What are the major safety features of a nuclear power plant?

Two of the principal mitigating measures, described in the section Reactor design and components, are (1) the safety rod systems that quickly put the reactor into a subcritical state and prevent a supercritical accident and (2) the containment structure that prevents radioactive materials from being released into the …

What is liquid sodium used for?

Liquid sodium metal Sodium metal is used as a low-pressure coolant. It transfers heat extremely well and can keep a core cool without external power. It has been used extensively in both slow and fast neutron reactors (i.e. SGRs and SFRs).

Are nuclear reactors automated?

Automation is the primary system used to assist operators in the task of monitoring and controlling nuclear power plants (NPP). Automation performs tasks such as assessing the status of the plant’s operations as well as making real time life critical situational specific decisions.

Is the moderator used in nuclear reactor?

The moderator of a nuclear reactor is a substance that slows neutrons down. In traditional nuclear reactors, the moderator is the same thing as the coolant: it’s water! There are other good moderators like graphite, beryllium, and more.

What safety feature of nuclear power plants can slow down and stop the nuclear reaction?

A control rod is a device that is used to absorb neutrons so that the nuclear chain reaction taking place within the reactor core can be slowed down or stopped completely by inserting the rods further, or accelerated by removing them slightly.

How does a sodium nuclear reactor work?

The sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) uses liquid metal (sodium) as a coolant instead of water that is typically used in U.S. commercial power plants. This allows for the coolant to operate at higher temperatures and lower pressures than current reactors—improving the efficiency and safety of the system.

What is an AP1000 reactor?

The AP1000 plant is designed to drain the high capacity in-containment refueling water storage tank (IRWST) water into the reactor cavity in the event that the core has overheated. This provides cooling on the outside of the reactor vessel preventing reactor vessel failure and subsequent spilling of molten core debris into the containment.

What are the safety features of AP1000?

The AP1000 plant safety-related passive systems and equipment are sufficient to automatically establish and maintain core cooling and containment integrity indefinitely following design-basis events, assuming the most limiting single failure, with no operator action, and no on-site or off-site ac power sources.

What is the AP1000 plant design?

Simplification was a major design objective for the AP1000 plant. The simplified plant design includes overall safety systems, normal operating systems, the control room, construction techniques, and instrumentation and control systems. The innovative AP1000 plant design features:

How does the Westinghouse AP1000 cooling system work?

In the AP1000, Westinghouse’s Passive Core Cooling System uses a tank of water situated above the reactor. When the passive cooling system is activated, the water flows by gravity to the top of the reactor where it evaporates to remove heat.