nuclear reactor

1. (physics) any of several kinds of apparatus that maintain and control a nuclear reaction for the production of energy or artificial elements (synset 103839580)
   referred to in: natural philosophy, physics - the science of matter and energy and their interactions
   is a type of: apparatus, setup - equipment designed to serve a specific function
   subtypes:

   • atomic pile, atomic reactor, chain reactor, pile - a nuclear reactor that uses controlled nuclear fission to generate energy
   • breeder reactor - a nuclear reactor that produces more fissile material than it burns
   • fast reactor - nuclear reactor in which nuclear fissions are caused by fast neutrons because little or no moderator is used
   • gas-cooled reactor - a nuclear reactor using gas as a coolant
   • liquid metal reactor - a nuclear reactor using liquid metal as a coolant
   • thermal reactor - a nuclear reactor in which nuclear fissions are caused by neutrons that are slowed down by a moderator
   • fusion reactor, thermonuclear reactor - a nuclear reactor that uses controlled nuclear fusion to generate energy
   • water-cooled reactor - nuclear reactor using water as a coolant
   has:

   • control rod - a steel or aluminum rod that can be moved up or down to control the rate of the nuclear reaction
   • core - the chamber of a nuclear reactor containing the fissile material where the reaction takes place
   • moderator - any substance used to slow down neutrons in nuclear reactors
   same as: reactor

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