Nuclear Regulatory Commission image of pressurized water reactor vessel heads
An animation of a PWR power station with cooling towers
A pressurized water reactor (PWR) is a type of light-water nuclear reactor. PWRs constitute the large majority of the world's nuclear power plants (with notable exceptions being the UK, Japan and Canada). In a PWR, the primary coolant (water) is pumped under high pressure to the reactor core where it is heated by the energy released by the fission of atoms. The heated, high pressure water then flows to a steam generator, where it transfers its thermal energy to lower pressure water of a secondary system where steam is generated. The steam then drives turbines, which spin an electric generator. In contrast to a boiling water reactor (BWR), pressure in the primary coolant loop prevents the water from boiling within the reactor. All light-water reactors use ordinary water as both coolant and neutron moderator. Most use anywhere from two to four vertically mounted steam generators; VVER reactors use horizontal steam generators.
PWRs were originally designed to serve as nuclear marine propulsion for nuclear submarines and were used in the original design of the second commercial power plant at Shippingport Atomic Power Station.
PWRs currently operating in the United States are considered Generation II reactors. Russia's VVER reactors are similar to US PWRs, but the VVER-1200 is not considered Generation II (see below). France operates many PWRs to generate the bulk of its electricity.
and 20 Related for: Pressurized water reactor information
A pressurizedwaterreactor (PWR) is a type of light-water nuclear reactor. PWRs constitute the large majority of the world's nuclear power plants (with...
electricity-generating nuclear reactor after the pressurizedwaterreactor (PWR), which is also a type of light water nuclear reactor. The main difference between...
be boiled to produce pressurized steam for the turbines, like the pressurizedwaterreactor. However, in some reactors the water for the steam turbines...
of pressurizedwaterreactors. All pressurizedwaterreactor pressure vessels share some features regardless of the particular design. The reactor vessel...
5%). The company first formed in 1958 to license Westinghouse's pressurizedwaterreactor (PWR) designs for use in France. Similar agreements had been put...
boiling waterreactors where the primary coolant undergoes phase transition to steam inside the reactor. About 2/3 are pressurizedwaterreactors at even...
designed and sold by Westinghouse Electric Company. The plant is a pressurizedwaterreactor with improved use of passive nuclear safety and many design features...
generation (the ninth), and the contractor (General Electric). This pressurizedwaterreactor (PWR), developed by Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory (managed by...
well-established pressurizedwaterreactors (PWR) have a primary cooling loop of liquid water at a subcritical pressure, transporting heat from the reactor core to...
commercial reactor operations, this type of shutdown is often referred to as a "scram" at boiling waterreactors (BWR), a "reactor trip" at pressurizedwater reactors...
Both reactors would have been on-line to simultaneously provide maximum ship speed and plane launching capability. The reactors are pressurizedwater reactors...
of Unit 2's pressurizedwaterreactor at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant in Pennsylvania. The scope and complexity of this reactor accident became...
374 °C (705 °F). It is also known as "subcritical water" or "pressurized hot water". Superheated water is stable because of overpressure that raises the...
assembly. NRC photo of fresh fuel assemblies being inspected. Pressurizedwaterreactor (PWR) fuel consists of cylindrical rods put into bundles. A uranium...
at a premium, like on ships and submarines. Most water-based reactor designs are highly pressurized to raise the boiling point (thereby improving cooling...
discussed. Pressurized melt ejection (PME) It is quite possible, especially in pressurizedwaterreactors, that the primary loop will remain pressurized following...
EST in TMI-2's secondary loop, one of the three main water/steam loops in a pressurizedwaterreactor (PWR). The initial cause of the accident happened 11...