What is the difference between fuel rods and control rods in a nuclear reactor?

Inside the reactor vessel, the fuel rods are immersed in water which acts as both a coolant and moderator. The moderator helps slow down the neutrons produced by fission to sustain the chain reaction. Control rods can then be inserted into the reactor core to reduce the reaction rate or withdrawn to increase it.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear fuel?

Advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power stations

Advantages	Disadvantages
Very low fuel costs.	Large-scale accidents can be catastrophic.
Low fuel quantity reduces mining and transportation effects on environment.	Public perception of nuclear power is negative.

What are fuel rods used for in a nuclear reactor?

A long, slender, zirconium metal tube containing pellets of fissionable material, which provide fuel for nuclear reactors. Fuel rods are assembled into bundles called fuel assemblies, which are loaded individually into the reactor core.

What happens to a spent fuel rod when its fuel is depleted?

When fuel rods in a nuclear reactor are “spent,” or no longer usable, they are removed from the reactor core and replaced with fresh fuel rods. The fuel assemblies, which consist of dozens to hundreds of fuel rods each, are moved to pools of water to cool.

What is Nuclear Fuel disadvantages?

One of the reasons that nuclear energy falls under fire so frequently is due to the many disadvantages it brings. Uranium, water pollution, waste, leaks, and reaction failures.

What happens when a control rod is removed from the reactor?

A control rod is removed from or inserted into the reactor core in order to increase or decrease the reactivity of the reactor (increase or decrease the neutron flux). This in turn affects the thermal power of the reactor, the amount of steam produced, and hence the electricity generated.

Are fuel rods worth it in a nuclear reactor?

They are a great choice for a lower tier reactor due to the energy they produce but at some point normal nuclear reactors are just not enough. Nuclear Reactor GUI. Fill it with Coolant and Water, then put any Fuel Rods of your choosing into it and press the red button to raise the rods.

How does a nuclear reactor go supercritical?

The left image shows the control rods (green) inserted fully into the reactor core, putting the reactor in a subcritical state. In the right image, the control rods are removed, allowing more neutrons to accelerate the fission chain reaction and go supercritical.

What factors affect the fissile content of a nuclear reactor?

Some of these factors are inherent to the fissile fuel or reactor materials themselves, such as the number of neutrons produced in a fission event or the amount of neutron absorption due to fuel rod casings or moderators.