Ed Dartford
Well-Known Member
I hope we have a nuclear engineer out there who can answer my question.
Back around 1960 I took an introductory course in reactor design. I never had any intention of working in this field.. just took the course to fill in my program. I learned that a reactor doesn't just happen when you pile up a bunch of Uranium. The fuel, a moderator substance, and a reflector need to be arranged in a precise geometric configuration for a sustained chain reaction to occur. It therefore seems to me that any "meltdown" which alters the geometry of the reactor would automatically shut it down.
What am I missing?
Back around 1960 I took an introductory course in reactor design. I never had any intention of working in this field.. just took the course to fill in my program. I learned that a reactor doesn't just happen when you pile up a bunch of Uranium. The fuel, a moderator substance, and a reflector need to be arranged in a precise geometric configuration for a sustained chain reaction to occur. It therefore seems to me that any "meltdown" which alters the geometry of the reactor would automatically shut it down.
What am I missing?