nuclear fuel
17
4.6
- noun
- /ˈnjuːklɪər fjuːl/
- Specialized
:
combustible nuclear
- An extendible ten-year nuclear fuel contract was concluded with the United States and France in 1974 and 1975, respectively.
- spent nuclear fuel
- nuclear fuel cycle
- nuclear fuel processing plant
Almost all spent nuclear fuel actually can be reused.
- Almost all spent nuclear fuel actually can be reused.
Examples
-
Research on the possible use of thorium as a nuclear fuel has continued around the world since then.
Blog text (32) -
Up until the late 1970s, one possible solution was to recycle the spent nuclear fuel.
Academic text (2000) -
There was an accident at a local nuclear fuel plant.
-
The problem of "Nuclear waste" is more a problem of the nuclear fuel cycle and nuclear technology.
Blog text (11) -
Second, any problems with handling spent nuclear fuel were solved before we made any.
Blog text (31) -
Almost all spent nuclear fuel actually can be reused.
-
The main bulk of the radioactivity is bound up in the ceramic nuclear fuel elements.
Academic text (2009) -
As a result, spent nuclear fuel, once removed from the reactors, is stored in on-site temporary storage.
Academic text (2000) -
The legislation would allow electric utilities to construct needed on-site storage for spent nuclear fuel and to continue to operate their reactors.
Academic text (2000) -
Radioactive iodine is a byproduct of the burning of nuclear fuel in a nuclear power plant.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
A material burned to make energy for heat, light or engines
How Energy-Rich
- Specialized
84
9.4
- Specialized
2
7.2
- Specialized
17
4.6
- Specialized
- Specialized
2
8.2
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is a straightforward compositional compound: 'nuclear' (relating to atomic nuclei or atomic energy) modifies 'fuel' (a material used to produce energy), so the meaning 'fuel used in nuclear/atomic processes' follows directly from the parts. This composition is cross-linguistically common and would be predictable to a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.
Etymology
Nuclear fuel is named for its two parts: nuclear, which refers to the tiny center of an 'atom', and fuel, something that gives energy. When the centers of certain atoms are split they release a lot of power, so this material is used in reactors to make electricity.