Graphics: How a Reactor Shuts Down

Wednesday, 16 March 2011 | by Pat's Picks

There’s so much reporting about trying to get seawater on to the nuclear reactor in Japan, but it’s been tough to understand exactly what’s happening inside those buildings. The New York Times does a brilliant job explaining just that in a series of interactive graphics. Spelling out the difference between a control rod and a fuel rod, the Times says fuel rods, which contain uranium fuel pellets, are the cause of concern in Japan. These rods get extremely hot and when dipped in water, produce steam. That steam is what turbines use to make electricity. In a proper nuclear shut down, control rods deploy to help stop the nuclear reaction. But because the plants were without power after the earthquake, their coolling systems didn’t do what they had to, leading to the situation they’re in today.