20. Nuclear Power Plants

Currently, about half of all nuclear power plants are located in the United States. There are many different kinds of nuclear power plants, and we will discuss a few important designs in this text. A nuclear power plant harnesses the energy inside atoms themselves and converts this to electricity. All of us use this electricity. In Sect. 20.1 of this chapter, we show you the idea of the fission process and how it works. A nuclear power plant uses controlled nuclear fission. In this chapter, we will explore how a nuclear power plant operates and the manners in which nuclear reactions are controlled. There are several different designs for nuclear reactors. Most of them have the same basic function, but ones implementation of this function separates it from another. There are several classification systems used to distinguish between reactor types. Below is a list of common reactor types and classification systems found throughout the world, and they are briefly explained below according to the three types of classification: (1) Classified by Moderator Material, (2) Classified by Coolant Material, and (3) Classified by Reaction Type.