Friends, today in this article we will learn about the working of the pressurized water reactor. I am going to give information about all this in a very good way. So let’s start.
In this, light water is used as coolant and moderator. While enriched uranium is used as fuel in it. The pressurized tank used in this reactor maintains constant pressure in the circuit during the entire load range. In the pressure boiler, the electric heating coil converts water into steam, which collects in a dome and pressurizes its entire coolant circuit before the reactor starts. Here the water in the liquid state absorbs heat from the uranium and transfers this heat to the boiler in the secondary loop.
When the power demand increases, the amount of steam taken by the turbine increases which reduces the temperature of the coolant water in the heat exchanger, which reduces the pressure. But since the pressure is kept constant by the dome, more heat is drawn from the reactor, hence the temperature of the water increases, which fulfills the required load and keeps the pressure constant.
The fuel used here is uranium oxide. Hence, water in liquid state absorbs heat from the uranium and transfers it to the secondary loop.
The following are the advantages of using uranium oxide as fuel:
(a) This boiler is highly resistant to damage due to radiation.
(b) It is also highly resistant to corrosion by high pressure water in case of breakup of fuel cladding-covering of fuel.
Water becomes radioactive while passing through the reactor. Hence the entire pressurized circuit including the steam generator must be shielded for safety. This reactor is pressurized and designed in such a way that it prevents boiling of coolant water in the uranium core.
Advantages
(i) It is compact in size as compared to other reactors.
(ii) There is a possibility of breeding plutonium by providing a blanket of U-238.
(iii) This reactor has high power density.
(iv) It uses inexpensive materials which can be used both as moderator and coolant such as light water.
Disadvantages
(i) The moderator is under high pressure, hence a strong pressure vessel is required.
(ii) It requires expensive cladding materials which are necessary to prevent corrosion.
(ii) There is heat loss due to heat exchanger.
(iv) It requires more elaborate safety equipment as compared to other reactors.
What did you learn today:-
Now you must have come to know the working of pressurized water reactor. You must have got the answer to all these questions well.
I hope you liked the information given by me. If you have any question/suggestion in your mind, then you can tell me by commenting below. I will definitely reply to your comment. If you liked this post, then you can also share it with your friends and relatives.