Gravity as guardian: The power of passive safety in advanced nuclear reactors

T2Covered by 1 source · first reported by Phys.org / ScienceDaily (tech) at 29 Sept, 14:20 UTC

When a nuclear power plant shuts down, the heat from the reactor doesn't disappear right away. Even after the chain reaction stops, the fuel continues to give off what scientists call decay heat. In the event of an unplanned shutdown or accident, that heat must be removed safely and reliably.