3 ms·
> What happens when you move the fuel? It stops reacting. If you blow up a nuclear reactor you've made a nice radiological hazard (though Uranium/Thorium thems
by dodobirdlord 5y ago
> What happens when you move the fuel?
It stops reacting. If you blow up a nuclear reactor you've made a nice radiological hazard (though Uranium/Thorium themselves aren't particularly hazardous), but as soon as the fuel stops being contained inside of the appropriate neutron-mediating environment and is scattered, it will become subcritical.
The question of whether or not deploying nuclear reactors in warzones is a good idea is entirely different from the question of whether meltdowns are a realistic possibility. A critical nuclear reaction can be sustained with neutron reflectors and moderators using an amount of fuel that would otherwise be subcritical. Any "reconfiguration" only reduces the criticality factor of such a reactor.