Powerplants of the east and Submarines differ almost as much as eastern and western powerplants. The reactor onboard the ship, much like the western nuclear plant, does not require graphite to slow the uranium-235 nuclei. However, they do require cold sea water to be filtered in to cool the water supply used to create steam. On submarine reactors, which are smaller than any powerplant reactors, they also have more than one valve to let cooled water in and hot water out, while light-water-cooled graphite-moderated reactors usually only have one valve to let cooled water in, and one to let hot water out.
Like the western reactors, light-water-cooled graphite-moderated reactors do not directly turn propellers like in subs. Instead they are attached, turbine-to-generator, to create electricity.
Similarities:
- Both use Uranium-235 to heat water.
- Both use steam to turn the turbines.
- Both use cooling systems to cool the water before it is heated and reheated.
- The process of cooling the water requires a condenser to turn steam into water.
Differences:
- The turbine in the submarine is directly attached to the propeller, while the turbines in European nuclear powerplants are attached to a generator to create electricity instead of less refined power.
- The submarine uses readily available sea water to cool its water supply.
- The light-water-cooled graphite-moderated reactors use a cooling tower to turn steam into water and cool the water further.
