A3W reactor

A3W reactor

The A3W reactor is a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The A3W designation stands for:

* A = Aircraft carrier platform
* 3 = Third generation core designed by the contractor
* W = Westinghouse was the contracted designer

The reactor was intended for use aboard USS "John F. Kennedy". This four-reactor design was intended to reduce the cost involved in the construction and operation, as compared with the "Enterprise" and its eight nuclear reactors.

Early in the construction, the United States Secretary of the Navy had the plans changed to save money, and fossil fuel boilers were installed on the Kennedy. Because the plans for the ship did not include a funnel, and to vent exhaust gases away from the flight deck, the funnel on the Kennedy protrudes out from the ship at an angle.

The return to nuclear power for carriers came with the "Nimitz" class's A4W reactor's two reactor per ship design. The reduced cost of building carriers with two reactors makes the cost of the power plants still account for just over half the cost of the entire ship.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • D2G reactor — The D2G reactor was a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The D2G designation stands for: D = Destroyer platform 2 = Second generation core designed by the contractor G =… …   Wikipedia

  • D1G reactor — The D1G reactor was a prototype naval reactor designed for the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The D1G designation stands for: D = Destroyer platform 1 = First generation core designed by the… …   Wikipedia

  • List of United States Naval reactors — is a comprehensive annotated list of all naval reactors designed, built, or used by the United States Navy. Reactor designations Each nuclear reactor design is given a three character designation consisting of a letter representing the type of… …   Wikipedia

  • USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) — USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67), formerly CVA 67, was a supercarrier of the United States Navy. Nicknamed Big John , she was named after the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy. Kennedy was originally designated a CVA, or strictly an …   Wikipedia

  • USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) — con el USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) …   Wikipedia Español

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”