Modern nuclear reactors use passive safety; meaning that the default state of the reactor is off and safe, and it requires work and power to get it running. When they enter a fail state, or the power is cut, they snap back to the off state.
I’d imagine that nuclear reactors have multiple safety features, including automatic shutdown systems, passive cooling mechanisms, and containment structures, to prevent catastrophic events even in the absence of human intervention.
Over time stuff would likely still break/leak, but it would only contaminate the immediate surroundings compared to the big bang that would occur when failing fatally during operation.
I don’t know, chances are high that I’d still move away from those places…
andrewta@lemmy.world 8 months ago
They need heavy water. After a while the heavy water would boil away / evaporate.
That would leave the rods exposed. Of everything I’ve been told there is a very loud bang at that point.
ilinamorato@lemmy.world 8 months ago
Modern nuclear reactors use passive safety; meaning that the default state of the reactor is off and safe, and it requires work and power to get it running. When they enter a fail state, or the power is cut, they snap back to the off state.
andrewta@lemmy.world 8 months ago
really?
cool. i guess it makes sense that they made those changes.
CaptainBlagbird@lemmy.world 8 months ago
I’d imagine that nuclear reactors have multiple safety features, including automatic shutdown systems, passive cooling mechanisms, and containment structures, to prevent catastrophic events even in the absence of human intervention.
Over time stuff would likely still break/leak, but it would only contaminate the immediate surroundings compared to the big bang that would occur when failing fatally during operation.
I don’t know, chances are high that I’d still move away from those places…