Question

g a reactor with an initial loading of 100 tonnes of heavy metal operates for one year at a power level of 1,000 mwe with a thermal efficiency of 32%. the fuel burnup at the end of one year is closest to:

Answer 1

The fuel burnup at the end of one year is approximately 5,958 kg.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the fuel burnup in a nuclear reactor, we first need to calculate the total amount of energy produced in one year. The power level is given as 1,000 MWe (mega-watts electric) and the thermal efficiency is 32%. To calculate the total energy produced, we multiply the power level by the number of seconds in one year (365 * 24 * 60 * 60). Next, we divide this energy by the thermal efficiency to get the total thermal energy produced.

Finally, to calculate the fuel burnup, we divide the total thermal energy by the energy released per unit mass (which can be found using the equation E=mc^2). Using the given information, the fuel burnup at the end of one year is approximately 5,958 kg.