Auxiliary feedwater
Encyclopedia
Auxiliary feedwater is a backup water
supply system found in pressurized water reactor
nuclear power plant
s. This system, sometimes known as Emergency feedwater, can be used during shutdowns, including accident conditions, and sometimes during startup. It works by pumping water to the steam generators
from reserve tanks or a larger body of water (e.g. lake, river, or ocean) to remove decay heat
from the reactor
.
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
supply system found in pressurized water reactor
Pressurized water reactor
Pressurized water reactors constitute a large majority of all western nuclear power plants and are one of three types of light water reactor , the other types being boiling water reactors and supercritical water reactors...
nuclear power plant
Nuclear power plant
A nuclear power plant is a thermal power station in which the heat source is one or more nuclear reactors. As in a conventional thermal power station the heat is used to generate steam which drives a steam turbine connected to a generator which produces electricity.Nuclear power plants are usually...
s. This system, sometimes known as Emergency feedwater, can be used during shutdowns, including accident conditions, and sometimes during startup. It works by pumping water to the steam generators
Steam generator (nuclear power)
Steam generators are heat exchangers used to convert water into steam from heat produced in a nuclear reactor core. They are used in pressurized water reactors between the primary and secondary coolant loops....
from reserve tanks or a larger body of water (e.g. lake, river, or ocean) to remove decay heat
Decay heat
Decay heat is the heat released as a result of radioactive decay. This is when the radiation interacts with materials: the energy of the alpha, beta or gamma radiation is converted into the thermal movement of atoms.-Natural occurrence:...
from the reactor
Nuclear reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Most commonly they are used for generating electricity and for the propulsion of ships. Usually heat from nuclear fission is passed to a working fluid , which runs through turbines that power either ship's...
.