A nuclear reactor is a large piece of equipment used to produce steam and electricity. Its components must be replaced periodically, such as when a steam generator wears out or corrodes.
RX-10 reactor control simplifies operation and allows scientists to easily manage third-party heating and cooling systems, stirrers, dosing, and process analytical technology tools in jacketed laboratory reactors. This reduces training time, human error and overall costs.
What is a used reactor control system?
A used reactor control system is a component of a nuclear power plant. It is designed to contain and control sustained nuclear chain reactions that generate electricity, move aircraft carriers and submarines, produce medical isotopes for imaging and cancer treatment, and conduct research. The nuclear reactor is typically contained within a robust steel pressure vessel or series of stainless steel pressurised water tubes, while moderator material (water or graphite) slows down the neutrons from the reaction to trigger greater fissions.
The core of the reactor is surrounded by a concrete and steel containment structure, and the high-pressure primary coolant bringing heat from the reactor is transferred to a steam generator via a secondary circuit. The steam generated then turns a turbine and produces electricity.
The reactor control system contains components that are able to shut down the reactor in the event of an emergency, including the insertion of control rods. In CANDU industrial reactors , these control rods are held up by electromagnets that are powered by electrical energy. This means that, in the event of a loss of power to these machines, the control rods will automatically drop down into the reactor and prevent the nuclear reaction from continuing. This is referred to as scraming and is an important safety feature of CANDU reactors.
How does a used reactor control system work?
The control system is a series of long rods that are filled with neutron-absorbing material (such as boron carbide). They can be inserted into the reactor to stop the nuclear chain reaction in an emergency. The control rods are kept in place by a special lifting machinery that is powered by electricity. In the event of an emergency, a power outage or mechanical failure, the lifting machinery can be disconnected, allowing the control rods to fall all the way into the fuel assembly and stop the chain reaction. This is a safety feature known as scraming.
In some reactor designs, the control rods are pushed up into the fuel assembly by hydraulics. This process is much faster than using electrically-powered lift equipment and is also a fail-safe mechanism in the event of a power outage or mechanical failure.
Unlike traditional analog consoles, digital systems can measure values instantly and are able to identify performance interruptions before they become significant problems. This allows them to perform maintenance more efficiently and extend the lifetime of the reactor.
Modern nuclear reactors are designed to be as safe as possible. They are surrounded by water that is under pressure and constantly circulated, and the radioactive water is passed through drier plates so that it does not contaminate the turbines. The water is heated by the nuclear fission to make steam, and the steam is used to turn turbines, which then produce electricity.
What are the advantages of a used reactor control system?
A digital console automates your jacketed lab reactor (JLR) to enable control, automation and data-rich experimentation. With a user-friendly touchscreen, you can program thermostat temperature, stirring, liquid dosing and sampling while easily integrating process analytical technology for a complete solution. The RX-10 offers a plug-and-play connection to third-party accessories like sensors, mass-flow and pressure sensors, temperature probes, cryostats and stirring equipment to maximize your productivity. buy reactors from surplusrecord.
The control room controls a nuclear reactor’s core to shape its reactivity and power output, compensating for refuelling and fuel burnup. It is a very complex structure, typically with a metre-thick concrete and steel containment vessel which must be sealed to prevent radiation leakage and allow safe shutdown.
In most reactor designs, control rods are inserted and adjusted to increase or decrease the rate of the chain reaction and thereby control the thermal power and electrical power produced by the reactor. In the event of a major accident, these rods can be withdrawn quickly and drop down to stop the chain reaction by gravity, or chemically injected into the core by the operator.
In a PWR, the rods are held in a control rod assembly, inserted into guide tubes and connected to each other by boric acid which acts as a neutron absorber, making it possible to insert and withdraw them rapidly. Other means of controlling reactivity include the use of burnable poisons in the fuel pellets, and adjusting the coolant flow through the core to vary its density and thus power output (this is called a ‘chemical shim’).
What are the disadvantages of a used reactor control system?
The reactor system contains and controls sustained nuclear chain reactions to produce electricity, power submarines and aircraft carriers, make medical isotopes, and carry out research. Reactors are used for a wide range of applications, from understanding how heavy metals affect human health to dating 1,000-year-old artifacts or predicting how well pilots will fly new airplanes.
The core of the reactor is surrounded by moderator material (water or graphite), which slows the release of neutrons, allowing more reactions to occur. The core and moderator are contained in a durable steel pressure vessel or series of pressure tubes. The reactor then produces steam to drive a turbine, which generates electrical power.
Refuelling is done at intervals of 12, 18 or 24 months. Each time a quarter to a third of the fuel assemblies are replaced with fresh ones. In some reactors, such as the CANDU and RBMK types used in icebreakers, the process can be done on-load by disconnecting individual pressure tubes.
Control rods absorb neutrons, preventing the reactor from accelerating out of control. They are inserted into guide tubes within the reactor core, and in PWRs they are usually placed vertically. In BWRs, they are inserted from below.
Other ways to control reactivity include adding a soluble neutron absorber to the reactor coolant, and dropping chemical shims into the core. These prevent an uncontrolled reactivity surge by absorbing incoming neutrons, and can also be used in postulated accidents to control the rate of positive reactivity change.