0
The length of time we see fuel rods left in the core of a reactor will depend on the time it takes to deplete the nuclear fuel in those rods. Reactor design, specifically fuel rod design, and the rate at which the fuel is consumed during operation all have an effect. Typical life of the fuel in a nuclear reactor at a power station is several years.
What else can I help you with?
What happens when a nuclear reactor reaches the end of its life?
When a reactor has burned enough of its fuel that it cannot be made to go critical by pulling all the control rods all the way out, it has reached the end of its useful life. There is a lot of unburned fuel left in the fuel elements, but not enough to achieve criticality the way the reactor core is set up. (Only a small percentage of the fuel is actually burned.) Usually the operators of a nuclear plant will take a reactor out of service and refuel it a bit before this. And military reactors will be taken offline sooner and refueled because of the requirement that the reactor be able to be brought critical at what is called the "peak xenon" point. Generally speaking, the core is removed and put in a storage pool that provided cooling and shielding. The core will remain there until it can be disassembled into fuel bundles and the bundles packed up and moved to a long-term storage facility for a century or a few. It is unusual that the fuel elements are reprocessed to remove the remaining fuel because of the presence of a lot of extremely radioactive fission fragments.
Who much hydrogen gas is left in the core of the sun?
Enough, it has been hypothesized, to maintain it in its present stable state for another 4.5 billion years from now, before it begins to readjust itself to its dwindling supply of fuel for fusion.
Why is the core so hot?
Some of the core's heat comes from the breakdown of radioactive atoms. Much of the heat energy is left over from when Earth first formed.
What is a solid material left when a fuel has stopped buring?
If it is a hydrocarbon fuel burning in limited oxygen, solid carbon can be a result. Most other solids left over are oxides of the reactants.
Core plugs are also called?
Core plugs are also known as freeze plugs or expansion plugs. They are used to seal the holes left in an engine block after the casting process.
What happens when a nuclear reactor reaches the end of its life?
When a reactor has burned enough of its fuel that it cannot be made to go critical by pulling all the control rods all the way out, it has reached the end of its useful life. There is a lot of unburned fuel left in the fuel elements, but not enough to achieve criticality the way the reactor core is set up. (Only a small percentage of the fuel is actually burned.) Usually the operators of a nuclear plant will take a reactor out of service and refuel it a bit before this. And military reactors will be taken offline sooner and refueled because of the requirement that the reactor be able to be brought critical at what is called the "peak xenon" point. Generally speaking, the core is removed and put in a storage pool that provided cooling and shielding. The core will remain there until it can be disassembled into fuel bundles and the bundles packed up and moved to a long-term storage facility for a century or a few. It is unusual that the fuel elements are reprocessed to remove the remaining fuel because of the presence of a lot of extremely radioactive fission fragments.
What kind of reactor produces its own fuel?
A breeder reactor, but this is intended to produce fuel for other reactors by irradiating U-238 to produce plutonium in a 'blanket' around the core. All reactors fuelled initially with uranium do breed some fuel, since some of the U-238 is transmuted to plutonium which is fissile and hence adds to the thermal output, whilst the U-235 is used up. However this does not create enough fissile material to be self sustaining and eventually the reactor will 'die' unless refuelled, although there is still plenty of U-238 left over.
Does the core eventually cool after meltdown?
At some point, the materials that were the core of a reactor cool after a meltdown. The problem is that some or even a lot of the core could melt and turn into a big puddle on the bottom of a reactor vessel. Further, it could melt through and onto the floor of the reactor building. It is also possible that it could melt through this, too. While it is true that the materials of the core will eventually cool, there might be little if any core left. A big "blob" of material will eventually result. But it may take a long time for this to happen. And the release of radiation throughout this time may be extremely large and contaminate a broad area.
How is uranium contained in the nuclear power plant?
In most reactor designs all the uranium is contained within the core, which is heavily shielded. There are a few designs that have been experimented with, like the homogenous slurry reactor where the uranium and coolant circulate as a slurry through the primary coolant loop. But all the moderator is inside the core, so the reaction stops when the slurry leaves the core. None of these designs ever left experimental stage.
What is nuclear fuel residence time?
Generally speaking, the term residence time as applied to nuclear fuels speaks to the amount of time something like uranium (meaning 239U) will have to spend in the neutron flux of a breeder reactor to become transformed into fissile nuclear fuel. The geometry (size and shape) of the fuel pellets and the location in the reactor (the neutron flux density) will dictate how long the stuff will have to be left in there to produce the desired product.
Why is fuel when it is removed from the reactor left to cool before being handled further?
They call it "cooling" but it is not thermal cooling it is radiological "cooling" by decay of highly radioactive short half life isotopes. This reduces the radioactivity of the spent fuel and makes it easier to handle and process.
What happen to a sun-like star after it has used up all the fuel in its core?
Towards the end of its life, a star with a size similar to ours will expand to a red giant star as the core contracts and heats up and the hydrogen fuel supply is consumed. It will eventually lose the outer layers and all that will be left is a core, a white dwarf reminant that will slowly cool over millions of years.
How much fuel is left on a 1999 Toyota sienna when the low fuel light comes on?
Typically between one and two gallons, or about 40 miles of non-stop travel.
When was No Fuel Left for the Pilgrims created?
No Fuel Left for the Pilgrims was created in 1989.
How much fuel did Neil Armstrong have left?
Not alot of fuel left They omost did not make it.
When the gas light comes on a Dodge truck 2002?
About 10% of the fuel is left.About 10% of the fuel is left.
Were is the fuel filter on 03 dodge?
Minivan. above the fuel tank.Diesel, left side of the block.Gas truck, in the fuel tank.Car, in the fuel tank.Minivan. above the fuel tank.Diesel, left side of the block.Gas truck, in the fuel tank.Car, in the fuel tank.
