fast neutron reactor

at present, most nuclear power plants use light water reactors. The light water reactor uses uranium -235 as fuel and water as moderator to slow down high-speed neutrons and serve as coolant. A light water reactor with a power generation capacity of 1 million kilowatts uses about 3 kilograms of uranium -235 every day. Although the amount used is not much, due to the limited natural uranium reserves, it has been proved that it can be used for about 1 years, of which uranium -235 only accounts for about .7%, and 99.3% is uranium -238. Both uranium -235 and uranium -238 are isotopes of uranium, and their nuclei will split. However, uranium -235 has its own unique fission mode. When neutrons hit its nucleus, the nucleus will split into two parts with almost equal weight, while uranium -238 does not have the above fission mode, so it cannot be used as fuel for light water reactors. Therefore, in today's nuclear fuel of nuclear power plants, uranium -235 is like "high-quality coal", while uranium -238 is like "coal gangue", which can only be piled up there as nuclear waste and become a "public hazard" that pollutes the environment.

in order to solve the above problems and make full use of uranium resources, scientists are developing and designing another type of reactor-fast neutron reactor, which is called "fast reactor" for short. The fast reactor uses plutonium -239 as fuel instead of uranium -235, but uranium -238 is placed in the peripheral regeneration area of the core fuel plutonium -239. The fast neutrons released during the fission reaction of plutonium -239 are absorbed by uranium -238 in the peripheral regeneration zone, and uranium -238 will soon become plutonium -239. In this way, plutonium -239 fission, while generating energy, constantly turns uranium -238 into usable fuel plutonium -239, and the regeneration rate is higher than the consumption rate, and the nuclear fuel is burned more and more, which rapidly proliferates, so this kind of reactor is also called "fast breeder reactor". According to calculation, if the fast neutron reactor is popularized and applied, the utilization rate of uranium resources will be increased by 5-6 times, and the problems of a large amount of uranium -238 accumulation and waste and environmental pollution will be solved.

technically, fast reactor is much more difficult than light water reactor. However, because of its unique advantages, the United States, France, Japan, Germany, Russia and other countries are actively developing fast neutron reactors. As early as 1967, an experimental reactor was built in France. In 1974, a 25, kW fast neutron reactor was put into operation. In 1984, a large commercial fast reactor nuclear power plant of 1.2 million kilowatts was built. Japan has also designed a fast neutron reactor with an output power of 3, kilowatts. Uranium-plutonium mixed oxide is used as the nuclear fuel in the core, and uranium -238 is around the core. This fast reactor can increase the utilization rate of uranium resources by 5 times, and its economic and social benefits are very obvious. In addition to the above five countries, Australia, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy and China are also actively carrying out relevant research work.

since the 197s, atomic energy has been used in the cause of peace and achieved rapid development. Nuclear power plants have mushroomed, gradually replacing fossil fuel power plants and becoming the leading role in the energy stage. According to statistics, there are more than 4 nuclear power stations in the world, and the power generation accounts for about 17% of the total power generation in the world. Among them, France, the country with the fastest development of nuclear power, has accounted for 4% of nuclear power. Nuclear power has the advantages of large energy, small land occupation, safety, reliability, no terrain restrictions, convenient fuel transportation and so on, and has broad development prospects. After the completion of Qinshan and Daya Bay nuclear power plants in China, 1 more nuclear power plants will be built. Known as the "nuclear fuel production plant", the fast neutron reactor is a wonderful flower in nuclear power and an important role in the future energy stage. Examples of fast reactors are Changyang Reactor in Shojimura, Ibaraki Prefecture, and Manjusri Reactor in Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture.