MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Seriousness Will more nuclear power plants be built?

outofbreath · 04-09-2009, 04:42 AM

It takes very little to understand that a chernobyl-type accident needs a chernobyl type reactor. All western built plants could have never had such an accident. A very easy to understand explanation is here:

http://users.owt.com/smsrpm/Chernobyl/RBMKvsLWR.html

in summary:

Western reactors use water as a moderator.
Russian reactors use(d) Graphite as moderator.

If a breach of the water loop would happen it would mean also a loss of the moderator. The Nuclear reaction would simply stop because there are no more thermal Neutrons to feed it.
In the chernobyl type the loss of the coolant actually has the opposite effect. The reaction accelerates. also the graphite will continue to supply Thermal Neutrons to feed the reaction.

04-09-2009, 04:42 AM	#51
outofbreath who ? Me ? Posts: 22 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: prs500	It takes very little to understand that a chernobyl-type accident needs a chernobyl type reactor. All western built plants could have never had such an accident. A very easy to understand explanation is here: http://users.owt.com/smsrpm/Chernobyl/RBMKvsLWR.html in summary: Western reactors use water as a moderator. Russian reactors use(d) Graphite as moderator. If a breach of the water loop would happen it would mean also a loss of the moderator. The Nuclear reaction would simply stop because there are no more thermal Neutrons to feed it. In the chernobyl type the loss of the coolant actually has the opposite effect. The reaction accelerates. also the graphite will continue to supply Thermal Neutrons to feed the reaction.