Coolant is water that is pumped to the reactor core and then around the nuclear reactor. It has two jobs to do:
- It slows down the neutrons in the reactor core, which makes the fission reaction more effective.
- It absorbs the heat produced in the reactor core and carries it to a different part of the reactor.
Did you know?
Not just any old water
The coolant water also contains boric acid. Boron absorbs neutrons so the coolant, along with the control rods, also helps to control the nuclear reaction.
