GE BWR

GE BWR, or General Electric Boiling Water Reactor, is a type of light water nuclear reactor designed and manufactured by General Electric (now GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy). It is characterized by its use of boiling water within the reactor core to generate steam directly, which is then used to drive a steam turbine for electricity production.

BWRs utilize enriched uranium fuel, typically in the form of uranium dioxide pellets, assembled into fuel rods and then into fuel bundles. Control rods, usually containing neutron-absorbing materials such as boron carbide or hafnium, are inserted into the core to control the nuclear chain reaction and thus the power output.

The core is submerged in water within a reactor pressure vessel (RPV), which is a large, thick-walled steel container designed to withstand high pressures and temperatures. The water serves as both a coolant and a moderator. As the water boils, steam is produced and separated from the water in the upper portion of the RPV. This steam is then directed to the turbine. After passing through the turbine, the steam is condensed back into water and returned to the reactor to repeat the cycle.

GE BWRs have been deployed in numerous nuclear power plants worldwide. Various generations and designs of GE BWRs exist, including BWR/1 through BWR/6, as well as advanced designs such as the Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR) and the ESBWR (Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor). These designs incorporate advancements in safety features, power output, and efficiency.

Safety features in BWR designs typically include multiple redundant systems to prevent and mitigate accidents, such as emergency core cooling systems (ECCS) to cool the core in the event of a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA), containment structures to prevent the release of radioactive materials, and various automatic shutdown systems.