reactor
n
1 (Chem) a substance, such as a reagent, that undergoes a reaction
2 short for →
nuclear reactor
3 a vessel, esp. one in industrial use, in which a chemical reaction takes place
4 a coil of low resistance and high inductance that introduces reactance into a circuit
5 (Med) a person sensitive to a particular drug or agent
advanced gas-cooled reactor
n a nuclear reactor using carbon dioxide as the coolant, graphite as the moderator, and ceramic uranium dioxide cased in stainless steel as the fuel, (Abbrev.)
AGR
boiling-water reactor
n a nuclear reactor using water as coolant and moderator, steam being produced in the reactor itself: enriched uranium oxide cased in zirconium is the fuel, (Abbrev.)
BWR
breeder reactor
n a type of nuclear reactor that produces more fissionable material than it consumes
Compare →
converter reactor
See also →
fast-breeder reactor
converter reactor
n a nuclear reactor for converting one fuel into another, esp. one that transforms fertile material into fissionable material
Compare →
breeder reactor
fast-breeder reactor
n a nuclear reactor that uses little or no moderator and produces more fissionable material than it consumes
See also →
breeder reactor →
fast reactor
fast reactor
n a nuclear reactor using little or no moderator, fission being caused by fast neutrons
fission reactor
n a nuclear reactor in which a fission reaction takes place
fusion reactor
n a nuclear reactor in which a thermonuclear fusion reaction takes place
gas-cooled reactor
n a nuclear reactor using a gas as the coolant. In the Mark I type the coolant is carbon dioxide, the moderator is graphite, and the fuel is uranium cased in magnox
See also →
advanced gas-cooled reactor
heavy-water reactor
n a nuclear reactor that uses heavy water as moderator
magnox reactor
n a nuclear reactor using carbon dioxide as the coolant, graphite as the moderator, and uranium cased in magnox as the fuel
nuclear reactor
n a device in which a nuclear reaction is maintained and controlled for the production of nuclear energy, (Sometimes shortened to)
reactor (Former name)
atomic pile See also →
fission reactor →
fusion reactor
pressurized-water reactor
n a nuclear reactor using water as coolant and moderator at a pressure that is too high to allow boiling to take place inside the reactor. The fuel is enriched uranium oxide cased in zirconium, (Abbrev.)
PWR
steam-generating heavy-water reactor
n a nuclear reactor using heavy water as the moderator, light water (H2O) as the coolant, and uranium oxide cased in zirconium alloy as the fuel, (Abbrev)
SGHWR
thermal reactor
n a nuclear reactor in which most of the fission is caused by thermal neutrons