3 ms·

Partially. Also, the first really "working" nuclear reactor was built for a submarine. However, every modern nuclear reactor uses essentially the same design. T

by ender7 14y ago

Partially. Also, the first really "working" nuclear reactor was built for a submarine. However, every modern nuclear reactor uses essentially the same design. This has resulted in some...idiosyncrasies in this design.

Symmetry 14y ago
Yup. One of the good things about the light water reactors that everybody uses is that you can make them relatively small. That's a big deal when you're deciding what sort of reactor to put on a submarine. And then everybody who knew how to make a nuclear power plant only knew how to make a light water reactor, and then lock-in happened.
- aqme28 14y ago
  The other obvious advantage to having a light water reactor on a submarine is that water is something you can easily find a lot of out in the ocean.
  - ansible 14y ago
    The other obvious advantage to having a light water reactor on a submarine is that water is something you can easily find a lot of out in the ocean. Well, you have to at least de-salinate the water and filter it before you use it in the reactor. If, in an emergency, you need to pump in salt water, you're going to ruin the equipment via corrosion. The movie 'K-19 The Widowmaker' got into this a bit.
    - andrewflnr 14y ago
      If, in an emergency, you need to pump in salt water, you're going to ruin the equipment via corrosion. Well, yeah, but is that any worse than if you have a different reactor design? Considering that, in a meltdown scenario, corroded equipment is not your biggest problem, it seems you would want to at least have the option. But most of what I know about subs comes from reading "The Hunt for Red October".
    - jbcor 14y ago
      That's true only if you needed to replace water in the primary loop, but that's not likely. Seawater is only in the 3rd outer condenser loop in a PWR design.
- KitemanSA 14y ago
  Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactors were based on a design for an AIRCRAFT reactor! Talk about having to be SMALL! :)
Retric 14y ago
That's not really true, is a huge difference between using Sodium vs Lead vs light water vs heavy water vs gas for the primary coolant loop. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_water_reactor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_water_reactor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_water_reactor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_water_reactor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_metal_cooled_reactor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_metal_cooled_reactor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead-cooled_fast_reactor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead-cooled_fast_reactor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas-cooled_reactor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas-cooled_reactor The real link has a lot more to due with how cheap uranium was to mine / refine and how much refined uranium was needed for weapons programs. At this point we could stop all uranium mining for the next 50+ years without any problems and by changing designs that could stretch out to something like 1000 years. Fuel is simply not the problem.

by ender7 14y ago

Symmetry 14y ago

Yup. One of the good things about the light water reactors that everybody uses is that you can make them relatively small. That's a big deal when you're deciding what sort of reactor to put on a submarine. And then everybody who knew how to make a nuclear power plant only knew how to make a light water reactor, and then lock-in happened.

aqme28 14y ago
The other obvious advantage to having a light water reactor on a submarine is that water is something you can easily find a lot of out in the ocean.
- ansible 14y ago
  The other obvious advantage to having a light water reactor on a submarine is that water is something you can easily find a lot of out in the ocean. Well, you have to at least de-salinate the water and filter it before you use it in the reactor. If, in an emergency, you need to pump in salt water, you're going to ruin the equipment via corrosion. The movie 'K-19 The Widowmaker' got into this a bit.
  - andrewflnr 14y ago
    If, in an emergency, you need to pump in salt water, you're going to ruin the equipment via corrosion. Well, yeah, but is that any worse than if you have a different reactor design? Considering that, in a meltdown scenario, corroded equipment is not your biggest problem, it seems you would want to at least have the option. But most of what I know about subs comes from reading "The Hunt for Red October".
  - jbcor 14y ago
    That's true only if you needed to replace water in the primary loop, but that's not likely. Seawater is only in the 3rd outer condenser loop in a PWR design.
KitemanSA 14y ago
Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactors were based on a design for an AIRCRAFT reactor! Talk about having to be SMALL! :)

Retric 14y ago

That's not really true, is a huge difference between using Sodium vs Lead vs light water vs heavy water vs gas for the primary coolant loop. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_water_reactor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_water_reactor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_water_reactor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_water_reactor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_metal_cooled_reactor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_metal_cooled_reactor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead-cooled_fast_reactor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead-cooled_fast_reactor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas-cooled_reactor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas-cooled_reactor The real link has a lot more to due with how cheap uranium was to mine / refine and how much refined uranium was needed for weapons programs. At this point we could stop all uranium mining for the next 50+ years without any problems and by changing designs that could stretch out to something like 1000 years. Fuel is simply not the problem.