Type of Reactor Advantage Disadvantage

PWR Matured design, Well proven since High-Pressure Requirement)15.7 Mpa

1950. There's a large pool of
(approximately 313 Limited Fuel Reprocessing
experience and readily available
operational
suppliers for new plants and parts PWRs require slightly enriched uranium as
worldwide till date)
fuel
Ability to use various fuel types
(including MOX fuel)
Use of Ordinary Water
Negative void coefficient makes
inherently safe
Simplified Safety due to the
separation of the primary and
secondary loops in a PWR design
Safe and Controllable Operation
High Burnup
Compact Size
Passive Safety Features
Fast Reactor (Metal Converting non-fissile uranium into High Initial Costs
cooled) fissile plutonium, reducing nuclear
Fast reactors do typically require fuel that is
waste, and potentially extending
enriched in fissile material, often using
nuclear power programs
plutonium or highly enriched uranium
Can burn long-lived radioactive
The fuel cycle in FBRs involves reprocessing,
waste
which is a complex and expensive process.
Liquid metal-cooled reactors
Sodium Coolant in FBRs is highly reactive
(LMRs), like those using sodium or
with water and air, posing potential hazards
lead-bismuth, offer advantages in
in case of leaks or fires.
high thermal conductivity for
effective heat removal and FBRs are prone to core disassembly
potential for high power density, accidents.
but also pose challenges like fire
Sodium void coefficient: The design of some
hazards, corrosion, and difficulty in
FBRs have a large and positive sodium void
inspection and repair due to the
coefficient, which can increase the risk of
opaque molten metal
accidents.
Refuelling and repairing FBRs are more
difficult and time-consuming than for water-
cooled reactors
Not resistant to proliferation
A breeder reactor requires 30 years to
produce as much plutonium as it utilizes in
its operation.
Breeder reactors have had several accidents.
The Experimental Breeder Reactor-I suffered
a meltdown in 1955. Similarly, Reactor Fermi
I suffered a partial meltdown in 1966, and
was closed down after a series of sodium
 explosions.
Molten Salt Breeder MSBRs can utilize thorium and can Molten salt can be corrosive to many
Reactors (MSBRs) breed more fissile material, materials, requiring the development of
potentially leading to a closed fuel specialized alloys and reactor designs to
cycle mitigate corrosion.
The high operating temperatures of Fuel Processing Complexity. Requires
molten salt reactors can lead to specialized equipment and procedures.
higher thermal efficiencies
Ensuring that all materials used in the
MSBRs can operate at lower reactor are compatible with the molten salt
pressures environment is a significant challenge.
Potential for fuel spills or reactor accidents
needs to be addressed
Development is undergoing last three
decades but no design is frozen
LFR (Lead-cooled Coolant liquid lead (Pb) or, in very Lead-bismuth alloys can be challenging to
Fast Reactor) few cases, by lead-bismuth (Pb-Bi) work with at high temperature
alloy and operating in the fast
The typical high mass of liquid-metal-cooled
neutron spectrum at atmospheric
systems (especially lead- and lead-bismuth
pressure and high temperature
cooled systems) requires special measures
Use fast neutron spectrum for seismic events
liquid metal embrittlement (LME) Selective
oxidation of chromium (Cr) can lead to the
formation of a Cr-depleted layer near the
inner interface between the spinel and
substrate, which can also contribute to LBE
penetration. Can lead to premature failure of
structural components, fuel cladding, and
reactor internals.
Advanced Gas- Coolant CO 2∨¿He The mean temperature of the hot coolant
cooled Reactor leaving the reactor core was designed to be
(being phased out in Moderator : Graphite 648 °C. Selection of high temperature
2027) Higher thermal efficiency material is difficult
Graphite moderator needs to be cooled
below 278ºC. On gases other than helium,
like CO2, can sometimes be reactive with the
graphite at the high temperatures they run
at.
Magnox fuel cladding cannot be stored for
long times in a spent fuel pool, making
nuclear reprocessing mandatory
While modern nuclear reactors, like HTGRs,
operate at higher temperatures, Wigner
energy release remains a concern (1957
Windscale accident)
Complicated Reactor Control (use of
Nitrogen in moderator)
Pebble Bed Reactors Fuel development is cumbersome The primary fuel is encased in graphite,
which is flammable in the presence of air
Research mode only
Fuel pebble manufacturing defects are a
 significant source of fission product release.
Pebble bed reactors produce a higher
volume of radioactive waste than
conventional reactors
Localised hotspots in the core.
Sodium:
Density of liquid sodium at 450°C is approximately 846 kg/m³.
The specific heat capacity of sodium 1.226 KJ/Kg°K
Boiling point: 882.8 °C
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NaK:
Density (liquid): 875 KJ/M3 at melting point;
Boiling point: 785 °C
Specific heat (liquid): 0.97 KJ/Kg °K at melting point
The molar heat capacity of liquid NaK (sodium-potassium alloy) is approximately 24.476 +
5.481 × 10⁻³ T + 8.661 × 10⁵ T⁻² - 1.954 × 10⁻⁶ T² J/mol·K
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The lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE), a mixture of 44.5 at% lead and 55.5 at%
bismuth, has a melting point of approximately 123.5 °C
specific heat capacity (c) of approximately 0.129 KJ/Kg°K
Boiling point of 1,670 °C
Density:10440 kg/m³