Comments on: Nuclear Fission for Dummies: Moderation http://nuclearfissionary.com/2010/03/07/nuclear-fission-for-dummies-moderation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nuclear-fission-for-dummies-moderation clean—safe—reliable Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:21:37 +0000 hourly 1 By: Nuclear Fission for Dummies: Xenon-135 http://nuclearfissionary.com/2010/03/07/nuclear-fission-for-dummies-moderation/#comment-463 Nuclear Fission for Dummies: Xenon-135 Thu, 06 May 2010 13:27:45 +0000 http://nuclearfissionary.com/?p=31#comment-463 [...] operators at Chernobyl didn’t. As was outlined in an earlier post, Xenon-135 was one of the many factors that combined to cause the catastrophe at the Russian reactor that would change the nuclear [...] [...] operators at Chernobyl didn’t. As was outlined in an earlier post, Xenon-135 was one of the many factors that combined to cause the catastrophe at the Russian reactor that would change the nuclear [...]

]]> By: Joffan http://nuclearfissionary.com/2010/03/07/nuclear-fission-for-dummies-moderation/#comment-26 Joffan Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:24:22 +0000 http://nuclearfissionary.com/?p=31#comment-26 One interesting consequence of the under-regulation (as I understand it) is that the boiling-water reactors especially can be controlled by changing the flow-rate of the water through the core, since faster water will have fewer steam bubbles in it and so will increase the fission rate. I often stress the differences between Chernobyl and Three-Mile Island, of which there are many in both origins and consequences, but one similarity is that the operators overrode automatic systems, and made things worse. I have to observe though that in the Three-Mile Island meltdown the reactor was correctly stopped using control rods before the water boiled off from decay heat. One interesting consequence of the under-regulation (as I understand it) is that the boiling-water reactors especially can be controlled by changing the flow-rate of the water through the core, since faster water will have fewer steam bubbles in it and so will increase the fission rate.

I often stress the differences between Chernobyl and Three-Mile Island, of which there are many in both origins and consequences, but one similarity is that the operators overrode automatic systems, and made things worse. I have to observe though that in the Three-Mile Island meltdown the reactor was correctly stopped using control rods before the water boiled off from decay heat.

]]> By: What Happened at Chernobyl? http://nuclearfissionary.com/2010/03/07/nuclear-fission-for-dummies-moderation/#comment-25 What Happened at Chernobyl? Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:53:42 +0000 http://nuclearfissionary.com/?p=31#comment-25 [...] reactors use either water or graphite to moderate the reactor core. Chernobyl was a graphite moderated reactor that used water only for cooling. United States (and now Russian) reactors are all required [...] [...] reactors use either water or graphite to moderate the reactor core. Chernobyl was a graphite moderated reactor that used water only for cooling. United States (and now Russian) reactors are all required [...]

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