Pressurised heavy-water reactor

PHWR

Heavy water (deuterium oxide) kept under pressure as both coolant and moderator, which absorbs far fewer neutrons than ordinary water and so lets the reactor run on natural, unenriched uranium. That is the CANDU design's defining trade: heavy water is expensive to produce, but the fuel needs no enrichment plant. Fuel is natural or slightly enriched uranium oxide, usually in horizontal pressure tubes, refuelled online without shutting the reactor down.

Organisations and devices by approach: Pressurised heavy-water reactor on the technology page

Vocabulary id

approach:phwr

Scheme

Technology approaches

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