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Breeder reactors can be designed to produce fissile material from non-fissile. The most common type would produce plutonium from non-fissile U-238. Note that all reactors do this to some extent, but if you are going to get the plutonium out of the irradiated material then you have to go in for chemical extraction of highly radioactive spent fuel, and this has not been done in the US except for military use. A fast breeder reactor is the optimum for breeding fissile fuel, and these use a liquid metal as coolant. This type has been experimented with but not developed commercially. At present there is no shortage of newly mined uranium, so no great incentive to do so, this may change in the future. In the UK and France chemical extraction of plutonium from spent fuel (either from gas cooled or PWR reactors) has been practised on a large scale and mixed oxide fuel is available containing U-235 and Pu-239, but these reactors have not been designed or optimised to produce bred fuel from U-238, it just happens as a byproduct.
So at the moment the advantages of breeder reactors remain hypothetical rather than practical
What else can I help you with?
How are nuclear reactors different from breeder reactors?
Most nuclear reactors, in general, are designed and built to produce usable energy. The energy helps supply public demand for electricity, or provide propulsion for a combat vessel at sea, especially submarines. Some nuclear reactors are built for research only, to learn more about nuclear power and about better ways to utilize it. Nuclear reactors do not emit atmospheric contaminants like other energy-making processes do. They are not like combustion engines, and require no oxygen to burn for their function. Breeder reactors are a different story indeed. They do produce usable energy, but in too many cases their design purpose is to "breed" more fissionable material during the reaction process.
When was Experimental Breeder Reactor I created?
Experimental Breeder Reactor I was created in 1950.
What is the bad things about the nuclear power reactors?
there are no bad things about the nuclear power reactors
What are the advantages and disadvantages of airlift reactors?
•The major disadvantages of air-lift fermenters are - high energy requirements - excessive foaming - cell damage due to bubble bursting; particularly with animal cell culture
How are people managing nuclear energy so we don't run out of it?
People are managing nuclear energy by utilizing advanced reactor designs that enhance safety and efficiency, such as Generation IV reactors and small modular reactors (SMRs). Additionally, there is ongoing research into nuclear fuel recycling and breeder reactors, which can extend the life of nuclear fuel by reusing spent fuel. Regulatory frameworks and international cooperation also play a crucial role in ensuring the safe and sustainable operation of nuclear facilities, while public awareness and acceptance are increasingly emphasized to support future developments in nuclear energy.
What are advantages and disadvantages of nuclear and breeder reactors?
You can't compare and contrast nuclear reactors and breeder reactors, any more than you can compare a lion with a mammal. A lion is one example of many mammals; a breeder reactor is just one example of many types of nuclear reactor.
Are there more fast breeder or thermal nuclear reactors?
Most nuclear reactors are thermal-neutron reactors. A few fast breeder reactors have been built, but not many.
How are breeder reactors and nuclear reactor different?
The breeder reactor produce more fissile fuel than what is consumed while this is not the case for other nuclear reactors.
Is plutonium produced only in breeder reactors?
No, plutonium is obtained in all the types of nuclear reactors.
Does a breeder nuclear reactor use moderator?
No, a breeder nuclear reactor does not typically use a moderator. Breeder reactors are designed to produce more fissile material than they consume by using fast neutrons to convert non-fissile isotopes into fissile ones without slowing down the neutrons.
What are their advantages and disadvantages of Nuclear and Breeder Reactors?
You can't compare and contrast nuclear reactors and breeder reactors, any more than you can compare a lion with a mammal. A lion is one example of many mammals; a breeder reactor is just one example of many types of nuclear reactor.
How are breeder reactors different from regular nuclear reactors?
A breeder reactor generates (in a way) new fuel, sometimes more fuel than it uses, by converting non-fissionable isotopes into fissionable isotopes, through neutron capture.
Is thorium used in nuclear reactors?
Not as fuel, but it can be used in breeder reactors as breeding material to make fissile Uranium-233.
What is the same between nuclear and breeder reactors?
They all use nuclear fission
Breeder reactors are used to convert?
Breeder reactors are used to convert non-fissile isotopes (such as U-238) into fissile isotopes (such as Pu-239) through neutron capture reactions, thereby producing additional fuel for nuclear reactors while generating energy. This process allows for the sustainable use of nuclear energy by recycling and reusing nuclear fuel.
Which uranium is used in a breeder reactor?
Uranium-238 can be used efficiently in breeder reactors; plutonium is obtained and Pu is a fissile material in situ.
Why are breeder reactors not used widely in the nuclear power industry?
Breeder reactors are not widely used in the nuclear power industry due to concerns about safety, high costs of construction and operation, potential for nuclear proliferation, and public perception of nuclear energy.
