10/04/2010

Control Rods for Nuclear Reactor, what is that?

Hello guys and girls...

Today was quite a lecture given by the lecturers about the types of control rods inside the nuclear reactor. It has given us an idea in about to think what actually the control rods and what does it do inside the nuclear reactor? Hence, some research was done to actually get the information that will beneficial to all of us, especially who wants to know about the nuclear power system.

Control rods - It is a rod made of chemical elements capable of absorbing many neutrons without fissioning themselves (Wikipedia). In other words, the rods is a device that have the ability to adsorb a lot of neutrons inside the nuclear reactor. This is essential to the nuclear reactor because these rods will control the rate of fisson of uranium and plutonium inside the nuclear reactor. So, what is the reason for why the rods have that such kind of ability to absord neutrons? As an engineer, with the sense of logic, the answer to that question must be the material of rods itself. Which means, the materials used are the one that given the rods the ability to adsorb such neutrons. The commonly used materials which satisfy these criteria include cadmium, boron, iridium, silver and hafnium. These types of materials are the used materials that have a higher percentage in absorption ability of the neutrons.

There are also several types of control rods for the nuclear reactor. As can be found generally, there are three common control rods for a nuclear reactor now a days. Which are:

1. Shim rods - used  for  coarse  control  and/or  to  remove  reactivity  in  relatively  large amounts.
2. Regulating rods   - used for fine adjustments and to maintain desired power or temperature.
3. Safety rods -provide a means for very fast shutdown in the event of an unsafe condition.




So, it can be said that the rods are the device that has the ability to control the rate of the fission inside the nuclear reactor. This is one of the safety measure for the nuclear reactor so that any explosion or over fission inside the nuclear reactor will not occur. Although the more fission occur will produce more energy, but in some measurement, over energy can result in some uncontrollable or out of control. The higher rate of fission also can cause a higher levels of radiation and nuclear waste will occur which are harm to the people. Sometimes, more is less. So, the best result will always be the optimum of all.

So far as can be concerned, this nuclear system actually has what it takes to be the next renewable energy that can replace the existing type source of energy. There are still a lot research and development to do in Malaysia, since we are still a developing country but in the near future, this technology will be ideal to be constructed and implemented in Malaysia. This blog will be updated with more information and knowledge that can be share through out the world. Sharing is caring.

Nuclear For Malaysia.



58 comments:

  1. Control rods in a nuclear reactor are used to absorb neutrons to control the rate of reaction.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Whats the difference of the moderator and control rods in a nuclear reactor.? I'm confused since both have to do with the neutrons in the reactor.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The function of the moderator is to slow down the neutrons produced by fission.

    The function of the control rods is to control the rate of fission in the reactor. Because control rods absorb neutrons.

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a moderator does is slow down the neutrons in the reactor so that they have a chance to interact with the fuel. They do not affect the reaction rate specifically. They just allow the reaction to continue or not. Kind of like an on off switch. The only way to fine tune the rate of reaction is to use the control rods.

    ReplyDelete
  5. As can be said, control rods are the device inside the reactor to control the rate of fission inside the nuclear reactor, so that there will no over fission process which can cause radioactivity.

    The control rods can be parable like this:
    If there is a spot of water on a table, and we take a tissue or cloth, once we get the tissue touch the water spot, the water immediately being absorbed by the tissue, right? So, the control rods act like that, it absorb the neutrons so that the fission rate inside the nuclear reactor is controllable. Cheers...

    ReplyDelete
  6. usually what does the rod made off?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Usually, cadmium, boron, carbon, cobalt, silver, hafnium, and gadolinium, and Europium are common elements used in control rods.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Let say if the operator push the control rods further into the reactor core what will happen?

    ReplyDelete
  9. If u push the control rods further into the core, it will absorb more neutrons. The fission rate will also be reduced. When the fission rate is lower, the power output of the reactor also will be lower.

    ReplyDelete
  10. control rods pushed in = no more reactions, no more heat, no chance to explode

    ReplyDelete
  11. What if the control rods consume too much of the neutrons?? What will happen then?

    ReplyDelete
  12. which material has the highest absorption ability of the neutrons?

    if nuclear energy is as safe as explained, then more should be done by the goverment to see it through as our main source of energy.

    your blog has been insightful. thanks for the information.

    Lim Sze Yoong
    justinsylim@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. Dear holmes,

    Let say, if the control rods absorb too much of the neutrons, then the percentage of neutrons inside the fuel will be less. Hence, it will effect the amount of energy that can be produced through fissions. That is why, all control rods can be controlled, so that we can control the amount of energy needed through fission. This is my 2 cent. Hope it is understanable. Cheers..

    ReplyDelete
  14. Dear Lim,

    The best material should be either silver, indium and cadmium. These materials have the high fission energy without fission occuring by itself. Other materials also can be used as been mentioned above.

    Furthermore, the type of materials also depends on the nuclear reactor itself. So, a proper calculation about the amount of energy that will be produced if the reactor runs must be done first. Then, the selection of material can be done. I hope those answer will be beneficial to you. Anything just comment here. Thanx a lot Lim. Cheers...

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hi there, it was an insightful read indeed. It is interesting to note that control rods play a pivotal role in nuclear power generation. I now know that control rods function to control the immense power that a nuclear reaction wields to prevent it from going haywire. However, two questions i have is as follows: 1)What is the possibility that the material used for the rods starts a fission reaction after heavy absorption of neutrons?
    2)Are the control rods expensive to manufacture?

    Thank You.

    JASON FRANCIS
    jason_spyboy@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. how much(percentage) of fission inside the nuclear reactor that the rods can control? and how do we know if the rods is good to be used or having a malfunction?

    izzatun nadia binti harun
    me086266

    ReplyDelete
  17. hi friend,
    ur blog does provide adequate information about the nuclear power generation..i would like to know the mechanism of safety rod and materials used to construct it..how do safety rod provide a solution for fast shutdown..

    utrasenan a/l gunasegaran
    me083416
    utrasenan_87@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  18. The role of the control rod drive mechanisms is to insert or withdraw all the control rods over a height equal to that of the core, and maintain them in any selected intermediate position.

    The position of a control rod in the core is tracked using digital and analog position indicators.

    Another key function of the control rod drive mechanism is to free the control rod immediately after the current in the coils is interrupted i.e the reactor tripped.

    The entire control rod drive mechanism comprises:
    1. a pressure housing with a flanged connection.
    2. the entire latch unit.
    3. the drive rod.
    4. the coil-stack assembly.

    Each control rod drive mechanism works as an autonomous unit and may be mounted or removed independently of the others.

    I hope that answers some of the questions.

    ReplyDelete
  19. hallow...
    Shim rods , regulating rods and safety rods have a difference function of it...so i want to ask about material of 3 of it.it's same material use in a control rod...??

    khuzaimi bin kamaruddin
    acai_otai@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  20. Shim, Reg dan Safety adalah istilah bagi control rod, biasanya dalam reaktor penyelidikan jenis TRIGA sahaja, in reality for NPP reactor, there is no such type. Anyway, ketiga-tiga nya menggunakan Boron Karbida sebagai bahan penyerap neutron, selain itu selalunya terdapat lagi satu jenis dipanggil transient rod, yang digunakan selalunya bagi pulsing mode TRIGA reactor.
    []
    Berbeza dengan control bagi reaktor NPP, untuk mengawal paras kuasa atau shtdown, tidak semestinya dalam bentuk rod, ia selalunya gabungan rod, dan cecair boron..mekanisma kawalan bagi reaktor berbeza bagi jenis dan teknologi berlainan.
    []
    Malaysia buat masa ini telah berjaya mengoperasikan reaktor penyelidikan TRIGA selama hampir 30tahun tanpa ada event2 atau kemalangan. Saya mencadangkan lebih banyak pelajar datang untuk melawat atau attached di sana untuk mendapatgambaran terperinci tentang asas atau fizik di sebalik reaktor nuklear.

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