What is Breeder reactor?
{{Article issues| {{cleanup|reason=|date=November 2023}} {{confusing|date=November 2023}} {{wikify|date=November 2023}} }} A '''breeder reactor''' is a type of [[nuclear reactor]] designed to produce more [[wiktionary:fissile#Adjective|fissile]] material (usually [[plutonium]]-239) than it consumes while generating [[electricity]]. == Process == A breeder reactor converts non-fissile [[uranium]]-238 into fissile material through a process called ''breeding''. In breeder reactors, fast [[Neutron|neutrons]] are used to initiate [[nuclear fission]], and as the reactor operates, it creates more fissile material than it consumes, making it an efficient way to generate [[nuclear fuel]]. Breeder reactors have the potential to significantly extend the availability of nuclear fuel resources and reduce [[nuclear waste]], but they also come with challenges related to safety and proliferation concerns. <!--Certainly, I can provide a more detailed explanation of breeder reactors.--> <!-- == Fissile Material and Breeding == Breeder reactors are designed to utilize fissile material, which is capable of sustaining a nuclear chain reaction. The most commonly used fissile material is uranium-235 (U-235), which can be found in natural uranium. However, in a breeder reactor, the focus is on creating more fissile material, typically plutonium-239 (Pu-239), by irradiating non-fissile uranium-238 (U-238) with neutrons. This process is known as breeding because it produces more fissile material than it consumes. == Fast Neutrons == Breeder reactors often use fast neutrons, which are high-energy neutrons, to initiate nuclear fission in the fuel. Fast neutrons are more effective at causing fission in U-238 than thermal neutrons (slower neutrons), which are typically used in conventional nuclear reactors. == Fuel Cycle == In a breeder reactor, the fuel cycle involves the following steps: a. Irradiation: Fast neutrons bombard the U-238 in the reactor's fuel, converting it into Pu-239 through neutron capture. b. Fis