Nuclear Power Plants

Physics BWinter, 2011

Ms. Ellmer

Nuclear Power Plant Parts

Video of How Power Plants Work

Parts of the PowerplantContainment Building: Concrete dome that contains the

nuclear fission reactor and its pools.Heat Exchanger: Giant radiator to remove heat from heavy/light

water from reactor to make steam.Turbine: Giant sideways fan that spins by the steam created in

heat exchanger. Turns generator shaft that makes electricity.

Cooling Tower: Tall cone structures you see from the road to help condense steam back to water (i.e. cool it down)

Lake or Ocean: Receives condensed steam/water into natural water supply.

Heavy water: Any of several isotopic forms of water, especially deuterium oxide, that consists chiefly of molecules containing heavy hydrogen and is used as a moderator (bath water) in certain nuclear reactors.

Light water: Straight-up water from faucet. Mostly used in today’s reactors.

What happened to Japan in the Earthquake/Tsunami?

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/earth/japan-killer-quake.html