The "CANDU Reactor contains 70 kf og fissionable material" refers to the Canadian Deuterium Uranium (CANDU) nuclear reactor, which is designed to use natural uranium as its fuel source. The "70 kf" refers to the 70,000 megawatt-days per tonne (MWD/MT) of energy that can be produced from the fission of uranium atoms.
The CANDU Reactor uses a process called nuclear fission, in which the nuclei of uranium atoms are split, releasing a tremendous amount of energy in the form of heat. This heat is then used to produce steam, which turns a turbine to generate electricity.
Yes, 70 kf of fissionable material is a significant amount of energy. To put it into perspective, 1 kg of uranium-235 (a common isotope used in nuclear reactors) can produce approximately 24 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity, which is enough to power a typical household for over 2,000 years.
The CANDU Reactor differs from other nuclear reactors in that it uses heavy water (deuterium oxide) as both its coolant and moderator, rather than regular water or graphite. This allows it to use natural uranium as its fuel source, rather than enriched uranium, making it a more cost-effective and versatile option.
Yes, the CANDU Reactor is considered to be a safe and reliable form of energy production. It has numerous safety features, such as a negative temperature coefficient (meaning that as the temperature rises, the reactor slows down), passive cooling systems, and multiple barriers to prevent the release of radioactive materials in case of an accident.