In the PWR the water around the fuel elements does not boil, it becomes hot, but does not boil because it is under pressure. This steam then passes directly to the turbines. In the BWR the water around the fuel elements boils to produce steam. The water removes the heat produced by the fuel elements.įrom the early beginnings of reactor development two branches of water reactor evolved, the Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) and the Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR). A number of fuel elements stand vertically in the core of the reactor, where they are covered by water. Pellets containing uranium are placed into tubes which are grouped into clusters, known as fuel elements. It is this heat that is extracted to convert water into steam. Uranium atoms are split by a process called nuclear fission which gives off heat in the process. Most nuclear reactors use uranium as fuel. The cool water condenses the steam back to water, and this fresh water is then returned to the reactor heat source to be heated again. Cool seawater is then pumped from the sea, to cool the steam after it has passed through the turbine. The basic physics of nuclear power production is that a nuclear reaction produces heat which then converts water to steam to drive a turbine, which in turn drives an electrical generator. This led to reactors that are cooled by water.Īs a result, most of the world’s large nuclear power plants are situated on a coastline or on the banks of large inland lakes. In the case of nuclear power reactors their technology essentially developed from the early power packs designed for nuclear submarines. Over the last half century the technology of nuclear power has improved dramatically, as would be expected of any technology that evolves over a fifty year period.Īs with any technology development, various routes and options were examined and implemented. In fact France exports a substantial amount of nuclear-generated electricity to countries such as Italy and the UK. In this respect France is the world leader producing nearly 80% of its electricity from nuclear. Since then nuclear power has advanced considerably to the point at which today some 16% of the world’s electricity is produced by nuclear power. The first nuclear power plants in the world started operating fifty years ago. In order to grasp the significance of these breakthroughs, a basic understanding of the development of nuclear power technology is in order. Missing in the discussion is the fact that important breakthroughs in nuclear engineering should now be given proper vetting – developments that could reduce or eliminate the threat of nuclear meltdown. While radical environmentalists have exploited the issue to advance anti-nuclear policies, others have tried to defend this important energy source on the grounds of its importance to our economy and standard of living. The recent tragic events in Japan have brought the issue of nuclear energy to the forefront of public discussion.

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