breeder reactor

American  

[bree-der-ree-ak-ter] / ˈbri dər riˈæk tər /

noun

1. Physics. a nuclear reactor that generates more fissile material than it consumes, that is, it produces more fuel than it uses.

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breeder reactor British  

noun

1. a type of nuclear reactor that produces more fissionable material than it consumes Compare converter reactor See also fast-breeder reactor

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breeder reactor Scientific  

/ brē′dər /

1. A nuclear reactor that is used to create fissionable material (such as plutonium-239) by exposing nonfissionable material (such as uranium-238) to radiation. The source of the radiation is usually some other fissionable material. Breeder reactors produce more fissionable material than they use up.

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breeder reactor Cultural  

1. A nuclear reactor in which plutonium and other materials are produced as a by-product.

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Discover More

The development of the breeder reactor has been stopped in the United States, but continues to be pursued in Europe and Japan.

Breeder reactors are designed to produce more fuel than they consume.

Example Sentences

However, it has the potential to produce prodigious amounts of energy in what is called a breeder reactor without requiring any further uranium mining.

From Washington Post • Apr. 19, 2022

Unfortunately, no commercially viable breeder reactor has ever been built.

From Washington Post • Apr. 19, 2022

TerraPower wants to partner with countries that are actively pursuing fast, breeder reactor technology.

From Scientific American • Jun. 23, 2011

After the first decade, new energy technology, including perhaps even the breeder reactor, will begin to take up the slack caused by depletion of domestic natural gas and oil supplies.

From Time Magazine Archive

He shares the President's distrust of nuclear power plants, and supported Carter's decision to postpone the building of a prototype breeder reactor on Tennessee's Clinch River, which falls within the TVA'S domain.

From Time Magazine Archive

Related Words

• reactor