HOW A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT WORKS ?.. || NUCLEAR REACTION || 3D ANIMATION || LEARN FROM THE BASE

Summary

Nuclear power plants generate electricity by harnessing heat from nuclear reactions. Comprising of buildings like the containment structure with reactors and the turbine generator building, they utilize uranium pellets sealed in metal tubes to produce energy. The control rods regulate the nuclear fission rate, while heavy water moderator facilitates the heat transfer from fuel bundles to ordinary water, generating steam for electricity production.

Takeaways

• 🔋 Nuclear power plants generate electricity by converting heat into electrical energy.
• ⚡ They are a significant source of low-carbon electricity, accounting for approximately 10% of global electricity production.
• 🏭 The containment building houses the nuclear reactors and is made of 2-meter-thick reinforced concrete.
• 💧 The core of the nuclear reactor is the large tank called the candria, where the nuclear reactions occur.
• 🔧 The turbine generator building contains the turbine and generator that convert nuclear energy into electricity.
• 📈 The control building is crucial for monitoring and controlling the nuclear reactors.
• ⚗️ The fuel used in nuclear reactors is uranium, which is processed into small pellets and sealed into metal tubes.
• 🔝 Control rods are used to control the rate of nuclear fission by being moved up and down within the reactor.
• 🌡️ The candria vessel contains lattice tubes filled with heavy water moderator that flows around the fuel bundles.
• 💦 Heavy water acts as a moderator, transferring heat from the nuclear reaction to ordinary water in the steam generators.

Q & A

What is a nuclear power plant?

A nuclear power plant is a thermal power station that generates electrical energy from heat, essentially functioning as a factory for producing large amounts of electricity, enough to power a city of around 2 million people.

How significant is nuclear energy as a low carbon source of electricity globally?

Nuclear energy is the world's second largest low carbon source of electricity, with approximately 10% of the global electricity being generated by nuclear reactors.

What are the main components of a nuclear power plant?

The main components include the containment building, the turbine generator building, and the control building. The containment building houses the nuclear reactors, while the turbine generator building houses the turbine and generator, and the control building is for monitoring and controlling the nuclear reactors.

What is the function of the containment building?

The containment building is where the nuclear reactors are housed and is made of 2 meters thick reinforced concrete to ensure safety.

What is the purpose of the large tank called the candria?

The candria is a large tank inside the containment building and is the heart of the nuclear reactors. It houses the fuel bundles and is filled with heavy water moderator.

How is the fuel for a nuclear reactor prepared?

The fuel is naturally occurring uranium that is processed into small pellets, sealed into metal tubes, and then welded to form a fuel bundle.

How many fuel bundles are typically used in a nuclear reactor?

Typically, more than 200 fuel bundles are used in a nuclear reactor, with each bundle containing multiple fuel rods.

What is the role of the control rod in a nuclear reactor?

The control rod is used to control the nuclear fission rate by being moved up and down within the reactor.

What is the function of the heavy water moderator in the candria vessel?

The heavy water moderator in the candria vessel flows around the fuel bundles during the nuclear fission process to slow down neutrons and maintain a controlled reaction.

How does the heat generated in the nuclear reactor get transferred to create electricity?

The heat generated in the reactor is transferred to ordinary water in a set of steam generators, which then produces steam to drive the turbine and generate electricity.

What is the significance of the control building in a nuclear power plant?

The control building is crucial for monitoring and controlling the nuclear reactors to ensure safe and efficient operation.