[frogjerk]

CANDU reactors if they run out of water will simply shut down.

What do you mean? There is no need to cool the core down?

[GraceG]

[ CANDU reactors if they run out of water will simply shut down.
What do you mean? There is no need to cool the core down? ]

In order for the core of a CANDU reactor to activate you need the core to be filled with Heavy Water. If you remove the heavy water the reaction STOPS dead in it’s tracks. So if you lose the water the reactor shuts down. So losing water in a CANDU reactor instead of leading to meltdown will be the equivalent to removed the fuel from the core.

The heavy water that the reactor uses can be poured out in the street and is very much non toxic, i just wouldn’t drink more than 1 gallon of it a day for more than a week.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CANDU_reactor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_water

India and Canada are using this tech.... We aren’t because we are scared spitless over anything with the word “Nuclear” in it. No doubt the EPA and the NRC is doing all they can to stop this reactor in the states.

[brityank]

Wikipedia is pretty good for anything besides politics or the humanities. Try it, as there’s lots of info on all types - LIFTER, Pebble Bed, CANDU, etc.