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Technical Application of Nuclear Fission

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Handbook of Nuclear Chemistry

Abstract

The chapter is devoted to the practical application of the fission process, mainly in nuclear reactors. After a historical discussion covering the natural reactors at Oklo and the first attempts to build artificial reactors, the fundamental principles of chain reactions are discussed. In this context chain reactions with fast and thermal neutrons are covered as well as the process of neutron moderation. Criticality concepts (fission factor η, criticality factor k) are discussed as well as reactor kinetics and the role of delayed neutrons. Examples of specific nuclear reactor types are presented briefly: research reactors (TRIGA and ILL High Flux Reactor), and some reactor types used to drive nuclear power stations (pressurized water reactor [PWR], boiling water reactor [BWR], Reaktor Bolshoi Moshchnosti Kanalny [RBMK], fast breeder reactor [FBR]). The new concept of the accelerator-driven systems (ADS) is presented. The principle of fission weapons is outlined. Finally, the nuclear fuel cycle is briefly covered from mining, chemical isolation of the fuel and preparation of the fuel elements to reprocessing the spent fuel and conditioning for deposit in a final repository.

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Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank Dr. H. Braun and Dr. K. Eberhardt for several valuable hints. Special thanks are due to Dr. Nancy Hecker-Denschlag and Dr. Peter Black for their help in the English formulation of the text.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universität Mainz, Mainz, Germany

    J. O. Denschlag

Authors
  1. J. O. Denschlag
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, 32, Budapest, 1518, Hungary

    Attila Vértes (Professor Emeritus) & Sándor Nagy (Professor) (Professor Emeritus) &  (Professor)

  2. Chemical Research Center, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Pusztaszeri út 59-67, Budapest, 1025, Hungary

    Zoltán Klencsár (Dr.) (Dr.)

  3. Institute of Nuclear Research (ATOMKI), Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 51, Debrecen, 4001, Hungary

    Rezső G. Lovas (Professor) (Professor)

  4. Institute of Nuclear Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Fritz-Strassmann-Weg 2, 55128, Mainz, Germany

    Frank Rösch (Professor) (Professor)

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Denschlag, J.O. (2011). Technical Application of Nuclear Fission. In: Vértes, A., Nagy, S., Klencsár, Z., Lovas, R.G., Rösch, F. (eds) Handbook of Nuclear Chemistry. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0720-2_57

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