Thermal and fast nuclear reactors
A nuclear reactor converts the fissile components, such as 235U, of nuclear fuel into energy, and fertile components, such as 238U, into fissile components and then into energy. A fissile atom is one that is very likely to be fissioned (split) when a neutron is absorbed, thereby enabling a nuclear chain reaction. A fertile atom is one that can be converted to a fissile atom by absorbing one neutron.In the fission process, which is an exothermic reaction, about 0.09% of the total mass of a uranium atom is converted to energy. Most of this energy is manifested as increased temperature inside the reactor fuel. Liquid heat-transfer material is circulated through the reactor to control the temperature. It also extracts heat for useful purposes, such as to produce steam to drive a turbine connected to an electric generator.
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