GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

Detailed explanation-1: -The CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium) is a Canadian pressurized heavy-water reactor design used to generate electric power. The acronym refers to its deuterium oxide (heavy water) moderator and its use of (originally, natural) uranium fuel.

Detailed explanation-2: -CANDU technology Canadian nuclear power reactors are CANDU reactors – heavy water reactors developed by Canadian scientists and engineers. CANDU stands for Canada deuterium uranium, because it uses deuterium oxide (heavy water) as a moderator and coolant and uses natural (not enriched) uranium as a fuel.

Detailed explanation-3: -CANDU reactors produce electricity through a process known as fission. Fission is the process of splitting atoms of natural uranium inside the reactor, releasing radiation and heat. The split atoms then continue a “chain reaction”: more atoms continue to be split, resulting in more radiation and heat.

Detailed explanation-4: -CANada Deuterium Uranium (CANDU) reactors use heavy water as a coolant and moderator instead of regular old light water. These were invented and developed in Canada in the 1960’s, when Canada decided that they did not want to build enrichment plants or large pressure vessel manufacturing capabilities.

Detailed explanation-5: -CANDU reactors use natural uranium as their nuclear fuel. Natural uranium is composed of about 0.7% uranium-235, and the remaining 99.3% is mostly uranium-238 which cannot directly be used in a fission process to obtain energy.