How does a nuclear power plant work?

Answer 1

Nuclear power plants are similar in operation to fossil plants. The difference is the fuel. In a nuclear power plant, uranium – a natural ore that has been enriched -- is used, and steam is generated through fission instead of burning oil, gas or coal. Nuclear power plants do not burn any fuel, so there are no pollutants released into the air. The process works like this:

Stage Description
1 Tiny parts of the uranium, known as atoms, are made to split, or fission.
2 During fission, even smaller particles of the atom, called neutrons, are released.
3 The neutrons strike more uranium atoms, resulting in the release of heat needed to generate electricity.

There are two types of reactors in the United States:

Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs) boil water so that it is converted to steam. The steam drives a turbine connected to a generator before being recycled back into water by a condenser and used again in the heat process.



Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) keep water under pressure so that it heats up but does not boil. Water from the reactor and water in the steam generator never mix.

Answer 2

From howstuffworks.com:

"Have you ever wondered how a nuclear power plant works or how safe nuclear power is? In this article, we will examine how a nuclear reactor and a power plant work. We'll explain nuclear fission and give you a view inside a nuclear reactor."

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Answer 3

Basically (and with some oversimplification), it's a two-step process:

1. Nuclear reactor heats up water.
2. The resulting steam spins a steam turbine attached to an electricity generator, which generates electricity.

Answer 4

the radio active stuff is hot right
well it boils water which makes steam which turns turbines which generates electricity
but the radioactive stuff get turned into waste

Answer 5

You stick three banana's, two apples and 5 pounds of sour kraut in a bag, add one pint of vodka and hang it on a wind mill...

Answer 6

They run on mice.