Nuclear Reactor

[GHOSTWHISPER]

A couple days ago I finished all my finals, and tests and I was very happy that i did well. To top the day off my friend asked if i wanted to go see the Nuclear reactor we have on Campus. Well only the physics students and some other students get to see it. And the teachers and the T/A's have to have special security clearence. Well my friend is a TA and said his professor said it was alright for him to show me the Nuclear Reactor. So i thought i would post some pics.

I was kinda creeped out by it , it just made me feel powerful standing next to it. I was ver impressed. The first two are with the lights on, the second too are with them off. Enjoy

 

[Wes]

Totally not what I expected it to look like... but that's a good thing I guess. Maybe I need to lay off The Simpsons once in a while

Very cool pics man, especially that last one...

 

[Mr. Win]

holy s*** where do you go to school. thats nuts! that pic is sweet

 

[GHOSTWHISPER]

holy s*** where do you go to school. thats nuts! that pic is sweet

Reed College, in Portland Oregon. Yeah I will be around that thing probably all year round next year, going to be double majoring in physics, and CS. All probably grow like another eye or something. But in actuality, you can get in the water around it and it wouldnt do any damage. The schoold itself, is highly regarged for having the safest, and up to date facility for this.

 

[Mr. Win]

dude your hsiting thats even crazier go swimm with it that be a story to tell hah.

 

[GHOSTWHISPER]

dude your hsiting thats even crazier go swimm with it that be a story to tell hah.

huh

 

[DiS]

dude, thats owesome and at the same time crazy to have a nuclear power reactor on college campus, this thing better be protected by Navy Seals or S.W.A.T. lol. (wow)

 

[macklum]

Just to clearup something ,those pics are not from a power reactor . rather it is a pool test reactor strictly for reasearch . The reactor core is under at least 30 feet of water ,it operates at minimal power . It is perfectly safe to be standing over it while it is operating . the water acts as sheilding . by the way great shots .

 

[msubullyfan]

Just to clearup something ,those pics are not from a power reactor . rather it is a pool test reactor strictly for reasearch . The reactor core is under at least 30 feet of water ,it operates at minimal power . It is perfectly safe to be standing over it while it is operating . the water acts as sheilding . by the way great shots .

Doh, you beat me to it. Yes, it isn't a power plant. Power generating reactors are encased by a pressure vessel that generates steam for power production. There are two types - Boiling Water Reactor (BWR), where the steam from the reactor casing is directly used to make power, or Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR), where the water around the reactor is higly pressurized and used to generate steam in another water loop to make power. BWR is more efficient, but the turbine steam is more highly radioactive; PWR is less efficient, but maintenance is much easier on the turbine due to much lower radiation levels.

 

[msubullyfan]

Totally not what I expected it to look like... but that's a good thing I guess. Maybe I need to lay off The Simpsons once in a while

You might be surprised... it isn't THAT far off (except for the three-eyed fish in the lake). The big upside-down funnel things you see when they show the plant from a distance are the cooling towers for the plant and many nuke plants have parabolic cooling towers that look very similar.

However, they don't have control rooms with one seat to run the whole place, and there isn't a "red button" that can cause a meltdown if pressed!

Check out the following link for a pretty good overview of the process...

http://science.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-power.htm

 

[macklum]

http://www.opg.com/ops/N_how.asp
this is how the Candu system works . It is similar to the other systems.

 

[jersey_emt]

That's awesome...love the blue glow.

 

[tttP5]

this may seem dumb,
but what is causing that blue glow?

 

[srtchick]

very cool to see thanks for sharing the pics

 

[macklum]

this may seem dumb,
but what is causing that blue glow?

The blue glow is from the nuclear reaction ,as the uranium atoms split they produce heat and gamma radiation plus neutrons ,its the neutrons that sustain the reaction within the reactor .The blue glow is caused from the gamma radation as it is has the same properties as light , all the colors that light are asorobed by the water except the blue spectrum ,this is called the chernokov effect.
FYI I work at a nuclear reasearch facility as a process systems operator .

 

[noclue119]

we have one of those at georgia tech.... Does urs still have the Rods inside? our does not..... and the one on tech's campus is just like the one in the pic...

*edit stupid question u can't go inside the reactor if there are still rods in there....

 

[macklum]

Not a stupid question ,with a pool reactor the water is sheilding ,and yes you can enter the reactor hall just not when it its operating . when it is shut down it is ok with the proper safty precautions ,hoever you cant enter a power reactor at anytime once it has gone critical .

 

[JOS3]

ricers everywhere are trying to get a reactor in their car so they can get the 'cool blue glow.' its the ultimate in street glow technology

 

[SoniCraze]

wow, i live in portland and didnt know this thing was @ reed. crazy. im afraid.

 

[GHOSTWHISPER]

Macklum- thans for clearing that up, I was just about to tell everyone its pretty safe. But I logged off last night.


Yes it still has the rods in it.

A question for Macklum, do you have a degree in anything to work there, and if so what degree, and how much do you make if you dont mind me asking? Just wondering what type of job prospects i could be looking at when a graduate.
Thanks