General Electric Company

Electric Power Research Institute Incorporated

James Leon Simpson

Robert James Law

Robert L Cowan, Ii

Carl P Ruiz

Michel N Robles

Chien-Chang Lin

Thomas O Passell

Martin Sullivan Laurent

Lynn Lawrence Sundberg

Dragomir Duitna

Michael Eildon Ball

Constantine N Spalaris

Fluid flow rates are determined with a nonradioactive tracer agent in the operation of a water cooled nuclear fission reactor employed for driving electrical power generators. The technique is proposed for use to routinely calibrate other flow measuring means such as restricted flow nozzles.

Coolant water flow rate test with rubidium nuclear tracer for reactors

In a boiling water reactor nuclear plant, hydrogen is injected into the feed water to neutralize radiolysis which causes stress corrosion in stainless steel components. It has been discovered that by inhibiting volatile ammonia, and other gaseous nitrogen compounds from leaving the liquid phase portions of the plant to the steam phase portions of the plant, radiation is reduced to acceptable levels. Formation of ammonia is inhibited chemically, by altering the reaction paths for volatile nitrogen species with trace additives in the parts per billion range, suitable additives include nitrous oxide, copper, zinc, carbon dioxide, and other components. It has also been found that by manipulating the pH, the formation of the voltage nitrogen compounds, especially ammonia, is decreased. Similarly, by physically altering plant operating conditions to reduce sparging or scrubbing of the gases from areas of high radiation, confinement of the N-16 within the liquid phase of the plant within the reactor vessel occurs. It is further found that by decreasing the total hydrogen concentration in the core region, the N-16 volatility can be limited. This includes alternate hydrogen injection points and enhancement of the hydrogen-oxygen recombination reaction by e.g., catalysis by radiation or by surfaces. The possibility of increasing the N-16 holdup time in the steam phase is also considered. Finally, the concept of operating at a higher electrochemical potential which requires a lower hydrogen concentration and hence less N-16 converted to the volatile form is also described.

Method to control N-16 radiation levels in steam phase BWRs

An on-line and continuous sampling system for monitoring the ionic content of steam-producing water in a steam-operated electrical power plant. The monitoring system comprises a plurality of sampling lines and associated apparatus for sampling the steam-producing water at a number of different points in the power plant, an ion chromatographic subsystem for analyzing the sampled water, a calibration subsystem for calibrating the ion chromatographic subsystem, and an automatic control subsystem for operating the monitoring system of the present invention.

System for continuously monitoring the ionic content of steam-producing

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

James Leon Simpson