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Nuclear reactor physics is the field of physics that studies and deals with the applied study and engineering applications of chain reaction to induce a controlled rate of fission in a nuclear reactor for the production of energy.
A nuclear reactor is a device used to initiate and control a fission nuclear chain reaction. They are used for commercial electricity, marine propulsion, weapons production and research. Fissile nuclei (primarily uranium-235 or or plutonium-239) absorb single neutrons and split, releasing energy and multiple neutrons, which can induce further ...
1943 Reactor diagram using boron control rods. Control rods are inserted into the core of a nuclear reactor and adjusted in order to control the rate of the nuclear chain reaction and, thereby, the thermal power output of the reactor, the rate of steam production, and the electrical power output of the power station.
The fuel for energy purposes, such as in a nuclear fission reactor, is very different, usually consisting of a low-enriched oxide material (e.g. uranium dioxide, UO 2). There are two primary isotopes used for fission reactions inside of nuclear reactors. The first and most common is uranium-235.
In nuclear physics and nuclear chemistry, a nuclear reaction is a process in which two nuclei, or a nucleus and an external subatomic particle, collide to produce one or more new nuclides. Thus, a nuclear reaction must cause a transformation of at least one nuclide to another.
A breeder reactor is a nuclear reactor that generates more fissile material than it consumes. [1] These reactors can be fueled with more-commonly available isotopes of uranium and thorium, such as uranium-238 and thorium-232, as opposed to the rare uranium-235 which is used in conventional reactors.
When nuclear fission occurs inside of a nuclear reactor, neutrons are produced. [1] These neutrons then, to state it simply, either react with the fuel in the reactor or escape from the reactor. [1] These two processes are referred to as neutron absorption and neutron leakage, and their sum is the neutron loss. [1]
Cutaway diagram of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) the largest tokamak in the world, which began construction in 2013 and is projected to begin full operation in 2035. It is intended as a demonstration that a practical fusion reactor is possible, and will produce 500 megawatts of power.