Nuclear power pressurised-water reactor

The environmental measurements around French nuclear power plants are described by Le Corre and Bourcier (1996). Electricite de France generates 75% of its electricity in nuclear power plants with pressurised water reactors (PWR). These plants comprise 34 units of 900 MW and 20 units of 1300 MW, the first of which was connected to the grid in 1977, and the last in 1993. Three other units of 1400 MW are under construction. The environmental measurements are performed in two complementary ways ... 

Since 1972 the Reactor Plant Inspection Service (RPIS) of the Risley Nuclear Power Development Laboratories has undertaken contractual inspection of Pressurised Water Reactor Pressure Vessels (RPV s) in Europe. At this time 11 major pre-service and in-service Inspections of RPV s have been made and two more are planned for 1985. In addition numerous other inspections, both conventional and specialist, of nuclear plant have been made in Europe and the United Kingdom. 

Considering the development of an evolutionary reactor the European Pressurised Water Reactor (EPR) able to fiilfil the requirements of the 21st century, Framatome and Siemens founded their joint subsidiary, Nuclear Power International (NPI) in April 1989. 

The Initial brief for the study was that It should consider only civil engineering aspects of nuclear power plants based on gas cooled reactor systems. The brief, however, was extended to Include an assessment of the civil engineering aspects of decommissioning light water cooled reactor systems, particularly the pressurised water reactor. 

Most of the discussions are presented here in the context of radionuclide behaviour during accidents at existing pressurised water reactors (PWRs) and boiling water reactors (BWRs). The basic principles in these discussions are applicable to all nuclear power plants. Readers may need to make some mental modifications of the specific details of the discussions to accommodate the imique features of other types of plants such as gas-cooled reactors, CANDU t5q)c reactors and RBMK reactors. 

The use of nuclear energy in the production of electrical power involves substantial structural systems comprised of pressure vessels that house the reactor. Most of the light water (LWR) and pressurised water reactors (PWR) in... 

Finland has four nuclear reactor units in commercial use. They generate 30% of electricity in Finland. The first unit (Loviisa nuclear power plant, VVER-440 type pressurised water reactor... 

The other is the loss of final heat sink test by stopping the pressurised water air cooler. The final heat sink of the HTTR will be lost in order to simulate the abnormal stop of the nuclear heat utilization system. This test will demonstrates that the negative reactivity feedback effect of the reactor core brings the reactor power safely to a stable level without a reactor scram, and that the temperature transient of the reactor core is sufficiently slow in a rapid loss of the final heat sink. The test will be performed at a rated operation and single-loaded operation mode. The maximum reactor power during the test will be decided by evaluating the temperatures of the heat transfer tubes, pressurised water (secondary coolant), etc. Tliis test will also be performed under ATWS. 

Figure 16.9 Layout of a pressurised water nuclear reactor for power generation. The moderator is pressurised water, which also acts as a coolant, transferring heat to steam generators...

The first nuclear power reactor in the USSR was a graphite moderated pressure tube design cooled by pressurised water. It started generating electricity in 1954. 

There is no unique yardstick to measure competitiveness on a worldwide scale, and nfuel supply conditicxis from country to country. On the basis Aat, in the next century, nuclear energy should provide an important contribution to electric power gen ation it is neccessaey for fast reactOTS to compete with advanced thermal reactors, notably the pressurised water-cooled reactors (PWRs). 

In India, nuclear power stations of the Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor type are in operation in different parts of the country. Two boiling water reactors are in operation at Tarapur. Some of these reactors have completed more than a decade of operating life. Need has been felt to decontaminate the reactor systems and components in order to reduce radiation exposure to operating personnel. A Research and Development programme was therefore undertaken to develop dilute chemical formulations suitable for decontamination of our reactor systems. 

Through their association with Babcock and Wilcox of America, the British Babcock and Wilcox were able to gain direct experience of the various pressurised water projects that the American company had undertaken including the American nuclear ship Savannah. The proposed reactor would be similar to that on Savannah, but with an output 2.5 times as large while occupying only 20% more space. The company pointed out that the PWR is the basic system adopted for all nuclear ships to date and was probably the most developed compact reactor in the world at the present time. The fuel charge would be sufficient for 500 days operation at full power. 

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