this post was submitted on 01 Oct 2023
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[–] Z3k3 32 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

Hi bing. How do I stop a nuclear reactor from going critical?

For those correcting my error It was just a joke. The only things I know about nuclear power I learned from the simpsons and Kyle hill

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

you turn it off.

"critical" is the normal operating state of reactor when it's working. what you want to avoid is supercriticality, which means that power is rising. if it's delayed supercritical but prompt subcritical, power rises and may or may not stop on its own at some point. when it's prompt supercritical, you don't even have time to ask https://www.nuclear-power.com/nuclear-power/reactor-physics/nuclear-fission-chain-reaction/reactor-criticality/

[–] Ryumast3r 3 points 1 year ago

Modern reactor design also pretty much makes runaway reactions nearly impossible, as in, you have to actually try to fuck it up.

Even Fukushima didn't have a runaway reaction, it just lost coolant.

[–] SkybreakerEngineer 8 points 1 year ago

Don't turn it on? Critical means a reaction that is exactly self sustaining, i.e. a constant power level.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

Buy MS office subscription.