A comparison of RBMK and BWR reactor parameters is presented below. It is worth noting that these reactor types are quite similar in power per fuel quantity or fuel rod length, but large differences appear when comparing reactor power per core volume. The power of the RBMK reactor is somewhat less in that respect, and its heat capacity is correspondingly larger. These parameters have a certain impact on the operation of the reactor during an emergency.
Comparison of BWR and RBMK-1500 reactor parameters Parameter BWR* RBMK Thermal power, MW 3800 4800 Core diameter, m 5.01 11.8 Core height, m 3.81 7.0 Core volume. m3 75 824 Mean specific power per core volume, MW/m3 51 5.82 Mean specific power per fuel quantity, MW/t 24.6 25.4 Mean power per fuel element length, kW/m 19.0 15.0 * General Electric design