A nuclear engineer is designing a nuclear reactor for a new power plant. The reactor core will have an operating temperature of 773 K. The engineer must choose an appropriate coolant to transfer heat from the reactor core through one or more cooling loops to the steam generator and turbines/generator that produce electricity. Running the coolant under pressure is more expensive than running it at normal atmospheric pressure (1 atm). The choices for the reactor coolant are listed in the table below, with their properties. Choose which substance would be best to recommend to the engineer. Explain your choice in terms of its properties. Explain how the chemical bonds in the substance account for its properties.

Question

miracrown · Answer

What are your choices?

miracrown · Answer

?

minimato · Answer

Water, sodium, and sodium chloride. Also, here's the graph it included: http://25.media.tumblr.com/61fa9418fd55922d93501a90ecdb0f0a/tumblr_mw8uhdyycb1rej4ppo1_500.png

minimato · Answer

I was thinking sodium chloride, because it could withstand the temperature (773 K)? But I'm not sure...

miracrown · Answer

That looks like a great choice. Because it is still a liquid at the 773 temp. :)

minimato · Answer

Oh, so I'm correct? That was easy then xD I was afraid I might be wrong because it seemed too easy, sorta?

miracrown · Answer

Lol, no. That is absolutely correct! :D

minimato · Answer

Okay, thanks so much for your help!

miracrown · Answer

No worries, if there is anything else that I can help you with please don't hesitate to ask.