Nuclear reactor core questions?
455945
a person should not change the fuel moderator ratio, if anything the person would feel warm because their body would help dissipate the heat from the core, so there should be no effect. \nlaunching the core in to space shouldnt affect its power output, being that there is not air in space to cool it or contain it it may just overheat and melt-down, or become an uncontrolled reaction and explode like any other nuclear weapon. but i am not too sure
132879
A type of nuclear fission reactor which produces more nuclear fuel during its operating cycle than it consumes. A typical cycle is one which fissions 235 U containing at ~95% 238 U which is effectively non-fissionable. The 238 U is converted by neutron capture into 239 Pu which is extracted and reprocesses into new fuel.
234617
the water actually in with the uranium is in a closed circuit,  which when it gets heated by the rods boils in the reactor itself.  the steam goes through a pipe and the pipe heats another closed system of water.  This second system is not exposed to the radiation and this is what goes through the turbines and cooling tower.  This is so the turbines and all other external parts of the plant don't get exposed to radiation.  This is the reason why properly working nuclear power plants give off less radiation than coal plants.
101213
You may already know the answer, but I'll give you credit for wording it precisely.\n\nThe answer is more than one (on average), because neutron losses mean it would be impossible to sustain a critical nuclear reaction (that is, a constant rate of nuclear reactions) if you had one or less than one (on average) per reaction, since it takes at least one neutron to cause a nuclear reaction.\n\nThe exact reaction that occurs and the byproducts produced will determine exactly how many you get per individual reaction, but *on average* you need to net >1.0 neutrons per reaction.  The more losses you have (due to poor shielding, absorbant material, etc.), the higher the number needs to be, but something like 1.2-1.5 should be fine.
904333
Work on your grammer before you worry about managing a nuclear reactor!
403672
Maybe you are referring to uranium enrichment?\n\nUranium found in nature consists largely of two isotopes, U-235 and U-238. The production of energy in nuclear reactors is from the `fission' or splitting of the U-235 atoms, a process which releases energy in the form of heat. U-235 is the main fissile isotope of uranium.\n\nNatural uranium contains 0.7% of the U-235 isotope. The remaining 99.3% is mostly the U-238 isotope which does not contribute directly to the fission process (though it does so indirectly by the formation of fissile isotopes of plutonium).\n\nUranium-235 and U-238 are chemically identical, but differ in their physical properties, particularly their mass. The nucleus of the U-235 atom contains 92 protons and 143 neutrons, giving an atomic mass of 235 units. The U-238 nucleus also has 92 protons but has 146 neutrons - three more than U-235, and therefore has a mass of 238 units.\n\nThe difference in mass between U-235 and U-238 allows the isotopes to be separated and makes it possible to increase or "enrich" the percentage of U-235. All present enrichment processes, directly or indirectly, make use of this small mass difference. \n\nA number of enrichment processes have been demonstrated in the laboratory but only two, the gaseous diffusion process and the centrifuge process, are operating on a commercial scale. In both of these, UF6 gas is used as the feed material. Molecules of UF6 with U-235 atoms are about one percent lighter than the rest, and this difference in mass is the basis of both processes.\n\nLarge commercial enrichment plants are in operation in France, Germany, Netherlands, UK, USA, and Russia, with smaller plants elsewhere.
1119269
Oh boy, is it hot!\n\nMantle - 212°F at the upper boundary to over 7323°F at the boundary with the core.\nInner Core - 9032 - 10832 ºF\nOuter Core - 7200 - 9032 ºF
826107
Nuclear reactors are basically heat engines. As uranium fissions, the breaking apart of atoms releases energy, much of it in the form of heat, which can then be used to do work. In a nuclear-powered submarine, reactor heat produces steam to drive the turbines that provide the submarine's actual power. The development of compact, safe, and highly reliable pressurized water reactors for naval use in the early 1950s was the major technological achievement that made nuclear-powered submarines possible.\n\nHow Reactors Work\nNaval pressurized-water reactors include a primary coolant system and a secondary coolant system. The primary system circulates water, which is pressurized to keep it from boiling, in a closed loop. As water passes through the reactor, it is heated. It then goes through the steam generator, where it gives up its heat to generate steam in the secondary system. Finally, it flows back to the reactor to be heated again. Inside the steam generator, heat energy is transferred across a watertight boundary to the secondary system, also a closed loop. The unpressurized water in the secondary system turns to steam when heated. The steam, in turn, flows through the secondary system to the propulsion turbines, which turn the propellers, and to the turbine generators, which supply electricity. As it cools, it condenses to water and is pumped back to the steam generator.
54654
Spent nuclear fuel is transported in casks made of a combination of materials. Most designs include a lead, steel, and resin-shielded cylinder, within a stainless steel cask. The lead is the component that shields the most radiation, but the other components prevent physical damage to the container, and chemical reactions between the contents and the container.  The most sophisticated containers also contain a layer of water and depleted uranium to provide additional protection from radiation and heat generated by radioactive materials. The components in these casks will give you a good idea what container vessels should include, both for radiation reduction, and safety. \n\nSee this website, which lists specifications for many container vessels for radioactive material: http://www.trex-center.org/casks.asp\n\nThanks for asking this question. The above website is fascinating.
905264
plutonium. neptunium, mercury ,uranium
9026
The fuel rods in a reactor are uranium-235.  Graphite is used in the control rods that slow down the reaction.
589939
On whether a country should have more nuclear power stations, or at least that is what the debate in UK is.\n\nFor:\n- Using nuclear reactor to generate electricity does not produce carbon dioxide like other methods.\n\n- Is extrememly efficient as it uses a very small amount of natural resources (uranium) and quite cheap in the long run.\n\nAgainst:\n- Where to put the waste?  At the moment no solution has been found.\n\n- There is the fear of meltdown and disaster, and as such few people want to live near a nuclear power plant.
758947
Toroidal cores are magnetic materials (usually ferrite) in the shape of a doughnut (toroid).  Wires are wound around the core to form inductors and transformers.  Because the core froms a complete magnetic circuit, there is very little fringing (magnetic field outside the core).  This provides higher inductance and better coupling in transformers.
795216
Here you can find several papers on nuclear energy: http://www.coursework4you.co.uk/sprtcasei28.htm
15921
All nuclear plants that are producing power must be "critical."  The plant is shut down when it is "subcritical."  A nuclear accident can occur if the reactor goes "supercritical."  A supercritical plant can release uncontrolled heat drying the core and melting it.  A melted core would fall by gravity toward the center of the world (like anything else that falls).  Since Canton OH was almost directly opposite Canton China on the globe, the core would fall toward China, thus the China syndrome.  Of course the core would have to melt its way past the plant barriers but would not release enough energy to reach China let alone deeply penetrate the earth.  For those with a wild imagination, China would also be protected by the massive molten layer in the center of the earth that surrounds the extremely hard metal core.  None-the-less, China Syndrome is a catchy phrase.
1033744
a reactor is a container designed such that a chemical reaction can safely be performed in it.  It usually has many pipes into and out of it for fluid transfer, and gauges to measure temperature and pressure.
548851
Some pros to this energy source are: 1) Vast new source of energy 2) Fuels (mostly hydrogen) are plentiful 3) Inherently safe since a malfunction results in a rapid shutdown 4) No atmospheric pollution leading to acid rain or "greenhouse" effect 5) Radioactivity of the reactor structure, caused by neutrons, decays rapidly and can be minimized by careful selection of low-activation materials. There is basically only one con to these energy sources though. Scientists have not figured out a way to make it efficiently. At this point they have sustained a reaction at the break-even point, which essentially means they used as much energy as they created to make the reaction take place.