Spent fuel pool
Spent fuel pool is a type of storage pool used in nuclear power plants to store spent nuclear fuel. These pools are typically made of reinforced concrete and lined with stainless steel. They are filled with water, which acts as both a coolant and a radiation shield.
Design and function[edit | edit source]
Spent fuel pools are designed to hold spent nuclear fuel that has been removed from a nuclear reactor. The fuel is extremely hot and radioactive when it is first removed from the reactor, so it is placed in the pool to cool down and to shield workers and the environment from radiation. The water in the pool is continuously circulated and cooled to remove heat from the fuel.
The pools are typically about 40 feet deep, which provides enough water above the fuel to shield workers on the pool deck from radiation. The fuel is stored in racks at the bottom of the pool. The racks are designed to keep the fuel assemblies separate to prevent a nuclear reaction.
Safety concerns[edit | edit source]
There are several safety concerns associated with spent fuel pools. One is the possibility of a loss of coolant accident, in which the water in the pool is lost, exposing the fuel to the air. This could lead to a fire and the release of radioactive material. Another concern is the possibility of a criticality accident, in which the fuel assemblies come too close together and start a nuclear reaction.
To prevent these accidents, spent fuel pools are designed with multiple safety systems. These include systems to detect and respond to a loss of coolant, systems to monitor and control the position of the fuel assemblies, and systems to detect and respond to a criticality accident.
See also[edit | edit source]
Spent fuel pool Resources | ||
---|---|---|
|
|
|
Find a healthcare provider anywhere in the world quickly and easily!
Translate to: East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski
WikiMD is the world's largest, free medical and wellness encyclopedia edited only by professionals. Advertise!
Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Admin, Prab R. Tumpati, MD