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Uranium or plutonium are usually used in fission reactors, although certain special reactor designs are capable of burning all of the transuranic elements too.

Depending on the reactor design this fuel can be packaged in a variety of different ways:

  • uranium oxide powder (aka "yellowcake" because of its color) canned in small zirconium alloy pellets (this is used in the largest number of reactors now operating)
  • short metal rods canned in zirconium alloy or aluminum alloy pellets
  • uranium oxide and/or plutonium oxide solid ceramic clad in porous carbon
  • a solution of uranium sulfate and/or uranium nitrate dissolved in water (this has the advantage of acting simultaneously as fuel, moderator, and coolant and as this liquid is continuously circulating through the reactor core it is possible to easily remove spent fuel, reprocess to obtain plutonium, and refuel without disturbing the reactor operation in any way; however it has the disadvantage that coolant in the primary cooling loop is very radioactive thus the heat exchanger must be shielded and inside the containment building)
  • etc.
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What is uranium used for in a nuclear reactor?

fuel


What is the name of the fuel used in the nuclear reactor?

The fuel used in a nuclear reactor is typically uranium. Specifically, the most common type of uranium used is uranium-235, which undergoes nuclear fission to produce energy in the reactor.


What is a used fuel in nuclear power plants?

The used fuel in a nuclear power plant is the nuclear fuel being discharged from the nuclear reactor after being irradiated during reactor operation. It is usually composed of trans-uranium heavy elements, a wide variety of fission products (that resulted from the nuclear fission processes in the nuclear reactor) and products of radioactive decay (produced before and after fuel discharge from the nuclear reactor).


What is used for fule in nuclear reactor?

Typically, Uranium-235 is used as fuel in nuclear reactors.


In what part of a nuclear reactor is the fuel is located?

The fuel in a nuclear reactor is located in the fuel rods, which are typically made of materials such as enriched uranium or plutonium. These fuel rods are where the nuclear fission reaction takes place, producing heat that is used to generate electricity.


What are fuel cells in a neclear reactor?

Fuel cells in a nuclear reactor are the structural components where nuclear fission reactions occur, generating heat. This heat is used to produce steam, which drives turbines to generate electricity. The fuel cells contain the nuclear fuel (such as uranium) and control rods to regulate the nuclear reactions.


What part of a nuclear reactor would most likely contain plutonium?

This part is the core of the nuclear reactor containing the nuclear fuel.


What is a fuel rod in a nuclear reactor?

A fuel rod is a long, slender tube that contains the fuel pellets (usually uranium or plutonium) used in a nuclear reactor. These fuel rods generate heat through nuclear fission reactions, which is then used to produce electricity. Multiple fuel rods are assembled together in a fuel assembly to power the reactor.


What part of the reactor contains nuclear fuel?

The nuclear fuel is typically contained in the reactor core, which is a central part of the nuclear reactor where the fission reaction takes place. The fuel rods, which contain the nuclear fuel pellets, are inserted into the reactor core during operation.


Is nuclear an atomic fuel?

Fuel used in a nuclear reactor is uranium, the active isotope is uranium 235 which is fissile.


What is the function of a nuclear fuel in nuclear reactor?

The function of nuclear fuel in a nuclear reactor is to undergo controlled fission reactions, releasing energy in the form of heat. This heat is used to generate steam, which drives turbines to produce electricity. The fuel typically used is uranium or plutonium.


What part of the nuclear reactor is the fuel located in?

The nuclear fuel is found in the fuel rods. These fuel rods are formed into fuel bundles called fuel assemblies, and together they make up the reactor core.