4 ms·

Part of that problem is that water is actually a decent moderator and neutron reflector, so it helps a lot in keeping a chain reaction with lots of energy outpu

Part of that problem is that water is actually a decent moderator and neutron reflector, so it helps a lot in keeping a chain reaction with lots of energy output going. Some of the energy also goes into splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen can then collect in some corner of the building until it reaches an concentration where it explodes rather easily. The explosion can then damage the building, ruining containment and scatter radioactive material around. Moral of the story? Keep your box of boronic sand nice and dry.

logifail 8y ago
> Moral of the story? Keep your box of boronic sand nice and dry. See also: "For every three units of energy produced by the reactor core of a U.S. nuclear power plants, two units are discharged to the environment as waste heat. Nuclear plants are built on the shores of lakes, rivers, and oceans because these bodies provide the large quantities of cooling water needed to handle the waste heat discharge."[0] [0] https://www.ucsusa.org/nuclear_power/nuclear_power_technology/got-water-nuclear-power.html https://www.ucsusa.org/nuclear_power/nuclear_power_technolog...
- londons_explore 8y ago
  Pretty much every energy source has a lot of waste heat produced. Solar panels get hot, gas turbines have hot exhausts, coal plants have cooling towers etc. They all approximate a heat engine, and they must theoretically give off heat to the cold reservoir
  - logifail 8y ago
    > They all approximate a heat engine For each of those energy sources mentioned, what would happen if the generating station were to be completely inundated with water?