Week 7 Nuclear Fission Part 2 & Nuclear Fusion Part 1 Flashcards
what are the 6 key parts of a fission reactor
fuel moderator coolant control system reflector containment system
what are the two types of fission reactor
pressurised water reactor
boiling water reactor
describe the two ways to enrich nuclear fuel
gas diffusion - difference in diffusion rate due to size
gas centrifuge - centrifugal force leads to radial separation in rotating column
why is the moderator important
it is needed to achieve thermal neutrons
give 2 of the 5 key properties of an ideal moderator
low atomic mass minimal neutron capture cross section high density chemically stable cheap & abundant
what are two common moderators
water and heavy water (D2O)
what is often required of a coolant
large heat capacity
what do control rods do
stop or slow down the reaction
what is the carnot heat engine efficiency equation
η = W/Q = 1 - Tcondensor/Tcore
what is the general concept of fusion
two light nuclei fuse together to form a larger nuclei releasing energy in the process
what two things can reduce the energy threshold for a fusion reaction
quantum tunneling
distribution of energy for a specific temperature
which fusion reaction produces the most energy
reactions that lead to the production of an alpha particle
what is the reaction rate of a fusion reaction
R = n1n2
what are the 4 parts of a fusion reaction
require a minimum of energy to start
produce a lot of energy
have a large reaction rate
easy to produce
what is conservation of energy and Q equation
1/2mava^2 = Q / (1 + ma/mb)