Physics please help what would happen in a nuclear reactor if the coolant fluid leaked out of the core?

Stanford

Also:What would happen if the control rods were pushed further into the reactor core? Please help as I really don't understand this topic, thank you!



Central Gardens

Most water-cooled and moderated reactors will not remain critical (sustain a fission chain reaction) if the water leaks out of the core. However, heat is still produced by the decay of fission products in the core. Initially after shutdown, the decay heat production is significant and without core cooling, the fuel cladding can fail or the fuel could even melt. Reactors not cooled and moderated by water generally require control rods to shut off the chain reaction. Without cooling, the result is similar to water cooled reactors. If the core was graphite moderated, as in Chernobyl, the graphite could ignite if there were a source of oxygen. No nuclear explosion is possible in any case. Pushing control rods further into the core will absorb more neutrons and reduce the fission rate and reduce the power output of the reactor. Pushing the in far enough will essentially stop the fission process. This is a very short answer



Prescott

coolant fluid out reactor = everything heats up and could explodecontrol rods pushed in = no more reactions, no more heat, no chance to exploderods capture neutrons who trigger nuclear reactions



Carthage

This type of accident is called LOCA (Loss of Coolant Accident). What happens after that depends on the type of reactor. A water cooled reactor (PHWR type for example) may shut down or there may be damage to the coolant channels and the fuel rods, but there may not be a fire and explosion like what happened in Chernobyl. There are a number of safety systems like moderator dump, overhead cooling tanks that flood the reactor core and cool it down etc. In general, modern atomic reactors are planned close to multiple safety systems backing up each additional. If the control rods are pushed further get the reactor core, the reactivity pass on come dejected with the addition of depending on the design of the reactor criticality may disloyal to rapt (reactor may close up down). These are fairly avant-garde topics added to the outcome depends bequeath the type of nuclear reactor, its badge, etc.