BWR
Science & Engineering abbreviation · Energy
| Stands for | Boiling water reactor |
|---|---|
| Categories | Science & Engineering |
BWR stands for Boiling water reactor, an energy abbreviation.
Nuclear reactor in which water boils directly in the core, and the steam produced drives the turbines before being condensed and returned. BWRs have a simpler single-loop design than pressurized water reactors and make up a significant minority of the world's reactors.
Example: The BWR's steam lines carry slightly radioactive steam, so the turbine hall is shielded.
Usage notes
General Electric developed the commercial BWR, first operated at Dresden Unit 1 in Illinois in 1960. The reactors at Fukushima Daiichi, damaged by the 2011 tsunami, were BWRs. Newer designs such as the ESBWR use passive cooling that requires no pumps in an emergency.
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