Nuclear Power Plant Research Paper

Different types of nuclear power plants

The two most common types of nuclear power plants are either using a boiling water reactor(BWR) or a pressurised water reactor(PWR). They are both similar but of course they have their pros and cons. PWR reactors are very stable duo their property to produce less power when temperature increases. So a PWR is really stable to use with their power function which depends with the temperature. This functions makes the PWR really safe to have running. A negative thing about the PWR is that it is not possible to make a fast neutron reactor with this design. Because water acts like a neutron moderator. This means that it can not produce the same amount of energy that other reactors with a fast neutron moderator

They are both similar but of course they have their pros and cons. PWR reactors are very stable duo their property to produce less power when temperature increases. So a PWR is really stable to use with their power function which depends with the temperature. This functions makes the PWR really safe to have running. A negative thing about the PWR is that it is not possible to make a fast neutron reactor with this design. Because water acts like a neutron moderator. This means that it can not produce the same amount of energy that other reactors with a fast neutron moderator can (3). BWR reactors are really good in long term, they do not have the same upkeep as for example a PWR has. It is because the pressure vessel is exposed to significantly less irradiation than a PWR is. But the cost of creating a BWR is more expensive than other types of nuclear reactors. For example, is the pressure vessel a lot bigger on a BWR but it gives around the same power (4). A really extraordinary type of nuclear reactor I want to mention is a Tokamak. That is a reactor which have a shape like a doughnut and it uses magnetic confinement what is considered the best way of containing a fusion reaction. It has magnets all around the walls which creates magnetic fields that holds the fusion reaction so nothing can escape, a sustained fusion reaction. But of course this type of reactor has it cons. The Tokamak have to be able to sustain from extreme temperature that the massive fusion reactions creates. So it is really hard to maintain a stable temperature when there is no water in the heat exchanger (5,6). To a conclusion, there are many different nuclear power plants with their different pros and cons. But today the most efficient plants are the BWR and the PWR, they are the most secure and profitable