Different Types of

Power Reactors
Kandarp Mehta [100545120]

Boiling Water Reactor [BWR]:

In the BWR, the steam is formed in the reactor and goes directly to the turbines.
There are no Steam Generators necessary as they are with PWR, so it is said to operate in
a direct cycle.
Less water is pumped through the BWR per unit time for the same power output than
through the PWR because heat can be absorbed as latent heat.

There is a chance that water becomes radioactive in the BWR. All components like
turbines, reheaters, pumps, etc. must be shielded.

Pressure: Approximately 7 MPa or 900 psi [one-half the pressure in a PWR]

The wall of the Pressure Vessel is not as thick as the wall of the Pressure Vessel of PWR.

 Power density in a BWR is smaller than a PWR of the same power, so overall dimensions of
a pressure vessel is larger than PWR.
Steam production: 290 degree Celsius
The overall efficiency: 33% - 34%
Fuel Enriched UO2 pellets
Control rods: bottom of the reactor
Coolant: Light water
Moderator: Light water

Pressurized Water Reactor [PWR]:

It has become the standard on nuclear-powered ships and naval vessel throughout the
world.

Coolant: Light Water

Moderator: Light Water

Water enters the pressure vessel at a temperature: 290 degree Celsius

Water exits from the vessel at a temperature: 325 degree Celsius

Pressure in RPV: 15 MPa [ water can not boil at this pressure]

The steam is generated in Steam Generators. [Number of SG: 4]

Pressurizer: It is a pressure maintaining surge tank.

Control Rods: enters from the top

An overall efficiency: 32% - 33%

Fuel: UO2 [enriched] pellets loaded into sealed SS or Zircaloy fuel tubes [fuel cladding]

Gadolinium as a control element during initial operation

System 80+ [ by ABB/Combustion Engineering]:

It is an advanced design evolutionary PWR.

A large spherical double-wall concrete and steel containment is used.

A larger water inventory in the primary system

A simplified primary system

Part-strength control rods that reduce the need to change levels of boron in the coolant

A safety depressurization system for reducing system pressure during a LOCA

2 large Steam Generators

The pressurizer size is increased by 33% and SG secondary water volume by 25%.

That features increases the plants ability to experience transients without large pressure
change, and it provides additional time to operator for the event of accident.

A large spherical steel containment building provides additional volume for steam
expansion during LOCA as well as providing a heat sink.

The in-reactor containment refueling water storage tank provides a sump for collection of
coolant during an accident.

Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR)

It is an evolutionary deign by GE.

Simplified design

The difference is the lack of recirculation pumps [elimination of recirculation piping and
pumps]

Using centrifugal pumps internal to the reactor vessel minimizes the risk of LOCA

Fine motion control rods: enables better control and fuel management during operation

AP600 PWR

Coolant: Light Water

Moderator: Light water

Thermal Neutrons, less piping, reduction in valves

Thermal capacity 1940.00 MWth

Electrical capacity 600.00 Mwe

The passive containment cooling used to transfer the decay heat from the reactor via the
break in primary system to the containment and then to atmosphere.

Pressurizer size is increased by 30%

Core power density is lowered to reduce the probability of core damage.

Prevent LOCA by high-pressure core makeup tank and an automatic depressurization

system [gravity based coolant flow]

Simplified Boiling Water Reactor [SBWR]

It is developed by GE.

It is used natural circulation rather than forced circulation of the reactor coolant.

It reduces the power needed to operate plant and a risk of LOCA by eliminating the
complex piping

Reduce cost and increase safety

No pumps in the downcomer or external to the reactor.

Gravity head to drive water into the core during LOCA

Vessel are designed to provide additional coolant inventory during an accident.

Automatic Depressurization System (ADS) is the ability to depressurize the reactor.

RBMK

It is a boiling-water reactor.

It does not have pressure vessel. Fuel assemblies are located in separate channelized
pressure tubes like CANDU.

Online refueling

Moderator: graphite

Coolant: Light water

Fuel: low-enrichment UO2

Positive void coefficient

VVER

It is a western design PWR

Horizontal tube Steam Generator

Fuel: enriched Uranium

Coolant: Light Water

Moderator: Light Water

Electrical Power: 440 MWe

Hexagonal fuel assemblies

No bottom penetrations in the pressure vessel

High-capacity pressurizers providing a large reactor coolant inventory

Gas Cooled Thermal Reactor

It was developed by US for the conversion of U-238 to Pu-239 for military purposes.

Fuel: natural Uranium

Moderator: Graphite

Coolant: CO2

High Thermal efficiency

Overall efficiency: 40%

Superheated steam temperature: 540 degree Celsius

High-Temperature Gas Cooled reactor [HTGR]

Moderator: Graphite

Coolant: Helium

Helium does not become radioactive, does not absorb neutrons.

At start-up, the HTGR is fueled with a mixture of Thorium and highly enriched Uranium, but
in time the U-23, converted from Thorium, replaces some U-235.

A unique feature of HTGR is the very high temperature of the circulating Helium between
815 degree Celsius
and 870 degree Celsius. Such Helium can be used directly to run turbine and generator.

Gas turbines are more compact than steam cycle equipment.

Overall efficiency: 50%

CANDU

Fuel: enriched UO2

Moderator: Heavy Water

Coolant: Heavy Water

Positive void coefficient

Light Water Steam and Light Water Condensate

Channelized pressure tubes

Thermodynamic efficiency: 28%-30%

Online refueling

4 steam generators

Pressurizer

LMFBR [Liquid Metal Cooled Fast Breeder Reactor]

It operates on the Uranium-Plutonium cycle.

Fuel: Pu with natural uranium blanket

No moderator

Coolant: Sodium

High coolant temperature leads to high temperature, high pressure steam

High plant efficiency

Sodium melting point is 98 degree Celsius, and it is much higher than room temperature,
so the entire coolant system must be kept heated to prevent the sodium from solidifying.

Loop type and Pool type

Thank you