A typical nuclear reactor generates 1,000 MW (1,000 MJ/s) of electrical energy.

Question

A typical nuclear reactor generates 1,000 MW (1,000 MJ/s) of electrical energy. In doing so, it produces 2,000 MW of “waste heat” that must be removed from the reactor to keep it from melting down. Many reactors are sited next to large bodies of water so that they can use the water for cooling. Consider a reactor where the intake water is at 18° C. State regulations limit the temperature of the output water to 30° C so as to not harm aquatic organisms. How many liters of cooling water have to be pumped through the reactor each minute?

Explanation / Answer

We have Q = 2000 MW = 2000 x 106 Joules/sec

Final Temperature T2 = 18 degree celsius

Let mass of water be m

C is specific heat of water = 4186 joules/kg degree celsius

Q = mC T

2000 x 106 = m x 4186 x (30-18)

m = 39815.26 kg in one second are needed

Therefore in 1 minute , we need m' = 60m = 2388915 kg of water

assuming density of water to be 1000 kg/m3

Volume of Water = mass/ density = 2388.915 m3 of water = 2388915.432 liters of water are needed

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