Operation of a nuclear power plant

Nowadays, the main use given to nuclear energy is the generation of electric
power. Nuclear power plants are responsible of doing this process. Almost
all nuclear power plants in production are using nuclear fission since the nuclear
fusion, despite being under development, is currently unfeasible.

The operation of a nuclear power plant is identical to the operation of a

thermoelectric power plant operating with coal, oil or gas, except in the way of
providing heat to the water for converting this one into steam. In nuclear
reactors this process of producing heat is made by the fission reactions of the
fuel atoms. 90% of nuclear power reactors in the world, or in other words, reactors
for electrical energy production, are light water reactors (in pressurized water or
boiling water versions).
A variety of types of nuclear reactors are available to operate in a nuclear power
plant. However, all types of nuclear reactors have the same goal: to use the heat
from nuclear fission reactions to drive the turbines that are going to
generate electricity.
From all types of nuclear reactors, two stand out: the nuclear pressurized water
reactor (PWT) and the boiling water nuclear reactor (BWR). The pressurized
water reactor is the most used in the world.
Pressurized Water Reactors

The pressurized water nuclear reactor is the type of nuclear reactor more used
worldwide in the nuclear power plants of generation of electricity. At present,
there are more than 230 nuclear reactors in the world made with the pressurized
water system. Also known by its abbreviations PW. Its main featu re is the use of
water under high pressure in the primary circuit to prevent it from boiling.
Within the naval engineering the pressurized water nuclear reactor (PWR) is
widely used. In fact, this model was originally designed to be used on a nuclear
submarine. Pressurized water reactors use enriched uranium as a nuclear fuel.

Operation of the pressurized water nuclear reactor (PWR)

The operation of pressurized water nuclear reactors (PWR) can be divided into 4
main steps.
1. The core of the reactor inside the reactor vessel generates heat.
2. High pressure water from the primary circuit transports this thermal energy to a steam
generator.
3. Inside the steam generator, the heat coming from the primary circuit turns the water in
the secondary circuit into steam.
4. Generated steam drives a turbine that produces electricity.
During these four points, the pressurized water nuclear reactor has turned the
nuclear energy of the nuclear fuel into electrical energy. From here, the cycle
begins again: the residual vapor is converted back into liquid water through a
condenser. This capacitor puts the secondary ci rcuit in thermal contact with a
tertiary circuit through which cold water flows from the outside (sea water,
rivers, lakes, etc.). Once converted to liquid water it returns to the steam
generator driven by a series of water pumps.
The reactor core contains nuclear fuel rods that must be refrigerated. Cooling of
the reactor core is done by water circulating through a set of water pumps. The
water pumps in charge of cooling the core of the nuclear reactor run on
mains electricity. In the event of a power failure, an alternative mechanism is
activated to be fed by diesel heat engines, diesel generators.
The heat exchange between the primary and secondary circuit must be done
without the water mixing. This mixture should be avoided because the primary
circuit water is radioactive.

Coolant in pressurized water nuclear reactors

To cool the pressurized water reactors (PWR type reactors), ordinary water is
used. In the field of nuclear engineering is called light water. Water can reach
temperatures up to 315 ° C. The water remains essentially in the liquid phase
(although there is nucleated boiling in the core area) due to the high pressure at
which the primary circuit operates.

In the primary reactor circuit the water works under a pressure of around 16MPa.

Nuclear moderator in pressurized water nuclear reactors

Nuclear fission reactions occurring within the reactor core generate
fast neutrons. Like all thermal reactors, the pressurized water nuclear
reactor (PWR) requires fast neutrons to lose speed in order to maintain the chain
reaction.
The charge that neutrons lose speed is the nuclear moderator. In PWR nuclear
reactors water used as a refrigerant also acts as a neutron moderator material.
Since the mass of hydrogen nuclei found in a water molecule is similar (actually
somewhat larger) to the mass of a neutron, neutrons are slowing down as they
collide with water molecules.
The higher the density of water, the greater the power of moderation. As water
density increases there are more water molecules with which fast neutrons can
collide. This feature is very important in terms of safety: in case of an increase
in the temperature of the moderator(of water), its density decreases, reducing the
effect of moderation. If they lose moderation they will remain fast and will be
more difficult to generate more fission reactions. This effect makes PWR
reactors very stable.
Boiling Water Reactor

A boiling water reactor or BWR (the English boiling water reactor) is a type
of nuclear reactor. It is the second most widely used type of reactor in nuclear
power plants in the world. Approximately 22% of the nuclear reactors installed
in the different nuclear power plants use the boiling water reactor.
The most important feature of the Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) is to use
pressurized water as a moderator for neutrons and as a core refrigerant. Unlike
the pressurized water reactor(PWR), there is no steam generator.

Operation of a Boiling Water Reactor (BWR)

The boiling water reactor uses a single light water cooling circuit (this is
ordinary water, in nuclear power water engineering is called light water). Light
water circulates through the reactor core, boils, and part of it turns into vapor.

The steam generated in the reactor core exits at the top and goes directly to the
turbines. The steam leaving the reactor is treated by steam dryers and water
separators before entering the turbines. The turbines will be in charge of running
the electric generator and generating electricity.
The vapor then passes through a condenser to convert it to liquid water again and
restart the cycle.
Characteristics of Boiling Water Reactor (BWR)

Use a single cooling circuit so that the steam moving the turbine is made up of
water that has passed through the interior of the reactor. That is why the turbine
building must be protected to prevent radioactive emissions.
On the other hand, the need for more space for the steam dryers and separators in
the reactor vessel forces the control rods to enter the bottom of the reactor,
whereby auxiliary energy is needed to raise and stop the reactor in case of
emergency.
The nuclear fuel used by the reactor is enriched uranium oxides between 2% and
4%
Operation of a light water nuclear power plant

The basic principle of running a nuclear power plant with a pressurized water
reactor can be simplified in these 4 steps:
 Obtaining thermal energy by nuclear fission of the nucleus
of atoms of nuclear fuel.
 Generate steam in the heat generator by means of the thermal energy obtained
previously.
 Operate a set of turbines using the steam obtained.
 Take advantage of the mechanical energy of the turbines to drive an electric
generator. This electric generator will generate electricity.
From a physical point of view several changes of energy are observed: initially
we have nuclear energy (that keeps the nuclei of the atoms cohesion), later, when
it is broken, it becomes thermal energy. Part of the thermal energy is converted
into internal energy of water by becoming steam according to the principles of
thermodynamics. The internal energy and the heat energy of the water are
transformed into kinetic energy when the turbine is actuated. Finally,
the generator converts the kinetic energy into electrical energy.

Nuclear reactor

The basic principle of the performance of a nuclear power plant is based on

obtaining heat energy through the nuclear fission of the atoms´ nucleus from the
fuel. This heat energy, already being steam, will be converted into mechanical
energy by a turbine, and in the end this mechanical energy will be converted into
electrical energy by a generator.
The nuclear reactor is responsible for rising and handling this atomic fiss ion that
generates a lot of heat. With this heat the reactor converts water to steam at a
high temperature and pressure.

Generation of electricity

The steam exits the containment building due to the high pressure that it is
subjected to, until it reaches the turbine and the steam makes the turbine rotate.
At this moment, part of the heat energy of the steam is being transformed into
kinetic energy. This turbine is connected to an electric generator whereby
the kinetic energy is transformed into electric energy.

On the other hand, the water vapour that has gone out of the turbine, although it
has lost calorific energy, it continues being in gas state and very warm. To re -
use water contained in the mentioned water steam, it is necessary to refrigerate it
before introducing the water back to the circuit. Once out of the turbine, the
steam goes to a condensation chamber where it cools down by being in contact
with pipelines of cold water. The water steam becomes liquid and using a pump,
water is sent back again to the nuclear reactor so that the cycle can start again.
That is why nuclear plants are always installed near of an abundant supply of
cold water (sea, river, lake) to take this water to the condensation chamber. The
column of white smoke that can be seen emerging from some plants is
the steam raised when this heat exchanges.