About the PBMR
by staff
FILED IN: Energy and Fuels · Issue 9
The Pebble Bed Modular Reactor is a nuclear power plant that derives its name from the type of fuel that it consumes and the incremental, modular fashion in which it can be built.
Pebble bed reactor technology uses spheres or ‘pebbles’ of coated uranium dioxide encased in graphite. When fully loaded the reactor holds about 452,000 fuel spheres each of which is 60cm in diameter.
The reactor itself is a vertical, cylindrical, steel pressure vessel approximately 27m high and 6.2m in inner diameter. The nuclear reaction that takes place in the reactor is cooled by helium gas, which enters the top of the vessel at approximately 500°C, flows down between the spheres and leaves the bottom of the vessel having been heated to 900°C. This heated gas then passes through a gas turbine that drives an electricity generator.
SIMILAR ARTICLES
- Earthlife Africa a step closer to PBMR info Earthlife Africa Cape Town (ELA CT) is pleased to announce that it has moved a step closer to victory in its court case against Eskom...
- World’s largest tidal turbine successfully installed The world’s largest tidal turbine, weighing 1000 tonnes, has been installed in Northern Ireland’s Strangford Lough. The tidal turbine is rated at 1.2 megawatts, which...
- Nuclear energy costs the Earth Earthlife Africa, Cosatu, the Catholic Bishops Conference, the Environmental Justice Network Forum, the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa and a range of other...
- Ten Reasons why the PBMR is not the answer Global warming and climate change pose a serious threat to societies of today and finding cleaner energy sources is a big challenge. It is evident...
- Chernobyl to be covered in steel The authorities in Ukraine have approved a giant steel cover for the radioactive site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster - Chernobyl. Ukraine has hired a...
- Pellet Stoves vs. Wood Stoves: Which is Greener? Pellet stoves have become darlings of the green home heating world, in some ways; they’re more efficient and have fewer particle emissions than their wood-burning...
CURRENT ISSUE
Issue 29 of Biophile is going electronic and will be available soon. It will also be available to our international readers. Stay tuned or contact us for more details! find out more
EDITORIAL
I was just checking the website of the SEXPO which has just visited SA, this is what the Cape Town site says. . . . “The world’s largest Health, Sexuality and Lifestyle expo is coming back to Slaapstad and it’s bigger and sexier than ever! continue reading
ABOUT BIOPHILE
Biophile magazine is published every two months by Biophile cc. The magazine is edited by Chris Lautenbach, while subscriptions and advertising are managed by Lindsay Mitchell.
The telephone number is 021 789 0694 and you can send faxes to 086 514 9668 and letters to PO Box 39277 Capricorn Square 7948.
ECOTELLY
Visit Ecotelly.com for more videos
AWARD
Biophile recently received recognition for its contribution to the print & internet category at the 20th SAB Environmentalist & Environmental Journalists of the year Awards. Congratulations to a dedicated team!
SPONSOR
RECENT COMMENTS