back to the reactor core.

CLASSIFICATIONS BY TYPE
Pressurized water reactor (PWR) uses a sealed system to prevent
water circulating through the core from boiling due to high
pressure. The heat from this system is removed by the water in
pipes to the steam generator.

CLASSIFICATIONS BY TYPE
Gas cooled reactor (GCR) uses CO2 gas to remove heat from the
core. This is then piped through the steam generator where heat
is removed from the gas and it can then be recirculated to the
reactor. As usual steam generated is used to drive the turbine and
generate electricity, condensed then recirculated. Graphite is
used as a moderator to allow energy production by un-enriched
uranium.

BASIC PWR - STEAM CYCLE

I. Primary circuit
II. Secondary circuit
III. Tertiary circuit

A. Reactor
B. Steam generator
C. Turbine
D. Condenser

PWR in Operation

A Primary circuit
B. Secondary circuit
C. Tertiary circuit
1. Reactor
2. Fuel assemblies
3. Control rods
4. Pressurizer

5. Steam generator
6. Primary pump
7. Feedwater primary circuit
8. Feedwater secondary
circuit
9. Steam secondary circuit
10. High pressure turbine
11. Low pressure turbine

12. Condenser
13. Feedwater pump
14. Generator
15. Exciter
16. Transformer
17. High voltage line
18. River

19. Intake cooling water

20. Cold cooling water
21. Warm cooling water
22. Cooling water
23. Upward airflow
24. Steam
25. Outlet cooling water

Diagram of the reactor

REACTOR COOLANT SYSTEM PHYSICAL ARRANGEMENT

The PWR reactor coolant system (RCS) circulates water in a closed cycle,
removing heat from the reactor core and internals and transferring it to a secondary
(steam generating) system. The steam generators provide the interface between the
reactor coolant (primary) system and the main steam (secondary) system. The steam
generators are vertical U-tube heat exchangers with an integral economizer in with
heat is transferred from the reactor coolant to the main steam system. Reactor
coolant is prevented from mixing with the secondary steam by the steam generator
tubes and the steam generator tube sheet, making the RCS a closed system thus
forming a barrier to the release of radioactive materials from the core of the reactor
to the containment building.

Reactor Vessel Assembly Arrangement

Fuel assembly

STEAM GENERATOR
Nuclear Steam Supply System (NSSS) of KNSP uses two steam generators for
transfer of heat from the RCS to the main steam system, One steam generator is
located in each loop. PWR, inverted U-tube steam generator with an integral
economizer which operates with the reactor coolant on the tube side and secondary
coolant on the shell side.

HEAT EXCHANGER
This is a heat exchanger in
which two water circuits meet
each other: hot water under
extremely high pressure in the
primary circuit leaves the
reactor and flows through
thousands of U-shaped heat
conducting tubes.

STEAM TURBINE
Steam turbine consists of a
series of blades mounted on a
shaft. As the steam jet is
inflected, it puts pressure on
these blades, making the shaft
rotate.

Generator

Condenser and cooling towers

CLASSIFICATIONS BY TYPE

Electricity
Nuclear power plants

CANDU at Qinshan