Nuclear reactors. General

A nuclear reactor is a device in which a fission chain reaction is maintained by the propagation of neutrons. Nuclear reactors are used either to produce energy, or as research tools, for example to irradiate materials, to supply neutron beams or, more simply, to explore the physical properties of the multiplying medium. This article focuses on reactors designed for power generation, highlighting their common features as well as their main differences. The various types of nuclear reactor are the subject of specific articles, to which the reader is invited to refer for further details.