Introduction to Pressurized Water Reactor Nuclear Power Plants

Since the advent of nuclear power plants, there have mainly been three types of industrially mature power reactors: light water reactors, heavy water reactors and graphite gas-cooled reactors. They are therefore used in three different nuclear power plants, constituting the bulk of modern nuclear energy production. Currently, most thermal neutron reactors are so-called light water reactors, moderated and cooled by light water. Light water reactors are divided into pressurized water reactors (Figure 11) and boiling water reactors.