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Chapter 19: Problem 45

Discuss the differences between a light water and a heavy water nuclear fission reactor. What are the advantages of a breeder reactor over a conventional nuclear fission reactor?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Light Water Reactors (LWRs) use light water as coolant and moderator but need enriched uranium. Heavy Water Reactors (HWRs) can operate on natural uranium due to the use of heavy water as coolant and moderator, but are more expensive to build and operate. A breeder reactor, on the other hand, generates more fuel than it consumes, offering better fuel efficiency and sustainability, though they are more complex and face certain issues.

Step by step solution

01

Explaining Light Water Reactor

Light water reactors (LWRs) are nuclear reactors that use ordinary water, also known as light water, as both a coolant and neutron moderator. It's important to know that there are two types of LWR: Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR) and Boiling Water Reactors. LWRs are the most common type of nuclear reactor and are known for their safety systems and economic viability.
02

Explaining Heavy Water Reactor

Heavy water reactors (HWRs) use heavy water, or deuterium oxide (D2O) as their coolant and neutron moderator. The main benefit of using heavy water is its ability to sustain a nuclear chain reaction with natural uranium, eliminating the need for uranium enrichment, which is a costly process. HWRs are efficient in terms of fuel usage and are capable of using alternative fuels.
03

Comparing Light Water and Heavy Water Reactors

Though both LWRs and HWRs are types of thermal reactors, they differ in several aspects. LWRs are more common and economically viable due to their relative simplicity and safety. However, they require enriched uranium to operate. HWRs, on the other hand, can use natural uranium, making them more fuel-efficient but more costly to build and operate due to the price of heavy water.
04

Explaining Breeder Reactor

Breeder reactors are a type of nuclear reactor that generates more fissile material than it consumes. They achieve this by converting fertile material, like U-238 or Th-232, into fissile isotopes, like Pu-239 or U-233, during operation.
05

Advantages of Breeder Reactors over Conventional Reactors

The main advantage of breeder reactors is their improved fuel efficiency and sustainability. They can produce more fuel than they consume, reduce the amount of nuclear waste generated, and have the potential to consume existing nuclear waste. However, they’re technically more complex and face proliferation and safety concerns. Despite these issues, breeder reactors represent a potential solution to the problem of limited uranium resources.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Calculate the energy released (in joules) from the following fusion reaction: $${ }_{1}^{2} \mathrm{H}+{ }_{1}^{3} \mathrm{H} \longrightarrow{ }_{2}^{4} \mathrm{He}+{ }_{0}^{1} \mathrm{n}$$ The atomic masses are \({ }_{1}^{2} \mathrm{H}=2.0140 \mathrm{amu},{ }_{1}^{3} \mathrm{H}=3.01603\) \(\mathrm{amu},{ }_{2}^{4} \mathrm{He}=4.00260 \mathrm{amu},{ }_{0}^{1} \mathrm{n}=1.008665 \mathrm{amu}\).

Determine the symbol \({ }_{Z}^{A} \mathrm{X}\) for the parent nucleus whose \(\alpha\) decay produces the same daughter as the \({ }_{-1}^{0} \beta\) decay of \({ }^{220} \mathrm{At} .\)

(a) What is the activity, in millicuries, of a \(0.500-\mathrm{g}\) sample of \({ }_{93}^{237} \mathrm{~Np} ?\) (This isotope decays by \(\alpha\) -particle emission and has a half-life of \(2.20 \times 10^{6}\) yr. (b) Write a balanced nuclear equation for the decay of \({ }_{93}^{237} \mathrm{~Np}\).

After the Chernobyl accident, people living close to the nuclear reactor site were urged to take large amounts of potassium iodide as a safety precaution. What is the chemical basis for this action?

Discuss factors that lead to nuclear decay.
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