3 ms·
> Reactors want ~5% U235 Light-water reactors, which are the more/most prevalent design. Heavy-water reactors, like CANDUs, can use non-processed uranium in 'n
by throw0101a 5y ago
> Reactors want ~5% U235
Light-water reactors, which are the more/most prevalent design. Heavy-water reactors, like CANDUs, can use non-processed uranium in 'natural' concentrations:
* https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/CANDU_reactor https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/CANDU_reactor
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CANDU_reactor#Purpose_of_using_heavy_water https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CANDU_reactor#Purpose_of_using...
The heavy-water is deuterium oxide, where there "hydrogen" atom has one proton and one neutron, whereas the far more common hydrogen has no neutrons in the nucleus:
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_water https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_water
- Retric 5y agoCurrent CANDU reactors are significantly more expensive to operate and have had relatively low capacity factors. Which is why they have had little success outside of Canada. China for example only uses 2 and has abandoned the design. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CANDU_reactor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CANDU_reactor They do use up to 30% less mined uranium as your link points out, but also produce a lot more high level nuclear waste.