Heavy water has the advantage of being a good moderator and of absorbing fewer neutrons than does light water, so that natural (unenriched) uranium can be used. Light water demands enriched uranium, around 4 to 5 percent U-235. So you can make a choice: use heavy water which is expensive to produce, or use light water and expensive enriched uranium.
You can see the different approach between the US and Canada. In the US there was experience of enrichment from the WW2 Manhattan project, in Canada there was no such experience but they had cheap hydro power to use to produce heavy water, so developed the Candu type of reactor.
Heavy water is used in nuclear reactors as moderator for neutrons.
Heavy water is used in making hydrogen bombs.
The moderator used in nuclear reactors with natural uranium is generally the heavy water (D2O).
In the CANDU reactor heavy water is used as the moderator. It is a much better moderator than light water because it does not absorb neutrons so strongly, and enables non-enriched uranium to be used. The heavy water moderator is enclosed in a tank with fuel channel tubes, called technically a calandria. The coolant is also heavy water which flows through the tubes and hence past the fuel elements, and then transfers its heat to a light water secondary circuit. In a PWR or BWR light water is used both as moderator and coolant, which is obviously much cheaper and less complicated, but does require uranium enriched in U-235.
same as ordinary water, but the heavier Deuterium atoms are more effective at slowing neutrons to thermal energies.
They are the same in that they don't allow reactor coolant water boiling in the primary water coolant loop. They are different in that in PHWR the moderator is heavy water while in PWR the moderator is normal light water.
Heavy water is used in nuclear reactors as moderator for neutrons.
Heavy water is used in making hydrogen bombs.
Tritium is formed by the capture of neutrons by deuterium (heavy hydrogen) which is in the heavy water in the moderator and coolant.
It can be light water, heavy water, or graphite
Light water (H2O) and heavy water (D2O)
moderator, coolant
Most often, light water (H2O) is used as a moderator in a nuclear reactor. Sometimes, heavy water (D2O), or graphite is used.
Heavy water(PHWR)--Pressurised heavy water reactor
The moderator used in nuclear reactors with natural uranium is generally the heavy water (D2O).
This is the function of the moderator, which may be heavy water, light water, or graphite
In the CANDU reactor heavy water is used as the moderator. It is a much better moderator than light water because it does not absorb neutrons so strongly, and enables non-enriched uranium to be used. The heavy water moderator is enclosed in a tank with fuel channel tubes, called technically a calandria. The coolant is also heavy water which flows through the tubes and hence past the fuel elements, and then transfers its heat to a light water secondary circuit. In a PWR or BWR light water is used both as moderator and coolant, which is obviously much cheaper and less complicated, but does require uranium enriched in U-235.