Nuclear reactors moderators

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Zirconium is used for structural parts in the core of water moderated nuclear reactors to this end Zr has several good properties and especially it has low thermal neutron cross-section. Hf, on the contrary, has a high thermal neutron absorption coefficient, so it is necessary to be able to prepare Hf-free zirconium. On the other hand, in some cases the Hf properties too may be useful in nuclear technology, in the control rods of submarine reactors. 

Side Neutron Reactions in Water One of the interesting side reactions that occurs in water-moderated nuclear reactors is the (n,p) reaction on lfiO, which occurs with a cross section of 0.017 mbams. The 16N product rapidly decays back to lfiO with a half-life of 7.13 s thus, the net reaction can be called a catalysis of the neutron (3 decay. 

Use (Nonradioactive.) Preparation of heavy water to moderate nuclear reactors. (Radioactive.) Tracers in biochemical, metallurgical, and medical research in geochemical and archeological research (14C) irradiation source for polymerization, sterilization, etc. therapeutic agents in various diseases (iodine, sodium, gold, etc.) electric power generation. 

Nuclear power plants in the United States use light water moderated nuclear reactors (LWR) that produce the steam to generate electricity. The fuel elements for boiling water reactors and pressurized water reactors (PWR) are nearly the same. The fuel is uranium dioxide enriched with 3 % and this produces a nearly uniform spent fuel, which would be the feed for domestic fuel reprocessing. 

AECL is developing a supercritical heavy water moderated nuclear reactor (SCWR) [2] based on its successful CANDU reactor system currently deployed around the world. Since the Mark 2 [2] version of the heavy water moderated SCWR can satisfy the temperature requirements of the hybrid Cu-Cl cycle, AECL is collaborating with ANL in the development of this cycle. Also, AECL is particularly interested in this process since some of its hydrogen-economy related technologies are a good match for the developmental needs of this process, in particular for the development of the electrochemical step involved. 

Power Heavy-Water-Moderated Nuclear Reactors, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited Report, AECL-797, 1959. 

Because of its low neutron-absorption cross section and good corrosion resistance zirconium is used in water-moderated nuclear reactors. In tubes for sealing the fuel a hafnium-free zirconium, alloyed with 1.5% tin, is used. 

Beryllium is added to copper to produce an alloy with greatly increased wear resistance it is used for current-carrying springs and non-sparking safety tools. It is also used as a neutron moderator and reflector in nuclear reactors. Much magnesium is used to prepare light nieial allo>s. other uses include the extraction of titanium (p. 370) and in the removal of oxygen and sulphur from steels calcium finds a similar use. 

On a larger scale, deuterium oxide has been used as a moderator in nuclear reactors, having some advantages over graphite. 

Deuterium is used as a moderator to slow down neutrons. Tritium atoms are also present but in much smaller proportions. Tritium is readily produced in nuclear reactors and is used in the production of the hydrogen (fusion) bomb. It is also used as a radioactive agent in making luminous paints, and as a tracer. 

Beryllium is used in nuclear reactors as a reflector or moderator for it has a low thermal neutron absorption cross section. 

Beryllium hydride was formerly of interest as a rocket fuel and as a moderator for nuclear reactors. 

Boron Removal. Boron [7440-42-8] is occasionaHy present in water suppHes at an unacceptable level. It cannot be removed with the standard anion-exchange resins unless the water is deionized. Selective removal is possible by using an anion exchanger functionalized with /V-methy1g1ucamine [6284-40-8]. This resin is in limited commercial supply. The borate form of conventional strong base anion exchangers is used in some nuclear reactors to adjust the concentration of boron in water used as a moderator. The resin releases boron as the water temperature rises. 

A number of pool, also called swimming pool, reactors have been built at educational institutions and research laboratories. The core in these reactors is located at the bottom of a large pool of water, 6 m deep, suspended from a bridge. The water serves as moderator, coolant, and shield. An example is the Lord nuclear reactor at the University of Michigan, started in 1957. The core is composed of fuel elements, each having 18 aluminum-clad plates of 20% enriched uranium. It operates at 2 MW, giving a thermal flux of 3 x 10 (cm -s). The reactor operates almost continuously, using a variety of beam tubes, for research purposes. 

Beryllium has a high x-ray permeabiUty approximately seventeen times greater than that of aluminum. Natural beryUium contains 100% of the Be isotope. The principal isotopes and respective half-life are Be, 0.4 s Be, 53 d Be, 10 5 Be, stable Be, 2.5 x 10 yr. Beryllium can serve as a neutron source through either the (Oi,n) or (n,2n) reactions. Beryllium has alow (9 x 10 ° m°) absorption cross-section and a high (6 x 10 ° m°) scatter cross-section for thermal neutrons making it useful as a moderator and reflector in nuclear reactors (qv). Such appHcation has been limited, however, because of gas-producing reactions and the reactivity of beryUium toward high temperature water. 

Graphite is chosen for use in nuclear reactors because it is the most readily available material with good moderating properties and a low neutron capture cross section. Other features that make its use widespread are its low cost, stabiHty at elevated temperatures in atmospheres free of oxygen and water vapor, good heat transfer characteristics, good mechanical and stmctural properties, and exceUent machinabUity. 

Table 1 (4,5) lists some useful properties of several graphites used for moderators or reflectors in nuclear reactors. Reactor designers have taken advantage of graphite s properties in applying the material to other than moderator and reflector components, usually in conjunction with some other material. 

The recognition in 1940 that deuterium as heavy water [7789-20-0] has nuclear properties that make it a highly desirable moderator and coolant for nuclear reactors (qv) (8,9) fueled by uranium (qv) of natural isotopic composition stimulated the development of industrial processes for the manufacture of heavy water. Between 1940 and 1945 four heavy water production plants were operated by the United States Government, one in Canada at Trail,... 

Economic Aspects. The principal market for deuterium has been as a moderator for nuclear fission reactors fueled by unenriched uranium. The decline in nuclear reactor constmetion has sharply reduced the demand for heavy water. The United States has stopped large-scale production of D2O, and Canada is the only suppHer of heavy water at this time. Heavy water is priced as a fine chemical, and its price is not subject to market forces. 

The only large-scale use of deuterium in industry is as a moderator, in the form of D2O, for nuclear reactors. Because of its favorable slowing-down properties and its small capture cross section for neutrons, deuterium moderation permits the use of uranium containing the natural abundance of uranium-235, thus avoiding an isotope enrichment step in the preparation of reactor fuel. Heavy water-moderated thermal neutron reactors fueled with uranium-233 and surrounded with a natural thorium blanket offer the prospect of successful fuel breeding, ie, production of greater amounts of (by neutron capture in thorium) than are consumed by nuclear fission in the operation of the reactor. The advantages of heavy water-moderated reactors are difficult to assess. 

Heavy water [11105-15-0] 1 2 produced by a combination of electrolysis and catalytic exchange reactions. Some nuclear reactors (qv) require heavy water as a moderator of neutrons. Plants for the production of heavy water were built by the U.S. government during World War II. These plants, located at Trad, British Columbia, Morgantown, West Virginia, and Savaimah River, South Carolina, have been shut down except for a portion of the Savaimah River plant, which produces heavy water by a three-stage process (see Deuterium and tritium) an H2S/H2O exchange process produces 15% D2O a vacuum distillation increases the concentration to 90% D2O an electrolysis system produces 99.75% D2O (58). 

The overwhelming majority of carbon utilized in nuclear reactors is in the form of graphite for the neutron moderator and reflector. However, several other applications of carbon are noteworthy, and are briefly discussed here. 

Kelly, B.T., Nuclear reactor moderator materials. In Materials Science and Technology Nuclear Materials, Part 1 (VCH Weinheim, 1994) pp. 365-417. 

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