Containment & Spent Fuel Pool Cooling

Nuclear reactors use highly radioactive materials to produce large amounts of heat. These processes are in containment buildings that must have a constant supply of chilled water and air. The byproduct of the reactor is spent fuel that remains radioactive and must be constantly cooled in a pond or tank. Nuclear facilities typically have redundant backup cooling systems, but often provide opportunities for rental systems during inspections, maintenance, and repairs. Typical installations are shown in the diagrams below.

Nuclear Reactor Containment Cooling

Spent Fuel Pool Cooling

Rental equipment typically used in nuclear reactors for cooling containment and spent fuel pools include the following:

• Chiller modules ranging from 300 to 525 tons (may require multiple modules)

• Pump modules

• Heat exchanger modules

• Piping and fittings

• Engineering and supervision services

• Installation and maintenance services

• On-site operation and training

Typical Customers:

Nuclear power plants provide the most opportunities for this application.

Discovery Questions:

• During refueling, does the temperature inside your containment building affect worker comfort and/or health?

• Are your permanent cooling systems capable of meeting demand during periods of high ambient temperatures?

• Do you ever need to shut off component cooling water (CCW) to your spent fuel pool?

• Do you ever have increased temperatures in your spent fuel pool during refueling?

• Do you have preventative maintenance, repairs, or retrofits scheduled for your primary or backup cooling systems?

Configuration and Installation Issues:

• Supplemental cooling applications typically operate in parallel with the customer’s cooling system. Determine the required input and output temperatures and pressures when sizing the chiller. A pump and/or circulation tank may also need to be added to the circuit.

• Consider the possibility of equipment contamination and be sure to factor into your rental rates.