{"id":168,"date":"2015-11-05T09:34:04","date_gmt":"2015-11-05T09:34:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sitepourvtc.com\/?page_id=168"},"modified":"2022-10-11T09:05:57","modified_gmt":"2022-10-11T09:05:57","slug":"nuclear-reactor-core","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sitepourvtc.com\/nuclear-power-plant\/nuclear-reactor-core\/","title":{"rendered":"Reactor Core"},"content":{"rendered":"
A nuclear reactor core<\/strong> is a key component\u00a0of a nuclear reactor<\/strong>. In reactor physics, the nuclear core is a bounded region, where neutron<\/a> multiplication occurs, and chain reactions occur. The reactor core contains the nuclear fuel (fuel assemblies), the moderator<\/a>, and the control rods. The reactor’s core contains all the nuclear fuel assemblies and generates most of the heat (fraction of the heat is generated outside the reactor – e.g.,, gamma rays energy). The assemblies are exactly placed in the reactor according to a fuel loading pattern.<\/div><\/div>\n
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The fuel assembly.
Source: www.kernbrennstoff.de<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The core<\/strong> is located inside a reactor pressure vessel<\/a><\/strong> and is carried by a core support barrel<\/strong><\/a>. A bottom plate of the support barrel is called a lower core plate. This structure consists of N holes for fixing fuel assemblies (N is the number of fuel assemblies in a specific reactor – e.g.,, 157 for AP1000).<\/p>\n

There is a neutron\u00a0reflector <\/a>(core baffle or heavy reflector) around the core (around peripheral fuel assemblies), usually formed of stainless rings surrounding the nuclear fuel assemblies.<\/p>\n

The top of the nuclear core is defined by an\u00a0upper guide structure assembly. <\/strong>This assembly is made of stainless steel and has many purposes. The upper guide structure assembly exerts an axial force on fuel assemblies (through springs in the fuel assembly), thus defining the fuel assembly’s exact position in the core. The upper guide structure assembly also guides and protects control rod assemblies and in-core instrumentation.<\/p>\n

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Components of a nuclear reactor core<\/h2>\n

The key components common to most PWR types<\/a> of nuclear reactor cores\u00a0are:<\/p>\n