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The pressure vessel of a nuclear reactor contains the reactor core and helps to maintain a high pressure environment to prevent coolant water from boiling. It also serves as a barrier to contain radioactive materials and provide structural support for the reactor.

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What is a part of a nuclear power plant that undergoes a fission reaction?

Nuclear fission takes place in the nuclear fuel rods that are placed in the reactor core that is situated in the reactor pressure vessel. The reactor pressure vessel is usually situated inside the reactor containment.


What is the purpose of the reactor vessel?

The reactor vessel is the main container that houses the nuclear fuel, control rods, and coolant in a nuclear reactor. Its purpose is to contain and shield the nuclear reactions happening inside, and to provide structural support and safety for the reactor core.


What are the necessary components for a nuclear reactor?

for pressurized light water reactor type, as an example, the nuclear reactor components are * Reactor vessel (that contains the nuclear fuel and surrounded with water and contains control rod for power control and for safety) * reactor coolant pump * steam generator * reactor pressurizer * piping out of the vessel to the pressurizer, from pressurizer to steam generator, from steam generator to reactor coolant pump, and from pump back to the reactor vessel.


What is the nuclear reactor of a power plant?

The nuclear reactor of a nuclear power plant is usually considered to be the core and the pressure vessel in which it is encased. The control rods, which are in the core (and pulled some or all of the way out to run the reactor) have their associated rod drive motors on top of the pressure vessel. Instrumentation ports are up there, too. All of these things are generally considered to be the "nuclear reactor" portion of the primary system in the plant. A link is provided to a picture posted at Wikipedia. It has a portion of it colored to show the reactor core, but the pressure vessel is "cut away" to view the core. The control rods (#1 in the drawing) are shown as being on top. That's incorrect. The rod drive motors and control rod lead ("leed" and not "led") screws are up there. (The lead screws connect the control rods, which are down in among the fuel bundles, to the rod drive motors, which are up on top of the pressure vessel's cap.) The rods belong in the core, or in the area above the core when they are pulled out. The whole thing, the core, the vessel, and the rod drive motors as well as the instrumentation on top are considered to be the "nuclear reactor" in a power plant. If asked to identify the picture, the most correct response is probably, "It's a cut-away drawing of a nuclear reactor." That means everything in the picture is part of the nuclear reactor.


What is a nuclear reactor is surrounded by?

A nuclear reactor is surrounded by several layers of physical barriers designed to contain and shield the reactor core. These layers typically include a reactor pressure vessel, a primary containment structure, and secondary containment buildings made of materials like steel and concrete to prevent the release of radioactive materials in case of an accident.

Related Questions

What are the functions of pressure vessel and turbine in a nuclear reactor?

The pressure vessel contains the reactor core with its fuel, coolant, moderator, control elements, and emergency systems. The turbine is the device that on receiving the steam it spins and turns the electric generators to produce electricity.


What is a part of a nuclear power plant that undergoes a fission reaction?

Nuclear fission takes place in the nuclear fuel rods that are placed in the reactor core that is situated in the reactor pressure vessel. The reactor pressure vessel is usually situated inside the reactor containment.


What is the purpose of the reactor vessel?

The reactor vessel is the main container that houses the nuclear fuel, control rods, and coolant in a nuclear reactor. Its purpose is to contain and shield the nuclear reactions happening inside, and to provide structural support and safety for the reactor core.


What are the necessary components for a nuclear reactor?

for pressurized light water reactor type, as an example, the nuclear reactor components are * Reactor vessel (that contains the nuclear fuel and surrounded with water and contains control rod for power control and for safety) * reactor coolant pump * steam generator * reactor pressurizer * piping out of the vessel to the pressurizer, from pressurizer to steam generator, from steam generator to reactor coolant pump, and from pump back to the reactor vessel.


What is the nuclear reactor of a power plant?

The nuclear reactor of a nuclear power plant is usually considered to be the core and the pressure vessel in which it is encased. The control rods, which are in the core (and pulled some or all of the way out to run the reactor) have their associated rod drive motors on top of the pressure vessel. Instrumentation ports are up there, too. All of these things are generally considered to be the "nuclear reactor" portion of the primary system in the plant. A link is provided to a picture posted at Wikipedia. It has a portion of it colored to show the reactor core, but the pressure vessel is "cut away" to view the core. The control rods (#1 in the drawing) are shown as being on top. That's incorrect. The rod drive motors and control rod lead ("leed" and not "led") screws are up there. (The lead screws connect the control rods, which are down in among the fuel bundles, to the rod drive motors, which are up on top of the pressure vessel's cap.) The rods belong in the core, or in the area above the core when they are pulled out. The whole thing, the core, the vessel, and the rod drive motors as well as the instrumentation on top are considered to be the "nuclear reactor" in a power plant. If asked to identify the picture, the most correct response is probably, "It's a cut-away drawing of a nuclear reactor." That means everything in the picture is part of the nuclear reactor.


What is powered by a nuclear reactor?

A steam turbine/generating unit, or a naval vessel


What is a nuclear reactor is surrounded by?

A nuclear reactor is surrounded by several layers of physical barriers designed to contain and shield the reactor core. These layers typically include a reactor pressure vessel, a primary containment structure, and secondary containment buildings made of materials like steel and concrete to prevent the release of radioactive materials in case of an accident.


What are the basic parts of nuclear reactor?

For the PWR, the reactor core which is an array of fuel assemblies, inside a very strong pressure vessel made of thick steel. The top of the vessel is removable for fuelling, and also holds the control rods and their mechanisms. The whole thing is enclosed in a secondary containment. Also inside this is the primary circuit which circulates water through the core to carry away the heat produced by the fuel assemblies, and the secondary circuit steam raising units which send steam to the turbine. See link below


What is the function of shielding in a nuclear reactor?

The first line of shielding is to limit the neutron bombardment of the pressure vessel, to give it a safe life of 40 or more years. Then you need to protect personnel who have to go into areas close to the reactor for maintenance, and also to limit the exposure of equipment which may need maintanance done during the life of the plant


What has the author R Johnson written?

R. Johnson has written: 'Resolution of the reactor vessel materials toughness safety issue' -- subject(s): Safety measures, Steel, Testing, Brittleness, Design and construction, Materials, Nuclear facilities, Nuclear reactors 'Resolution of generic safety issue 29' -- subject(s): Equipment and supplies, Bolts and nuts, Fatigue, Nuclear power plants 'Radiation effects on reactor pressure vessel supports' -- subject(s): Steel, Testing, Effect of radiation on, Nuclear pressure vessels, Embrittlement


What is a high pressure reactor?

High pressure reactor is a chemical reaction vessel which can conduct a reaction under pressure. The pressure can be caused by the reaction itself or created by an external source. Reactor can be used for sample modification with hydrogen, carbon dioxide, acetylene etc.


At a nuclear power plant workers wear protective clothing and dosimeters to measure their exposure to radiation the nuclear fuel is held in an airtight steel vessel and the reactor is covered with rei?

to control the radiation