reactor
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reactor
A technical facility in which a nuclear fission chain reaction takes place in a controlled way, usually to generate energy in a nuclear power plant.
Nach dem Störfall wurde der Reaktor des Atomkraftwerks sofort heruntergefahren.
After the incident, the reactor of the nuclear power plant was shut down immediately.
The word 'Reaktor' (reactor) is closely related to the word 'Reaktion' (reaction). A reactor is a technical facility or a vessel in which a controlled chemical, physical, or biological reaction takes place.
In der Chemie wird oft ein Glasreaktor für empfindliche Reaktionen verwendet.
In chemistry, a glass reactor is often used for sensitive reactions.
Without further context, 'Reaktor' (reactor) in German almost always means a nuclear reactor in a nuclear power plant. The meanings from chemistry or biology are usually made clear by an adjective, e.g. 'chemischer Reaktor' (chemical reactor), or by the technical context.
Die Nachrichten berichten über einen alten Reaktor, der abgeschaltet werden soll.
The news is reporting on an old reactor that is to be shut down.
In connection with nuclear reactors, specific verbs are often used: a reactor is 'hochgefahren' (started up), 'heruntergefahren' (powered down), or 'abgeschaltet' (shut down).
Aus Sicherheitsgründen musste der Reaktorblock schnell heruntergefahren werden.
For safety reasons, the reactor unit had to be powered down quickly.
nuclear power plant
'der Reaktor' and 'das Atomkraftwerk' can both have to do with nuclear energy. However, the reactor is only the technical facility or the part where the controlled reaction takes place. The nuclear power plant is the entire industrial facility that produces electricity with the help of the reactor. A reactor can also be a device for controlled reactions in chemistry or biotechnology. Learners easily confuse the words because news reports often talk about both in the same context. If you mean the whole facility, say 'Atomkraftwerk'; if you mean the technical core or a reaction device, say 'Reaktor'.
Im Labor läuft die chemische Reaktion in einem kleinen Reaktor ab.
In the laboratory, the chemical reaction takes place in a small reactor.
Das Atomkraftwerk produziert Strom für viele Haushalte in der Region.
The nuclear power plant produces electricity for many households in the region.