How is a nuclear reactor on a nuclear submarine different from a nuclear reactor on land?

Edgefield

The obvious difference is that a commercial reactor plant is generally a base loading power plant that comes up to full power and stays there. A shipboard nuclear powered PROPULSION plant's power will vary close to ship's hustle. And there are other differences that are classified.



Martelle

That is classified. But I can tell you that one big difference is where the waste heat is dumped. On a nuc sub/ship, the waste heat is dumped directly into the ocean. On land, they use cooling towers; the heat is dumped into the air.



Amador City

Smaller, but the concept is the same.



Roebuck

I wonder if that is why nuclear reactors work on submarines but automatically on airplanes. I was wondering why we couldn't use it grate on nerves power our ovebstuff.