Power Plant Engineering 1000+ MCQ with answer for UPSC CDS

1. Plutonium (Pu???) is produced
A. Artificially
B. By fission of Th???
C. When U??? is irradiated by neutrons
D. As basic raw material
Answer : C

2. One gram of uranium will produce energy equivalent to approximately
A. 1 tonne of high grade coal
B. 4.5 tonnes of high grade coal
C. 10 tonnes of high grade coal
D. 100 tonnes of high grade coal
Answer : B

3. Ideally the neutron flux in reactor should be
A. Maximum in centre and zero at side
B. Maximum at side and zero in canter
C. Uniform throughout
D. Zero throughout
Answer : C

4. In triggering fission, the following types of neutrons are desirable
A. Fast moving
B. Slow moving
C. Critical neutrons
D. Neutrons at rest
Answer : B

5. Which of the following particles is the lightest?
A. Nucleus
B. Electron
C. Proton
D. Meson
Answer : B

6. A moderator
A. Absorbs neutrons
B. Does not absorb neutrons
C. Accelerates neutrons
D. None of these
Answer : B

7. Effective moderators are those materials which contain
A. Light weight atoms
B. Heavy weight atoms
C. Critical atoms
D. Zero weight atoms
Answer : A

8. In the breeder reactors the generation of new fissionable atom is
A. At the lower rate than the consumption
B. At a higher rate than the consumption
C. At an equal rate of the consumption
D. Depends on other considerations
Answer : B

9. A fast breeder reactor uses
A. 90% U???
B. U???
C. U???
D. Pu???
Answer : A

10. The primary fuel used in nuclear power plants is
A. U???
B. U???
C. Pu???
D. Pu???
Answer : A

11. A nuclear unit becoming critical means
A. It is generating power to rated capacity
B. It is capable of generating much more than rated capacity
C. There is danger of nuclear spread
D. Chain reaction that causes automatic splitting of the fuel nuclei has been established
Answer : D

12. A reactor capable of converting a ferrite material into fissile isotopes is called
A. Regenerative reactor
B. Fast breeder reactor
C. Breeder reactor
D. Boiling water reactor
Answer : A

13. Enriched uranium is one in which
A. Percentage of U??? has been artificially increased
B. Percentage of U has been artificially increased
C. Percentage of U??? has been artificially increased
D. Extra energy is pumped from outside
Answer : A

14. The following present serious difficulty in designing reactor shield
A. Alpha particles
B. Beta particles
C. Thermal neutrons
D. Fast neutrons and gamma rays
Answer : D

15. Which of the following are ferrite materials?
A. U??? and Pu???
B. U
C. U??? and Pu???
D. U??? and Th???
Answer : B

16. Superheated steam is generated in following reactor
A. Boiling water
B. Gas cooled
C. Pressurised water
D. All of the above
Answer : B

17. The most practical fuel for a thermonuclear reactor, both from economical and nuclear consideration is
A. Plutonium
B. Uranium
C. Deuterium
D. Thorium
Answer : C

18. Which of the following nuclear reactor does not need a heat exchanger for generation of steam?
A. Gas cooled
B. Liquid metal cooled
C. Pressurised water
D. Boiling water
Answer : D

19. Reflector in nuclear power plants _________ neutron leakage.
A. Increases
B. Decreases
C. Have no effect on
D. None of these
Answer : B

20. Gas cooled reactor uses following materials as moderator, and coolant
A. Graphite, CO₂
B. Graphite, air
C. Heavy water, CO₂
D. Lead, H₂
Answer : A

21. Where reactor operation is designed with fast neutrons such as in reactors using highly enriched fuel, the moderator used is
A. Heavy water
B. Graphite
C. Carbon dioxide
D. No moderator is needed
Answer : D

22. The main interest of shielding in nuclear reactor is protection against
A. X-rays
B. Infrared rays
C. Neutrons and gamma rays
D. Electrons
Answer : D

23. The nuclear radiators produced in a reactor which must be shielded are
A. Electrons
B. ?, ? and ? rays
C. Neutron and gamma rays
D. None of these
Answer : C

24. Half life of a radioactive isotope corresponds to the time required for half of the following to decay
A. Electrons
B. Protons
C. Neutrons
D. Atom
Answer : D

25. The most commonly used moderator in nuclear plants is
A. Heavy water
B. Concrete and bricks
C. Graphite and concrete
D. Graphite
Answer : D

26. In natural uranium, the constituents of three naturally occuring isotopes are
A. U??? = 0.006%, U??? = 0.712% and U??? = 99.282%
B. U??? = 0.712%, U??? = 0.006% and U??? = 99.282%
C. U??? = 99.282%, U??? = 0.006% and U??? = 0.712%
D. U??? = 0.006%, U??? = 99.282% and U??? = 0.712%
Answer : A

27. The size of the reactor is said to be critical when
A. Chain reaction can be initiated
B. It becomes uncontrollable
C. It explodes
D. It produces no power
Answer : A

28. Which of the following is the primary fuel?
A. U???
B. U
C. U???
D. Pu
Answer : B

29. A nuclear reactor is said to be critical when the neutron population in the reactor core is
A. Rapidly increasing leading to the point of explosion
B. Decreasing from the specified value
C. Reduced to zero
D. Constant
Answer : D

30. A fission chain reaction in uranium can be developed
A. By increasing the contents of U???
B. By slowing down fast neutrons so that U??? fission continues by slow neutron
C. Both (A) and (B)
D. None of these
Answer : C

31. The energy required to be applied to a radioactive nucleus for the emission of a neutron is
A. 1 MeV
B. 2.4 MeV
C. 4.3 MeV
D. 7.8 MeV
Answer : D

32. Uranium has isotopes
A. U???
B. U???
C. U???
D. All of these
Answer : D

33. The commonly used material for shielding is
A. Lead or concrete
B. Lead and tin
C. Graphite or cadmium
D. Thick galvanised sheets
Answer : A

34. In fast breeder reactors
A. Any type of moderator can be used
B. Graphite is used as the moderator
C. Heavy water is used as the moderator
D. Moderator is dispensed with.
Answer : D

35. The coolant used in boiling water reactor is
A. CO2
B. Pressurised water
C. Mixture of water and steam
D. Liquid metal
Answer : C

36. Electron volt is the unit of
A. Atomic power
B. Energy
C. Voltage
D. Radio activity
Answer : B

37. The efficiency of a nuclear power plant in comparison to conventional and nuclear consideration is
A. Higher cost of nuclear fuel
B. High initial cost
C. High heat rejection in condenser
D. Lower temperature and pressure conditions
Answer : D

38. Each fission of U??? produces on the average _________ fast neutrons as a product of reaction.
A. 2.46
B. 24.6
C. 246
D. 2460
Answer : A

39. The presence of reflector in nuclear power plants results in
A. Increased production of neutrons
B. Complete absorption of neutrons
C. Controlled production of neutrons
D. Decreased leakage of neutrons
Answer : D

40. The risk of radioactive hazard is greatest in the turbine with following reactor
A. Pressurised water
B. Boiling water
C. Gas cooled
D. Liquid metal cooled
Answer : B

41. Enriched uranium is required as a fuel in a nuclear reactor, if light water is used as moderator and coolant, because light water has
A. High neutron absorption cross-section
B. Low moderating efficiency
C. High neutron scatter cross-section
D. Low neutron absorption cross-section
Answer : B

42. A moderator, in nuclear power plants, is a medium introduced into the fuel mass in order to
A. Slow down the speed of fast moving neutrons
B. Control the reaction
C. Reduce the temperature
D. Extracts heat from nuclear reaction
Answer : A

43. A pressurised water reactor employs pressurises for the following application
A. To maintain constant pressure in primary circuit under varying load
B. To Supply high pressure steam
C. To increase pressure of water in primary circuit
D. To provide sub cooled water at high pressure
Answer : A

44. Fast breeder reactor uses
A. Boiler
B. Direct cycle of coolant system
C. Double circuit system of coolant cycle
D. Multi passes system
Answer : C

45. The energy produced by a thermal reactor of same size as a breeder reactor is
A. Almost same
B. Slightly more
C. Slightly less
D. Much less
Answer : D

46. Boiling water reactor employs
A. Boiler
B. Direct cycle of coolant system
C. Double circuit system of coolant cycle
D. Multi passes system
Answer : B

47. Which of the following type of pump is used in liquid metal cooled reactor for circulation of liquid metal
A. Centrifugal
B. Axial
C. Reciprocation
D. Electromagnetic
Answer : D

48. Which of the following statement is correct regarding the features of a Breeder reactor?
A. It produces more fuel than it consumes.
B. It requires highly enriched fuel.
C. It requires liquid sodium metal as moderator.
D. All of the above
Answer : D

49. The process by which a heavy nucleus is spitted into two light nuclei is known as
A. Splitting
B. Fission
C. Fusion
D. Disintegration
Answer : B

50. U??? is produced
A. Artificially
B. As basic raw material
C. When thorium is irradiated by neutrons
D. By fission of U???
Answer : C