Nuclear Reactor Maintained Online

A large nuclear boiling water reactor power plant that was being held at 80% of power output due to marginal boiler water chemistry had subsequently experienced a large condenser tube leak and was being shut down on poor reactor water chemistry.  The nuclear plant was eight months from its scheduled maintenance shutdown and its power was needed due to inclement weather demands.  The expert was asked to provide guidance to repair the poor reactor chemistry and avert the plant shutdown.  Calling upon the expert's experience in demineralizer design and operation, and work with powered demineralizer resin pressure precoat unit operation, the expert suggested a recipe and methodology of precoating the pressure precoat units with powered demineralizer resin. The expert further suggested an operating strategy and monitoring parameters that allowed the reactor chemistry to improve such that the plant returned to 80% power, surpassing that, and going on to and maintaining 100% power until the scheduled plant shutdown normal coastdown period.  This was done without an appreciable increase in radwaste loading due to the additional condenser tube leak impurity loadings.

To see the resume of the expert associated with this case study, see the link below.