Types of Reactors Used in Nuclear Power Plants: Generation of Electrical ENERGY (13EE63)

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS
ENGINEERING
GENERATION OF ELECTRICAL
ENERGY(13EE63)
TYPES OF REACTORS USED IN

NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
PRESENTED BY,
G.PREETHI(1403108).
NUCLEAR REACTOR
• A nuclear reactor, formerly known as
an atomic pile, is a device in which the
nuclear fission reaction takes place in a self
sustained and controlled manner.
• Power reactors converts nuclear fission
energy into electrical power.
• All commercial reactors are power reactors.
WHY SHOULD WE GO FOR NUCLEAR
POWER?
• Because it offers huge environmental benefits in
producing electricity
– It releases zero carbon dioxide
– It releases zero sulphur and nitrous oxides
• Because it saves thousands of lives yearly when

substituted for electricity from coal.
• Nuclear power plants don't require a lot of space.
• Nuclear power is reliable. It does not depend on the

weather.
TYPES OF REACTORS USED IN
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR)
Boiling Water Reactor (BWR)
Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor
(PHWR)
Light Water Graphite-moderated Reactor
(LWGR)
Gas Cooled Reactor(GCR)
Fast-neutron Breeder Reactor (FBR)
MAIN COMPONENTS
• Moderator- Material in the core which slows down the neutrons
released from fission so that they cause more fission. It is usually water,
but may be heavy water or graphite.
• Control rods- These are made with neutron-absorbing material such
as cadmium, hafnium or boron, and are inserted or withdrawn from the
core to control the rate of reaction, or to halt it.
• Coolant- A fluid circulating through the core so as to transfer the heat
from it.
• Pressure vessel or pressure tubes- Usually a robust steel
vessel containing the reactor core and moderator/coolant, but it may be a
series of tubes holding the fuel and conveying the coolant through the
surrounding moderator.
Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR)
• Initially developed in the US for
submarine propulsion.
• PWR is the most common type
representing about 60% of all
nuclear power reactors in the
world.
• Water at 150 times
atmospheric pressure is used as
a coolant and as the moderator
for the nuclear reaction.
• LOW construction cost.
• Steam cycle efficiency will be
32%.
• Produces less energy when
temperature increases.
Boiling Water Reactor (BWR)
• The BWR is similar to a PWR
but does not have a steam
generator.
• Water is boiled by the core,
turned to steam used to drive
the turbines which generates
the electricity. The spent
steam is cooled back to liquid
and recycled through the
core.
• It account for around 20% of
all nuclear power reactors.
• Larger contamination area.
• Lower irradiation.
Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor
(PHWR)
• Calandria-Un-pressurised
container containing heavy
water at 90 times
atmospheric pressure.
• The tube bundle which
serves as the moderator.
• Ordinary water takes heat
away from the heavy water
and boils in the steam
generator as in a PWR.
• Uses un-enriched natural
uranium as its fuel.
• Only 10% of total reactors.
Light Water Graphite-moderated
Reactor (LWGR)
• Water under pressure at
70 times atmospheric
pressure for cooling, and
constructed in a graphite
structure which acts as a
moderator.
• Steam is generated in the
cooling water at the exit
of the tube bundle at
280°C.
• It has a typical electrical
output of 1,000 MW.
Gas Cooled Reactor(GCR)
• Uses CO2 as coolant and
a graphite moderator.
• Its use is largely limited
to the United Kingdom.
• It is also known as the
Magnox reactor.
• The carbon dioxide, at
600° C or above is taken
to boiler units to raise
steam in a secondary
circuit to drive a turbine-
generator.
Fast-neutron Breeder Reactor (FBR)
1. A breeder reactor is a nuclear reactor that generates
more fissile material than it consumes.
2. A fast reactor uses a fast spectrum, no moderator is
required to thermalize the fast neutrons.
3. The reactor core is surrounded in a blanket of tubes
containing non-fissile uranium-238 which, by capturing fast
neutrons from the reaction in the core, is partially converted
to fissile plutonium-239 (as is some of the uranium in the
core), which can then be reprocessed for use as nuclear fuel.
4. Uses liquid metal as the primary coolant, because it
prevents the breeding of uranium-238 into plutonium-239.
Fast-neutron Breeder Reactor (FBR)
SODIUM COOLED FAST REACTOR
• Liquid metallic sodium

may be used as the sole
coolant, carrying heat
from the core.
DISADVANTAGE:
If sodium comes into contact with
water it explodes, and it burns
when in contact with air.
REACTORS
Worldwide Nuclear Power
Reactors
• There are 440 nuclear power reactors in 31
countries out of this 277 reactors are PWR.
• 60 more are under construction.
• They account for 16% of the world’s electricity.
• They produce a total of 351 gigawatts (billion
watts) of electricity.
• In INDIA, there are 21 nuclear reactors operated
in 7 nuclear power plants.
World Nuclear Power Plants
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS IN INDIA
• Kaiga Nuclear Power Plant- Karnataka- PHWR
-220MW
• Kakrapar Atomic Power Station- Gujarat-PHWR-220MW
• Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant- Tamil Nadu-PWR -
1000MW
• Madras Atomic Power Station- Tamil Nadu-PFBR-500MW
• Narora Atomic Power Station- Uttar Pradesh-PHWR-
220MW
• Rajasthan Atomic Power Station- Rajasthan-PHWR –
220MW
• Tarappur Atomic Power Station- Maharashtra-PHWR-
540MW
KAIGA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT Narora Atomic Power Station
Madras Atomic Power Station Tarapur Atomic Power Station

Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant Rajasthan Atomic Power Station

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DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS

TYPES OF REACTORS USED IN

• Because it saves thousands of lives yearly when

• Nuclear power plants don't require a lot of space.

• Nuclear power is reliable. It does not depend on the

• Liquid metallic sodium

Madras Atomic Power Station Tarapur Atomic Power Station

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