Temporary cooling system and method for removing decay heat from a

Abstract

In combination with a nuclear power generating facility including a composite fuel pool including a reactor cavity and a spent fuel pool fluidly connectable to the reactor cavity, the composite fuel pool at least partially containing a primary fluid, a nuclear reactor vessel positioned in the reactor cavity, a residual heat removal system installed in the facility and fluidly connectable to the reactor vessel, and a spent fuel pool cooling system installed in the facility and fluidly connectable to the spent fuel pool, a temporary cooling system is provided, comprising a primary heat exchange system including a primary heat exchanger for transferring heat from a primary fluid to a secondary cooling fluid. The primary heat exchanger is temporarily locatable in the facility, and is temporarily fluidly connected to the composite fuel pool. A primary pump, also temporarily locatable in the facility, circulates primary fluid through the primary heat exchanger, which cools the primary fluid to a desired point at a faster rate than the spent fuel pool cooling system, allowing fuel to be immediately removed from the reactor rather than waiting for the residual heat removal system to cool the primary fluid to a point at which the spent fuel pool cooling system is able to provide adequate cooling capacity. Particulate filtration and demineralization may also be furnished with the system and method of the invention.