The operating principle of a nuclear power plant is to use the fission reaction of atomic nuclei to release energy and convert it to produce electricity.
A nuclear power plant uses a nuclear reactor to replace the boiler of a thermal power plant. Nuclear fuel undergoes a special form of “burning” in the nuclear reactor to generate heat, which converts nuclear. energy into thermal energy to heat water and produce steam. The systems and equipment of a nuclear power plant generally consist of two parts: nuclear systems and equipment, also called conventional nuclear systems and equipment, also called conventional islands.
In a nuclear power plant, the role of the reactor is to carry out nuclear fission and convert nuclear energy into thermal energy in water. As a coolantt, the water absorbs the thermal energy generated by nuclear fission in the reactor and becomes water at high temperature and high pressure. Then it enters the U-shaped tube of the steam generator along the pipeline and transfers heat to the turbine working fluid outside the U-shaped tube to turn it into saturated steam.
The cooled coolant is pumped to the reactor by the main pump for reheating. This cycle repeats, forming a closed cycle of heat absorption and release. This cycle is also called primary loop. steam supply system.
Advantages of nuclear power plants:
1. Nuclear power generation does not emit huge amounts of pollutants into the atmosphere like fossil fuel power generation, so nuclear power generation does not cause air pollution.
2. Nuclear energy productionre does not emit carbon and will not worsen the global greenhouse effect.
3. The uranium fuel used in nuclear power production currently has no other use than the production of electricity.
4. The energy density of nuclear fuel is millions of times greater than that of fossil fuels. Therefore, the fuel used in nuclear power plants is small and easy to transport and store. The plant can only transport 30 tons of uranium fuel by plane in a single flight.
5. Fuel costs represent a relatively small proportion of the cost of nuclear power generation. The cost of nuclear power generation is not easily affected by the international economic situation, so the cost of electricity generation is relatively stable. .
Reference for the above content: Baidu Encyclopedia-Nuclear Power Plant