Older nuclear reactors, such as pressurized water reactors, have designs that require multiple steps for an emergency shutdown. This can lead to disasters like Chernobyl or Fukushima. Special Fukushimalost its backup generators after the major earthquake, and the team was unable to respond to the systems in time due to debris.

Tsinghua University, China Huaneng Group The high-temperature gas-cooled pebble-bed reactor at the Shidao Bay nuclear power plant, built in cooperation with the China National Nuclear Corporation and China National Nuclear Corporation, has a safer design. According to engineers, there is no possibility of this reactor melting down.

Will be able to regulate the temperature passively

In pebble bed reactorsInstead of fuel rods, spherical pebbles are used, made of enriched uranium, carbon and silicon coating. Helium is used as a coolant in these reactors, and helium always remains in a gaseous state, except at cryogenic temperatures. According to the received statements, structures called pebbles can withstand temperatures of up to 1600 degrees. In addition, these structures lose more heat than they heat up, thanks to their surface-to-volume ratio. So these reactors can automatically control the temperature. Thanks to Doppler broadening, the fuel prevents melting by capturing the scattered neutrons.

Shidao reactor, to the German AVR power plant It is based on and appears to be the world’s first commercial pebble bed reactor. During the test, the plant avoided melting after a power failure and stabilized within 35 hours.