How Do Nuclear Reactors Work?
Types of Reactors There are two types of nuclear reactors producing power today. The most common type of reactor is called a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR). The second is a Boiling Water Reactor (BWR). There are five other types being used or tested, and there is research continuing into other types of nuclear reactors. Basic Functions of a Reactor jQuery(document).ready(function(){ jQuery(‘#jsArticleStep1 span.image a:first’).attr(‘href’,’http://i.ehow.com/images/a04/ba/73/nuclear-reactors-work-2.1-800X800.jpg’); }); Uranium Enrichment www.world-nuclear.org Nuclear reactors split atoms of elements, usually uranium, to create heat. The heat created produces steam. The steam turns a turbine that powers a generator. The generator creates electricity. PWRs and BWRs both use enriched uranium as their fuel source. Uranium is also used in creating nuclear weapons but must be enriched much more for weapons uses. Pressurized Water Reactor Basics jQuery(document).ready(function(){ jQuery(‘#jsA
