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u CHEMICAL SHIM
u COMPONENT
u OPERATING
u CONSTRUCTION

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u _EFINES: A chemical, usually boric acid, that is placed in the coolant
system of a nuclear reactor to serve as a neutron absorber and that
compensates for fuel burnup during normal operation.

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u A substance used in nuclear reactors to reduce the speed of fast neutrons
produced by nuclear fission. These substances consist of atoms of light
elements, such as deuterium in heavy water, graphite, and beryllium, to
which neutrons are able to impart some of their energy on collision,
without being captured. Neutrons that have been slowed down in this way
are much more likey to cause new fissions of uranium-235 than they are
to be captured by uranium-238.

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u A process in which a heavy atomic nucleus splits into two more-or-less
equal fragments accompanied by the release of large amounts of energy.
A chain reaction results when the neutrons released during fission cause
other nearby nuclei to break apart. Fission may occur spontaneously or
may be induced by capture of bombarding particles. In addition to the
fission fragments, neutrons and gamma rays are usually produced during
fission.

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u Part of the control system of a nuclear reactor which directly affects the
rate of the reaction takeing place in the reactor. A control rod is usually a
rod or tube made of steel or aluminum containing boron, cadmium, or
some other strong absorber of neutrons. It can be moved up or down on
its axis.

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u Also called boracic acid, H3BO3, a soft, colorless, crystalline solid and a
weak inorganic acid. It occurs naturally in some volcanic hot springs. It
gives boric oxide (B2O3) when strongly heated; sodium borate typifies its
salts. Boric acid is used as an external antiseptic, in the production of
glass, as a welding flux, and as an insecticide for ants and cockroaches.

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u In Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs), water (primary
coolant) is allowed to boil directly in the reactor core.
u The boiling water generates steam which is drawn
away from the reactor and used to rotate the turbine,
which in turn generates electricity via the generator.
u Even in non-emergency conditions this water may
contain small amounts of radioactive fission products.

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u A nuclear reactor in which water is used as a coolant and moderator. Steam is thus
produced in the reactor under pressure, and can be used to drive a turbine.
(1) the reactor core creates heat,
u (2) a steam-water mixture is produced when very pure water (reactor coolant) moves
upward through the core absorbing heat, (3) the steam-water mixture leaves the top of
the core and enters the two stages of moisture separation where water droplets are
removed before the steam is allowed to enter the steam line, (4) the steam line directs
the steam to the main turbine causing it to turn the turbine generator, which produces
electricity. The unused steam is exhausted to the condenser where it is condensed
into water. The resulting water is pumped out of the condenser with a series of pumps,
reheated, and pumped back to the reactor vessel. The reactor's core contains fuel
assemblies which are cooled by water, which is force-circulated by electrically
powered pumps. Emergency cooling water is supplied by other pumps which can be
powered by onsite diesel generators. Other safety systems, such as the containment
cooling system, also need electric power.

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u In Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs), the water (primary
coolant) in the reactor core is prevented from boiling by being
maintained at a much higher pressure.
u Heat is removed using a steam generator. In a steam
generator, the primary coolant flows through a series of metal
tubes while secondary cooling water flows around the tubes. In
this way, heat is transferred from the slightly radioactive
primary coolant system to the nonradioactive secondary
coolant system.
u The secondary coolant is maintained at a much lower pressure
than the primary coolant. Thus, as the heat is transferred, the
secondary coolant flashes to steam. This steam is then drawn
from the steam generator and used to rotate the turbine
generating electricity.

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u The reactor vessel serves as the boiler of the

steam supply
u No steam generator
u No pressurizer
u Lower operating pressure (~1,000 psia) than PWR
(~2,000 psia)
u The operating temperature of the reactor is
approximately 570F

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u BWRs were originally designed by Allis-Chambers and General Electric

(GE). Only the General Electric design has survived.
u The first GE US commercial plant was at Humboldt Bay (near Eureka)
in California.
u Commercial BWR reactors may be found in Finland, Germany, India,
Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Taiwan.

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(1) Reactor Vessel Assembly

(2) Hydraulic Scram System
(3) Emergency Core Cooling System
(4) Pool Water Cooling and Cleanup
(5) Reactor Control System

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u Vessel
u Fuel Assembly and Control
Rods
u Recirculation Jet Pump
Assembly
u Core Support Structure
u Steam separator (dryer)
u Core Shroud

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Core Thermal Power: ~3,500 MWth

Vessel _iameter (I._.): ~6 m
Vessel Height: ~22 m
Vessel Wall Thickness: ~14.5 cm to 16.4 cm
Coolant: Water
Coolant Flow Rate: ~13,000 Kg/s
Pressure: ~1,000 psia
Steam Temperature: 551°F
Feed Water Temperature: 420°F

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ABB Fuel Assembly and Control Rod

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u GE Fuel Rod
± Fuel Pellet _iameter: 1.04 cm
± Fuel Pellet Height: 1.04 cm
± Fuel Material: UO2
± Cladding _iameter (O._.): 1.23 cm
± Cladding Thickness: 0.81 mm
± Cladding Material: Zircaloy

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u GE BWR Fuel Assembly

± Fuel Assembly: 8 ´ 8 array
± Number of Assemblies: 746
± Active length: 3.6 m
± Total Number of Fuel Rods: 46,376
± Fuel Weight: 155,000 Kg
± Number of Control Rods: 177
± Fuel Center Temperature: 3,330°F
± Cladding Temperature: 579°F

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u Insert control rods from the bottom of the vessel

u Control rods are driven by hydraulic mechanism
u Compressed nitrogen gas provides passive control

BWR control rods are always placed at the bottom of the reactor rather than
at the top as in the case of the PWR. The reason is that much of the upper
portion of the BWR core is normally occupied by steam voids, and movement of
the rods in this region does not have as large an effect on the nuclear reaction
as rod motions in the lower, water filed part of the core.

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_ry Well:
± Seals the reactor from the rest of the building
Pressure Suppression Pool:
± Store water for emergency use
Containment Shell:
± Steel shell, a sealed barrier against radioactive release
Reactor Building:
± Concrete structure, last barrier.

Negative pressure is maintained between containment shell

and building wall to prevent radioactive release.

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u Over Pressure Flow to

Suppression Pool
u High Pressure Injection
System
u Low Pressure Injection
System
u Containment Spray

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ABB Emergency Cooling System

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Measurements - Computation & _ecision - Control

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u BWR reactor generates steam in the reactor vessel.

u No steam generator and pressurizer are needed.
u Control rods are inserted from the vessel bottom
u BWR has lower operating pressure than PWR does.
u The coolant flow rate of a BWR is smaller than that of a PWR of
equivalent power output.
u The BWR reactor vessel is larger than PWR vessel.
u Its primary coolant system connects to turbine units
u Circulation pump assembly is needed.
u The engineering of a BWR is more difficult than PWR.

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Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR) employs passive

safety features that rely more on natural forces like gravity
and convection, and less on operator intervention.
u Natural Circulation
u Gravity _riven Cooling System
u Integral _ryer and Separator
u Fine Motion Control Rod _rive
u Elliptical Upper and Lower Heads

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