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Numeriprimi
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I think about an interesting question - How many people can kill unshielded nuclear reactor in one second? Some averages, estimates ... Do you have any idea? And why? On what is it dependent?Thanks.
Most reactors have some shielding, if for no other reason than to contain the cooling fluid which is at some pressure above atmospheric pressure. Otherwise, shielding is incorporated in a design precisely to protect persons from radiation exposure, as well as high temperatures.Numeriprimi said:I think about an interesting question - How many people can kill unshielded nuclear reactor in one second? Some averages, estimates ... Do you have any idea? And why? On what is it dependent?Thanks.
Dundeephysics said:For the sake of arguement, if someone was to stand in the middle of a nuclear reactor (between fuel rode) which is operating like a normal reactor, a radiation intake for one second is high enough to be considered a lethal dose.
Numeriprimi said:I think about an interesting question - How many people can kill unshielded nuclear reactor in one second? Some averages, estimates ... Do you have any idea? And why? On what is it dependent?Thanks.
nikkkom said:In operating reactor radiation flux is strong enough to generate ~50kW in every kilogram of fuel - after all, the reactor heats up exclusively because of the radiation, nothing else.
50kW is approximately the power of 25 electric kitchen kettles.
A human body in conditions like these would be cooked (as in "boiled meat") in a few seconds.
Dundeephysics said:haha, tell me about it. I was considering nuclear radiation only
nikkkom said:That's what heats up the reactor - radiation. There are no other heat sources.
(It's debatable whether recoiling fission fragments are "radiation", but if fast-moving He-4 nucleus is considered to be a kind of radiation, then they can be too)
Dundeephysics said:The Energy that heats up the reactor causes the water (or whatever inside) to evaporate comes mainly from the energy difference between uranium and the fission daughter atoms. The thread initiator I believe is considering radiation from gamma, neutrons, alpha, beta etc and their effect on human. (I actually don't like saying radiation cause gamma, neutrons and alpha are also energy)
Nuclear fission Eq
(235,92)U + (1,0)n-->(A1,Z1)F1 + (A2,Z2)F2 + X(1,0)n+Y+Energy
Where X is an integer, Y is gamma.
Hiddencamper said:And that energy takes multiple forms. Some of it is gamma. The majority of it is kinetic energy from the fission fragments as they are bouncing around after being fissioned.
krash661 said:interesting.
Hiddencamper said:And that energy takes multiple forms. Some of it is gamma. The majority of it is kinetic energy from the fission fragments as they are bouncing around after being fissioned.
nikkkom said:And, yes. Fission fragments' kinetic energy is 90% of total fission energy, gammas and (delayed) betas (and their attendant secondary gammas) are no more than 10% of total released energy.
Yes, an unshielded nuclear reactor can be killed through various means, such as a nuclear meltdown, sabotage, or natural disasters.
The consequences of killing an unshielded nuclear reactor can be catastrophic, including large-scale releases of radioactive materials, widespread contamination, and long-term environmental and health effects.
Yes, it is possible to safely shut down an unshielded nuclear reactor. This can be achieved through controlled shutdown procedures, emergency shutdown systems, or manual intervention.
Yes, there are strict laws and regulations in place to prevent the deliberate killing of an unshielded nuclear reactor. These include safety protocols, security measures, and international agreements.
The best way to prevent the possibility of killing an unshielded nuclear reactor is through strict adherence to safety standards, regular maintenance and inspections, and continuous training for personnel operating the reactor.