Inside a reactor fast neutron irradiation significantly changes the crystallite size and influences. Graphite is a key component of operational nuclear reactors where it is used as a moderator reflector and for other structural components in 90 of current uk nuclear plants and is proposed for use in future high temperature gas cooled reactors. They also perform an important safety function by providing the structure through which co2 gas flows to remove heat from the nuclear fuel and the control rods used to shut down the reactor are inserted.
They reduce the speed of neutrons and allow a nuclear reaction to be sustained. The graphite bricks act as a moderator. These reactors involve high operating temperatures as well as very high neutron dose rates placing increased emphasis on strength creep and creep fatigue behavior of the materials used.
Next generation nuclear reactors gen iv will be high temperature gas cooled reactors with graphite used as a core and moderator material. Why graphite is used in nuclear reactors edf energy chief engineer dr jim reed explains about the various safety measures used in nuclear reactor design. Nuclear graphite is any grade of graphite usually synthetic graphite specifically manufactured for use as a moderator or reflector within a nuclear reactor graphite is an important material for the construction of both historical and modern nuclear reactors due to its extreme purity and its ability to withstand extremely high temperatures.
Nuclear graphite last updated may 17 2020. Graphite moderated reactors were involved in. The first artificial nuclear reactor the chicago pile 1 used graphite as a moderator.
A graphite reactor is a nuclear reactor that uses carbon as a neutron moderator which allows un enriched uranium to be used as nuclear fuel. For the graphite reactor at oak ridge national laboratory see x 10 graphite reactor. Graphite reactor directs here.
Nuclear graphite is any grade of graphite usually synthetic graphite specifically manufactured for use as a moderator or reflector within a nuclear reactor graphite is an important material for the construction of both historical and modern nuclear reactors due to its extreme purity and its ability to withstand extremely high temperatures graphite has also recently been used in nuclear.