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Heavy Water ? A Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) is a nuclear power reactor that uses Heavy Water (D2O) as neutron moderator. The use of heavy water enables the use of natural uranium as fuel, which means it can be operated without expensive uranium enrichment facilities. Additionally, the mechanical arrangement of the PHWR, which places most of the moderator at lower temperatures, is particularly efficient because the resulting thermal neutrons are "more thermal" than in traditional designs, where the moderator normally runs hot. This means that a PHWR is not only able to "burn" natural uranium and other fuels, but tends to do so more efficiently as well. Heavy Water is the moderator that makes this possible. |
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