GAS COOLED REACTOR

WHAT IS GAS COOLED REACTOR

A gas-cooled reactor (GCR) is a nuclear reactor that uses
graphite as a neutron moderator and carbon dioxide (helium can
also be used) as coolant. Although there are many other types of
reactor cooled by gas, the terms GCR and to a lesser extent gas
cooled reactor are particularly used to refer to this type of
reactor.

WHAT IS GAS COOLED REACTOR

The GCR was able to use natural uranium as fuel, enabling the
countries that developed them to fabricate their own fuel
without relying on other countries for supplies of enriched
uranium, which was at the time of their development only
available from the United States or Soviet Union.

ADVANTAGES OF GAS COOLER REACTOR

High temperatures are possible at low pressures since boiling

is not a problem

Plant thermal efficiencies increase with increasing cycle

temperatures. Steam can be produced at higher temperatures
in heat exchangers heated by gas.

Gases can be non-hazardous.

DISADVANTAGES OF GAS COOLER REACTOR

The power required to pump the gas is very high compared to

that for pumping liquids.

Large flow rates and high velocities are required

Care must be taken not to use gases that are corrosive to

moderating materials at the high temperatures employed.

TWO MAIN TYPES OF GCR GENERATION I

The Magnox reactors developed by the United Kingdom.

The UNGG reactors developed by France.

MAGNOX REACTOR
Magnox is a type of nuclear power/production reactor that was designed
to run on natural uranium with graphite as the moderator and carbon
dioxide gas as the heat exchange coolant. The title, magnox, comes from
the magnesium-aluminium alloy used to clad the fuel rods inside the
reactor. In total it was constructed in the tens and sited primarily in
Britain during the 1950-70s, with very few exported to other countries.

UNGG REACTOR
The UNGG (Uranium Naturel Graphite Gaz) is an obsolete nuclear
power reactor design developed by France. It was graphite moderated,
cooled by carbon dioxide, and fueled with natural uranium metal. The
first generation of French nuclear power stations were UNGGs, as was
Vandellos unit 1 in Spain. Of ten units built, all were shut down by end
1994, most for economic reasons due to staffing costs.

ADVANCED GAS COOLED REACTOR

The newer Advanced Gas Cooled (AGR) Reactors use
a slightly enriched uranium dioxide clad with stainless
steel.Carbon dioxide is the coolant gas used.
Two key advantages of this design are:

higher operating temperature with a higher thermal

efficiency
not susceptible to accidents of the type possible
with water cooled/moderated reactors.

GAS COOLED REACTOR OR ADVANCED

GAS REACTOR CYCLE ILLUSTRATION