Nuclear energy

Nuclear energy

Nuclear binding energy is the energy required to split a nucleus of an atom into its component parts. The component parts are neutrons and protons, which are collectively called nucleons. The binding energy of nuclei is always a positive number, since all nuclei require net energy to separate them into individual protons and neutrons.

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Nuclear energy

neutron poison

Energy; Nuclear energy

In reactor physics, a substance (other than fissionable material) that has a large capacity for absorbing neutrons in the vicinity of the reactor core. This effect may be undesirable in some reactor ...

nuclear steam supply system

Energy; Nuclear energy

The reactor and the reactor coolant pumps (and steam generators for a pressurized water reactor) and associated piping in a nuclear power plant used to generate the steam needed to drive the turbine ...

reactor coolant system

Energy; Nuclear energy

The system used to remove energy from the reactor core and transfer that energy either directly or indirectly to the steam turbine.

nuclear reactor

Energy; Nuclear energy

The heart of a nuclear power plant or nonpower reactor, in which nuclear fission may be initiated and controlled in a self-sustaining chain reaction to generate energy or produce useful radiation. ...

rubblization

Energy; Nuclear energy

A decommissioning technique involving demolition and burial of formerly operating nuclear facilities. All equipment from buildings is removed and the surfaces are decontaminated. Above-grade ...

isotopic enrichment

Energy; Nuclear energy

A process by which the relative abundance of the isotopes of a given element are altered, thus producing a form of the element that has been enriched in one particular isotope and depleted in its ...

iodine spiking factor

Energy; Nuclear energy

The magnitude of a rapid, short-term increase in the appearance rate of radioiodine in the reactor coolant system. This increase is generally caused by a reactor transient that results in a rapid ...