Why is heavy water used for heat transfer in nuclear reactor?

Answer 1

Heavy water has the same heat transfer properties as ordinary water, at least in practical terms. It is used in some reactors as the moderator since it is much more efficient at slowing fast neutrons than ordinary water, thus enabling unenriched uranium to be used as the fuel. It is not used to transfer heat to the power producing part of the plant, only as a static tank (called a calandria) full of heavy water as moderator. (See CANDU)

Answer 2

the more massive deuterium atoms absorb more kinetic energy from the neutrons per collision than hydrogen atoms in ordinary water do, resulting in more rapid slowing of neutrons to thermal velocities.

Answer 3

Heavy water, with its extra neutron in the hydrogen atom, serves as an efficient neutron moderator in nuclear reactors, slowing down fast neutrons to sustain the nuclear chain reaction. This helps regulate the rate of fission reactions in the reactor core and plays a crucial role in controlling the nuclear reaction process.

Answer 4

heavy water is deuterium oxide and molecle wt is high so it slows the fast moving neutronsto a extent so to be utilised by reactor to produce energy

Answer 5

It's there to act as a neutron moderating fluid.