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Candu reactors have traditionally used natural uranium, which contains 0.7 percent U-235, which is the fissile isotope that produces all the nuclear fission energy. Proposals have been made that Candus could use fuel that has been discharged from light water reactors and might still contain about 0.9 percent U-235, or could even use fuel made from depleted uranium (mostly U-238) together with fissile plutonium available from dismantled nuclear weapons, but I don't think such proposals have reached the stage of implementation. For one thing, Canada doesn't have any nuclear weapons, so it would require some fuel manufacture to be set up in the US to make this fuel, or to utilise US spent fuel. There is plenty of this in US storage but no route for using it to make Candu fuel, which is of different dimensions and assembly details. However this might conceivably be done in the future.
What else can I help you with?
How much heavy water in a candu reactor?
A CANDU (Canadian Deuterium Uranium) reactor typically contains around 1,000 to 1,200 metric tons of heavy water (deuterium oxide, D₂O) in its moderator system. This heavy water serves as both a neutron moderator and a coolant, allowing the reactor to operate efficiently using natural uranium as fuel. The exact amount can vary based on the specific design and configuration of the reactor.
What type of nuclear reactor is used in Ontario to produce electricity?
This is the Candu type, which was uniquely developed in Canada to use heavy water moderator and natural uranium fuel
Why does uranium ore have to be enriched before its used in a nuclear power plant?
1. Uranium must be refined to obtain "nuclear grade" uranium. 2. The enrichment in the isotope 235U depends on the type of the nuclear reactor; some reactors (as CANDU) work with natural uranium.
Does a breeder reactor use uranium as a fuel?
Yes, a breeder reactor uses uranium as a fuel. Specifically, it uses a specific isotope of uranium, such as uranium-235 or uranium-238, to sustain a nuclear chain reaction. The reactor can also produce more fissile material, like plutonium-239, through breeding reactions.
Which isotope of uranium is used in atomic reactors?
U-235 is the fissile isotope that produces the reactor power output in new fuel. During operation some of the U-238 is converted to plutonium which also contributes to the power of the reactor, an increasing amount as the U-235 is used up.
How does the uranium used in a CANDU reactor exist in nature?
The uranium used in a CANDU reactor primarily exists as uranium-238, a naturally occurring isotope found in various minerals, with a small percentage of uranium-235. It is extracted from uranium ore through milling and chemical processes to increase the concentration of uranium-235 for use as nuclear fuel in reactors.
What processes are used to prepare the uranium to be used in a CANDU reactor?
To prepare uranium for use in a CANDU reactor, the uranium ore is first mined and then processed to extract uranium concentrate, often referred to as yellowcake (U3O8). This concentrate is then converted into uranium hexafluoride (UF6) through chemical processes. The UF6 undergoes enrichment to increase the proportion of the fissile isotope uranium-235, after which it is converted back into uranium dioxide (UO2) powder. Finally, the UO2 is sintered and fabricated into fuel pellets, which are assembled into fuel bundles for use in the reactor.
Does CANDU reactor use enriched uranium?
CANDU Reactors are specifically designed such that they do not require enriched uranium, and can operate entirely on naturally-occurring uranium. A CANDU design is generally used by parties that do not desire uranium enrichment facilities, due to the cost of those facilities. That said, a CANDU reactor CAN use enriched uranium, they are fully capable of supporting that fuel type.
Is nuclear an atomic fuel?
Fuel used in a nuclear reactor is uranium, the active isotope is uranium 235 which is fissile.
The fuel used in a nuclear reactor usually comes from?
Mines, usually it is uranium, with only 0.7% (aproximately) U-235 (the isotope that is used for fission), the rest is U-238, known as depleted uranium, or natural uranium. Then it enriched to about 3-5% U-235, unless it is used in a CANDU reactor, in which case it can almost literaly be used straight out of the ground.
How much uranium 235 is used in a nuclear reactor?
The amount of uranium-235 used in a nuclear reactor depends on the design and size of the reactor. Typically, a reactor core contains several tons of uranium fuel, with the concentration of uranium-235 ranging from 3-5%. The fuel is arranged in fuel assemblies to sustain a controlled nuclear fission chain reaction.
How much heavy water in a candu reactor?
A CANDU (Canadian Deuterium Uranium) reactor typically contains around 1,000 to 1,200 metric tons of heavy water (deuterium oxide, D₂O) in its moderator system. This heavy water serves as both a neutron moderator and a coolant, allowing the reactor to operate efficiently using natural uranium as fuel. The exact amount can vary based on the specific design and configuration of the reactor.
What type of nuclear reactor is used in Ontario to produce electricity?
This is the Candu type, which was uniquely developed in Canada to use heavy water moderator and natural uranium fuel
Why does uranium ore have to be enriched before its used in a nuclear power plant?
1. Uranium must be refined to obtain "nuclear grade" uranium. 2. The enrichment in the isotope 235U depends on the type of the nuclear reactor; some reactors (as CANDU) work with natural uranium.
What is Thorium breeder reacter?
In this type of nuclear reactor the fertile isotope thorium-232 is transformed in the fissile isotope uranium-233 and this act as a nuclear fuel.
Does a breeder reactor use uranium as a fuel?
Yes, a breeder reactor uses uranium as a fuel. Specifically, it uses a specific isotope of uranium, such as uranium-235 or uranium-238, to sustain a nuclear chain reaction. The reactor can also produce more fissile material, like plutonium-239, through breeding reactions.
Which isotope of uranium is used in atomic reactors?
U-235 is the fissile isotope that produces the reactor power output in new fuel. During operation some of the U-238 is converted to plutonium which also contributes to the power of the reactor, an increasing amount as the U-235 is used up.
