For now, re:atomics is me learning how nuclear technology works and asking what we could do differently.
About re:atomicsAccidents and disasters · Chernobyl
I remember a turbine test, xenon building up, and control rods being withdrawn to recover power. I’m not sure whether it was a PWR or a BWR, or exactly how the graphite changed things. What fascinates me is the state of the core: could it look steady at one point, but be dangerous to move into another state?
Work through the questionsIn progress · Inside a PWR
I’m guessing the pressure helps water carry heat more efficiently, but I don’t really know what makes a pressurized-water reactor different.
Work through the questionsExplanations, models, and practice to come back to.
Where does fuel come from, and how does it change in a reactor?
Could enzymes or other biological processes make material recovery easier?
What sets the limits on a design? Could we approach it differently?
How could we use spare power, heat, or radioactive products?