What is Pressurized heavy-water reactor?
[[File:CANDU Reactor Schematic.svg |thumb|right|200px|{{Center|Schematic diagram of a pressurised heavy-water reactor}}]] A '''pressurized heavy-water reactor''' ('''PHWR''') is a [[nuclear reactor]] developed by [[Canada]].<ref name=Knief288>Ronald Allen Knief, ''Nuclear Systems: Elements Of Thermal Design'', Volume 2 (London; Bristol, PA: Hemisphere Publishing, 1992), p. 288</ref> It commonly uses [[uranium]] as its fuel.<ref name=Knief288/> It uses [[heavy water]] (deuterium oxide D<sub>2</sub>O) as its [[Nuclear reactor coolant|coolant]] and [[neutron moderator]]. The heavy water coolant is kept under [[pressure]]. This allows it to be heated to higher [[temperature]]s without [[boiling]]. While heavy water is a lot more [[wikt:expensive|expensive]] than ordinary water, it creates greatly enhanced [[neutron economy]].<ref>Manoj Kumar Gupta, ''Power Plant Engineering'' (New Delhi: PHI Learning, 2012), p. 104</ref> This allows the reactor to operate without [[Isotope separation|fuel-enrichment facilities]] (offsetting the additional [[expense]] of the heavy water). ==Related pages== * [[Pressurized water reactor]] == References == {{commons}} {{reflist}} {{physics-stub}} [[Category:Nuclear power plants]] [[Category:Nuclear energy]]