A heavy water reactor, or HWR, is a type of nuclear reactor that uses heavy water, deuterium oxide, as its neutron moderator. It may also use heavy water as its coolant, as in the case of a pressurized heavy water reactor. Because heavy water has a low neutron absorption cross section, heavy water reactors can operate using natural uranium fuel, without the enrichment that light-water reactor designs require.
Facts
Technology TypeHeavy-water-moderated nuclear fission reactor 1 Invented YearConstruction of Chicago Pile-3 began in 1943; the reactor achieved criticality, the usual completion date for a reactor, in May 1944. Sources
1. Wikipedia: Heavy-water reactor
WikipediaHistory section, Manhattan Project paragraphQuote, History section, Manhattan Project paragraph
At Site A, alongside CP-2, Chicago Pile-3 was constructed as the world's first heavy water reactor, achieving criticality in May 1944.
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