Generation II reactor

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A generation II reactor is a nuclear reactor of one of several types developed from the first generation I reactors. The change was great but not entirely revolutionary, with some completely new types and technologies being used.

The reactors are used in nuclear power plants to produce nuclear power from nuclear fuel.

The line between a generation I reactor and one of generation II is sometimes hard to draw, for example the later Magnox plants share some of the characteristics of each.

Prototypical generation II reactors include the PWR, CANDU, BWR and AGR.

Many generation I reactors were one of a kind, for example Fermi I, rather than representatives of a type, while the generation II reactors were all intended to be a series of plants, individually designed but using the same design principles.

[edit] See also

• Generation III reactor.
• Generation IV reactor.
• List of reactor types.

[edit] External links

Nuclear Reactors Knowledge Base at IAEA