The control rods are neutron absorbers that can be moved up and down to vary the amount of absorption and so keep the reactor at a steady power or raise/lower power. They also shut the reactor down and hold it down when fully inserted.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoBy the control rods and by the moderator.
Not really. Control rods are used to start up and shut down a nuclear reactor.
They are used in nuclear reactor to control the rate of fission of uranium and plutonium. Because these elements have different capture cross sections for neutrons of varying energies, the compositions of the control rods must be designed for the neutron spectrum of the reactor it is supposed to control.
A nuclear reactor requires the neutrons released from one reaction to trigger the fission of other nuclei. Control rods are required to absorb some of these neutrons so as to prevent a runaway chain reaction.
The reason a nuclear chain reaction occurs is that one of the by products of a single reaction: the neutrons can start reactions of their own. So how do you stop a chain reaction? Stop these neutrons from causing any more reactions. This is done in nuclear reactors by placing control rods into the reactor core. These control rods are made of elements that can absorb the high energy neutrons without reacting themselves. Therefore, by moving these rods in and out of the reactor, the rate of reaction in a nuclear reactor can be easily controlled.
The number of control rods in a reactor will vary with the size and the design.
fuel rods and control rods
The control rods inside a nuclear reactor are made out of Boron.
nuclear reactor control rods
control rods.
By the control rods and by the moderator.
Not really. Control rods are used to start up and shut down a nuclear reactor.
They are used in nuclear reactor to control the rate of fission of uranium and plutonium. Because these elements have different capture cross sections for neutrons of varying energies, the compositions of the control rods must be designed for the neutron spectrum of the reactor it is supposed to control.
number of control rods
We see the use of control rods in a reactor to absorb neutrons. These rods are often made of boron.
In order to slow down the chain reaction in a nuclear reactor, i.e. to reduce KEff, you would insert the control rods.
Heavy water