Heavy water reactor).Ĭentrifuge: A cylinder spinning at high speed to physically separate gas components of slightly different mass, e.g. It is penetrated from end to end by hundreds of calandria tubes which accommodate the pressure tubes containing the fuel and coolant.ĬANDU: CANadian Deuterium Uranium reactor, moderated and cooled by heavy water (except for the ACR design, which is cooled by light water). Gadolinium is commonly used, and erbium may also be used.īurnup: Measure of thermal energy released by nuclear fuel relative to its mass, typically Gigawatt days per tonne of fuel (GWd/t).Ĭalandria: (in a PHWR reactor) a cylindrical reactor vessel which contains the heavy water moderator. PWR)īreed: To form fissile nuclei, usually as a result of neutron capture, possibly followed by radioactive decay.īreeder reactor: see Fast Breeder Reactor and Fast Neutron Reactor.īurn: The process of undergoing fission (analogous to burning a fossil fuel) or otherwise becoming denatured in the reactor core.īurnable absorber, burnable poison: A neutron absorber included in the fuel which progressively disappears and compensates for the loss of reactivity as the fuel is consumed. thick concrete walls) placed around a reactor or radioactive material to reduce the radiation (especially neutrons and gamma rays respectively) to a level safe for humans.īoiling water reactor (BWR): A common type of light water reactor (LWR), where water is allowed to boil in the core thus generating steam directly in the reactor vessel. Beta particles are generally electrons (with negative charge) but may be positrons.īiological shield: A mass of absorbing material (e.g. (In practice, GBq or TBq are the common units).īeta particle: A particle emitted from an atom during radioactive decay. One Bq indicates one disintegration per second and is thus the activity of a quantity of radioactive material which averages one decay per second. Approximately equivalent to the minimum daily load.īecquerel: The SI unit of intrinsic radioactivity in a material. The positive charges on the protons are balanced by a number of negatively-charged electrons in motion around the nucleus.īackground radiation: The naturally-occurring ionising radiation which every person is exposed to, arising from the Earth's crust (including radon) and from cosmic radiation.īase load: That part of electricity demand which is continuous, and does not vary over a 24-hour period. Atoms have a nucleus consisting of positively-charged protons and uncharged neutrons of almost the same mass. Alpha particles are helium nuclei, with 2 protons and 2 neutrons.Ītom: A particle of matter which cannot be broken up by chemical means. This is the optimisation principle of radiation protection.Īlpha particle: A positively-charged particle emitted from the nucleus of an atom during radioactive decay. Expressed in becquerels.ĪLARA: As Low As Reasonably Achievable, economic and social factors being taken into account. in the steel of a reactor core) which has been created by neutron bombardment.Īctivity: The number of disintegrations per unit time inside a radioactive source. Minor actinides are americium, curium and neptunium.Īctivation product: A radioactive isotope of an element (e.g. They are therefore significant in wastes arising from nuclear fission, e.g. Actinides are radioactive and typically have long half-lives. Usually applied to those above uranium – 93 up (also called transuranics). Index A B C D E F G H I L M N O P R S T U V W Y ZĪctinide: An element with atomic number of 89 (actinium) to 103. The following is a list of terms commonly used in discussion of nuclear energy.
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