Pressurized Water Reactor and Fast Breeder Reactor , Advantages and Disadvantages

Pressurized Water Reactor

The fuel used in the pressurized water reactor is enriched uranium. Water acts as a moderator and coolant. Through the reactor core, the water must be passed and the liberated heat must be carried to the nuclear fission of the fuel. But here, the water is not boiled because of the low boiling point. So it remains in the liquid state, it is placed in a pressuriser at a pressure of 1200 PSI. From the reactor it enables flow of the water to the steam generator. It passes through the heat and allowed to follow by the feed water later, it is converted into the steam.

Fast Breeder Reactor

In the fast breeder reactor the core consists of uranium 235 and another one is surrounded by a fertile material or uranium 238 and it is converted into fissionable material plutonium 239. The plutonium 239 is suitable for the chain reaction. So the reactor must be converted into the breeds’ fissionable material from the fertile material of uranium 238 which is available in the large quantity.

In this reactor we can use two states of liquid metal coolant circuits. The primary coolant must be liquid sodium and it dispersed through the pipes of intermediate heat exchanger transfer as it is heated. Sodium potassium alloys acts as a secondary coolant. The sodium potassium alloys are passed thought the steam generator and the heat must be exchanges to the feed water. Coming to the point of thermal efficiency and safety fast breeder reactors are better than conventional reactors.

Advantages of nuclear power plant:

• Uranium acts as a fuel
• The main advantage of using the uranium there is, that there is no chance of releasing any solid pollutants into the air
• Compared to the remaining power plants it takes less work space area.
• It consumes very less fuel
• The transportation cost is low
• It does not requires any storage to store the fuel
• It does not depends up on the condition of the weather
• We can run the plant throughout the season but in other power plants they depend upon the season
• By this process we can conserve the fuels like oil, coal gases and other by-products.
• By using those products we can run the vehicles, gas for cooking purpose and coal to run the thermal power plants.
• Requirement of labour is also less.
• To increases the electricity demand the main source must be the nuclear power plant
• Compared to the fossil fuel plant nuclear power plant uses less fuel

Disadvantages of nuclear power plants:

• Initial cost of the power plant is high compared to the hydroelectric power plant or thermal power plant with same capacity.
• The developed radioactive disposals are ready to disposed, otherwise it creates a harmful effects to the people who stay around the nuclear power plant
• The maintained cost must be high compare to the others
• Varying load conditions are not suitable
• Trained people are required to operate the system or power plant