Degasification system for a nuclear power plant and method for degassing a flow of reactor coolant

The invention relates to a nuclear power plant comprising a nuclear reactor and a reactor coolant circuit containing a reactor coolant, in particular based on water or similar to water (e.g. light-water or heavy-water), further comprising a degasifica tion system for the reactor coolant. The invention also relates to an according method of degassing a reactor coolant of a nuclear reactor.

A nuclear power plant comprises a nuclear reactor and an associated reactor coolant circuit in which a reactor coolant circulates. For various reasons it may be necessary to remove dissolved gases from the liquid reactor coolant. The process is called‘degasification’ or‘degassing’. One reason may be the removal of oxygen to avoid corrosion in the enclosing line or piping system. Another reason may be to prepare the nuclear reactor for maintenance such that the amount of radionuclides is as low as necessary in order to reach reactor vessel opening limits.

In accordance with the preamble of claim 1 , prior art document EP 2 109 1 14 A2 discloses a nuclear power plant with a degasification system for a reactor coolant. Said degasification system is based on vaporization (with stripping gas applied).

US 4 647 425 A discloses a nuclear power plant with a vacuum degassing appa ratus.

US 2016/225470 A1 discloses a nuclear power plant with a membrane-based de gassing apparatus.

These existing degasification systems in nuclear power plants are considered to be expensive, energy-intensive, inefficient, and space-demanding. Therefore, an objective underlying the present invention is to provide a nuclear power plant with a degasification system which can be easily integrated into the surrounding systems with low space-demand, which in the case of existing plants can be adapted to various needs, and which works reliably and efficiently. Fur thermore, the invention shall provide an according method for degassing a flow of reactor coolant of a nuclear reactor.

According to the invention, the device-related objective is met by a nuclear power plant with the features of claim 1.

Hence, the invention suggests a nuclear power plant comprising a nuclear reactor and a reactor coolant circuit containing a reactor coolant, further comprising a degasification system for the reactor coolant, wherein the degasification system is an ultrasonic degasification system comprising a sonotrode cluster with at least one sonotrode arranged in a line of the reactor coolant circuit or in a line which is fluidically connected to the reactor coolant circuit, preferably allowing continuous degasification of the reactor coolant.

In an ultrasonic degasification system, the gas dissolved in a liquid forms small cavitation bubbles due to the ultrasonic application of energy. In a separation ves sel or tank, the micro bubbles gather into larger bubbles and rise to the surface of the liquid such that the separated gas can be extracted. An ultrasonic oscillator is also called sonotrode.

The invention is based on this known technology, which is commercially available, proven and tested in other industry sectors, and transforms it into a suitable appli cation for degassing a reactor coolant of a nuclear plant. Advantages are, among others: cost and energy-efficient, space-saving, low-maintenance, easy installation and operation, modular design, expandable (scalable) on demand.

In a preferred embodiment the sonotrode cluster comprises a plurality of sono- trodes in parallel-flow configuration. Preferably, the number of flown through (ac tive) sonotrodes is adjustable with the help of according control valves. For a continuous operation each sonotrode is preferably arranged within a flow through cell which can be any container, pipe or tank suitable for flow-through op eration.

While in principle it is possible to place said sonotrode in the same vessel, tank or pipe in which the gas separation occurs, it is advantageous for the here-described application to have the ultrasonic subsystem and the separation subsystem spa tially separated from each other, such that there is a separation vessel down stream of the sonotrode cluster.

Preferably, the separation vessel comprises a gas space to which a suction line for an extracted gas flow is connected. Hence, during operation the gas space is preferably kept under negative pressure with respect to the atmosphere. Gas sep aration may also be achieved or supported by a purging gas via the separation vessel.

In a preferred embodiment there is a sonotrode cooling system, preferably with a fluid heat transfer medium or coolant circulating inside an open or a closed cooling loop. Additionally or alternatively, in particular in case of bigger clusters of sono- trodes, there is a flow cooling system, preferably of the same kind, for cooling the liquid flow leaving the sonotrodes.

A particular advantageous embodiment relates to a nuclear power plant with a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) and with a primary reactor coolant circuit and a secondary reactor cooling circuit, wherein the reactor coolant to be degassed is a primary reactor coolant of the primary reactor coolant circuit. However, degassing a secondary reactor coolant of the secondary reactor coolant circuit is also possi ble. In this context, the term‘Pressurized Water Reactor’ is to be understood in a broad sense which includes light-water reactors such as the European Pressur ized (Water) Reactor (EPR) or the German‘Druckwasserreaktor’ (DWR), but also heavy-water reactors such as CANDU. The CANDU, for Canada Deuterium Ura nium, is a well-known Canadian pressurized heavy-water reactor design. Usually, access to the primary reactor coolant of the primary reactor coolant circuit is possible via an associated reactor Chemical and Volume Control System

(CVCS) comprising a letdown line and a Volume Control Tank. Preferably, a sup ply line leads from the letdown line to the sonotrode cluster such that a branch flow of the flow through the CVCS control system is treated by the ultrasonic subsys tem.

In this case it is particularly useful when the Volume Control Tank is arranged to act as a separation vessel for a flow of primary reactor coolant leaving the sono trode cluster.

More generally, any liquid within a nuclear power plant may be degassed by an ultrasonic degasification system of the kind described here, for example boric acid and/or demineralized water before injection into the circulating reactor coolant.

With respect to the method, the invention suggests a method for degassing a flow of reactor coolant of a nuclear reactor, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) applying ultrasonic vibrations to the flow with the help of at least one sono trode, and then

(b) guiding the flow into a separation vessel, wherein a flow of gas is separated from a liquid phase.

Preferably, the steps (a) and (b) are executed continuously.

The device-related remarks above apply to the method analogously.

Briefly summarizing, the system according to the invention is intended and suitable for degasification of a flow of reactor coolant within an auxiliary system connected to the reactor coolant circuit. For better scalability and modularity, a cluster of sev eral sonotrodes in parallel-flow configuration is switched into a main flow line. Fur ther optional components include a cooling device for the sonotrodes and/or the main flow and a depressurized gas separator downstream to the sonotrode ar- rangement. The whole sonotrode arrangement may be located within a movable container.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are subsequently described with refer ence to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic overview of a degasification system for a gaseous liq uid.

FIG. 2 shows a first concrete application of the degasification system according to FIG. 1 within a nuclear power plant, here for degassing a primary reactor coolant of a pressurized water reactor.

FIG. 3 shows a second concrete application of the degasification system accord ing to FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows a third concrete application of the degasification system according to FIG. 1 , in this case a mobile application.

FIG. 5 gives an overview of a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) with a primary coolant circuit and related auxiliary systems.

Similar technical elements are assigned the same reference numerals throughout the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic overview of a degasification system 2 for a liquid, that is a liquid containing dissolved gas or vapor. An inflow 4 or stream of liquid to be de gassed enters via feed line or pipe or supply line 6 into an ultrasonic subsystem 8 which comprises a cluster of sonotrodes 10, in brief sonotrode cluster 1 1. More precisely, the supply line 6 branches into a number of parallel branch lines 12 or branches such that during operation the liquid inflow 4 is divided into partial flows or streams accordingly. Each branch line 12 comprises an ultrasonic flow-through cell 14 which comprises a sonotrode 10. In this context, the term‘cell’ is meant in a broad sense and includes any container or vessel or tank or pipe which is suited for flow-through operation.

In general, a sonotrode is a device that creates ultrasonic vibrations and applies vibrational energy to a gas, liquid, solid or tissue. A sonotrode usually consists of a stack of piezoelectric transducers attached to a tapering metal rod. The end of the rod is applied to the working material. An alternating current oscillating at ultrason ic frequency is applied by a separate power supply unit to the piezoelectric trans ducers. The current causes them to expand and contract. Advantageously, the frequency of the current is chosen to be the resonant frequency of the tool, so the entire sonotrode acts as a half-wavelength resonator, vibrating lengthwise with standing waves at its resonant frequency. The standard frequencies used with ul trasonic sonotrodes range from 20 kHz to 70 kHz. Usually, the amplitude of the vibration is small, about 13 to 130 micrometers.

In the context of the present invention, each sonotrode 10 applies vibrational en ergy to the liquid flowing through the according flow-through cell 14. This leads to cavitation, a phenomenon in which rapid changes of pressure in the liquid lead to local vaporization and thus to the formation of small vapor-filled cavities. In other words, the dissolved gas gets entrapped into micro gas bubbles which can easily be separated from the liquid, preferably in a downstream separation vessel 1 6.

To this end, the branch lines 12 downstream to the flow-through cells 14 are merged into a common collecting line 18 or pipe which, via a connecting line 20 or pipe, leads to a separation subsystem 22. The separation subsystem 22 compris es a separation vessel 1 6 or tank which is designed to be filled with liquid 23 en tering from the connecting line 20 up to a given design filling level 24 during flow through operation. Above the liquid 23 there is a gas space 26 which during opera tion is preferably kept at a negative pressure (below atmospheric pressure). This is achieved via an extraction line or suction line 28 attached to the separation vessel 16 in the region of the gas space 26 (an according suction pump is not shown here). This way, the gas bubbles contained in the liquid 23 rise up to surface 30 of the liquid 23 and enter the gas space 26 where the collected gas is withdrawn by suction via suction line 28 as gas flow 31. Hence, the separation vessel 16 acts as a gas separator for the liquid previously treated in the upstream sonotrode cluster 11. The degasified liquid is discharged from the separation vessel 16 via discharge line 32 as liquid outflow 34 or stream.

The connecting line 20 enters the separation vessel 16 preferably in the region below the gas space 26, discharging into the liquid 23 gathered therein. In order to support a high separation efficiency, the inlet opening 36 into the separation ves sel 16 is preferably designed to support a tangential inward flow. Similarly, the out let opening 38 into the discharge line 32 preferably supports a tangential outward flow.

In addition to or alternative to the suction induced by negative pressure, the sepa rated gas gathering in the gas space 26 above the liquid phase may be drawn from the separation vessel 16 by a purging gas flow 40 entering the gas space 26 via an attached purging gas line 42 (purging gas supply not shown here).

Depending on the operating conditions and the objectives of operation some of the sonotrodes 10 may be switched off into a non-active state. It may also be desira ble to shut down or to control the liquid flow through the respective flow-through cell 14 with the help of a shut-off valve or control valve 44 in the according branch line 12 of the ultrasonic subsystem 8. Preferably, the control valve 44 is arranged upstream to the flow-through cell 14 comprising the sonotrode 10.

Depending on the system specification and the operating conditions it may be ad vantageous to provide cooling for the sonotrodes 10. In a preferred embodiment, there is a system of cooling lines 46 integrated into the ultrasonic subsystem 8 and being in thermal contact with the sonotrodes 10, in particular with water as flowing coolant. The coolant is provided at coolant inlet 48 as coolant inflow 50 and dis charged at a coolant outlet 52 as coolant outflow 54 after being heated by the waste heat of the sonotrodes 10. Re-cooling of the coolant is preferably provided by an external re-cooling system (not shown here) such that during operation there is a closed cooling circuit. The coolant in the cooling circuit is preferably driven by a coolant pump which may be integrated into the ultrasonic subsystem 8 or alter natively is located externally.

In addition to or alternative to said sonotrode cooling system 56 there may be a flow cooling system 58 for the liquid flow leaving the sonotrodes 10. This flow cool ing system 58 is preferably realized as a cooling circuit with a circulating fluid coolant, just like the sonotrode cooling system 56 described in the previous para graph. Preferably, the cooling circuit comprises a heat exchanger which is in ther mal contract with the collecting line 18. Alternatively or additionally, it may be in thermal contact with some of or all the individual branch lines 12 downstream the sonotrodes 10. In particular, the flow cooling system 58 for the liquid outward flow from the sonotrodes 10 may be a part or a branch of or may share common com ponents with the sonotrode cooling system 56.

In summary, during operation of the degasification system 2 a stream or inflow 4 of liquid carrying dissolved gaseous constituents enters the ultrasonic subsystem 8 via supply line 6, is then diverted or distributed into the parallel branch lines 12 and is led through the flow-through cells 14, wherein the sonotrodes 10 cause the for mation of small gas bubbles within the liquid. The such-treated liquid from the dif ferent branch lines 12 is then collected in the collecting line 18. The resulting liquid flow is led via connecting line 20 to the separation subsystem 22, wherein it is in jected into the separation vessel 16. Inside the separation vessel 16 the liquid phase is separated from the gaseous phase. The gaseous phase is drawn as a gas flow 31 from the separation vessel 26 via suction line 28 or another suitable extraction line by suction or with the help of a purging gas flow 40. The degasified liquid outflow 34 leaves the separation vessel 16 via liquid discharge line 32.

During operation the sonotrodes 10 and/or the liquid flow coming from the sono trodes 10 are preferably cooled by a flow of coolant, preferably water.

The whole system and the according process are preferably designed to operate continuously with a continuous inflow of gaseous liquid and a continuous outflow of gas and degasified liquid. Transport of the liquid is preferably accomplished by a number of pumps which may be integrated into the ultrasonic subsystem 8 and/or be placed elsewhere in the line system which guides the liquid.

A modular construction is achieved by integrating the ultrasonic subsystem 8 into a housing 60 which encloses the flow-through cells 14 and the sonotrodes 10, the branch lines 12 with the according branching and junctions, and - if present - the internal cooling lines 46. Interfaces to the external components and devices of the degasification system 2 include line connectors for the inflow of gaseous liquid, the outflow of degasified liquid, and - if applicable - line connectors for the inflow and outflow of coolant. Alternatively, only the individual flow-through cells 14 - each comprising at least one sonotrode 10 and, if applicable, an according cooling sys tem - are placed inside individual housings, whereas the corresponding line branching and junctions are located outside of these individual housings.

The whole ultrasonic subsystem 8 can be designed as mobile device, for example with transport rollers 62, albeit in view of qualification for seismic loads and the like a stationary installation may be advantageous.

The separation subsystem 22 with the separation vessel 16 is preferably arranged as an external facility outside the ultrasonic subsystem 8. In particular, the separa tion vessel 16 can be an existing component of an existing technical facility. A simple connecting line 20 (e.g. a hose or a pipe) is required to connect the ultra sonic subsystem 8 to the separation subsystem 22. The line connection may be realized as a detachable connection, for example by plug and/or clamping means, or as a permanent connection, for example by welding.

To avoid re-dissolution of the gas bubbles within the liquid outflow from the sono trodes 10 before it enters the separation vessel 16, the length of the connecting line 20 is preferably chosen to be as short as possible, based on the nominal di ameter of the main pipe and the flow rate. The transfer time from the sonotrode 10 into the separation vessel 16 shall be in an order of magnitude of 2 to 3 seconds at maximum. The number of branch lines 12 and according sonotrodes 10 in the ultrasonic sub system 8 is chosen according to the demands of the actual application. In special cases a single sonotrode 10 may be sufficient (i.e. the term‘sonotrode cluster’ is meant to include the lower limit of just one branch line), while in general a multi tude of parallel branch lines 12 and according sonotrodes 10 may be required to handle large volume flows. The related pressure drop in the liquid line is negligible and of no practical concern in most cases.

It is also possible to arrange several of the above-described ultrasonic subsystems 8 in parallel, thereby increasing the number of parallel sonotrode branches accord ingly. Similarly, it is possible to arrange several of the separation vessels 16 in parallel if corresponding line branches and junctions are provided.

Redundancy and/or performance enhancements with respect to existing degasifi cation systems, in particular of a different type, can also be achieved by simply providing suitable line branches and junctions.

A corresponding control system may control the individual sonotrodes 10 (in par ticular the ultrasonic power introduced into the liquid flow), the number of active branches (via the shut-off valves or control valves 44), the cooling capacity (via the flow of coolant, e.g. cooling water), and/or the liquid level inside the separation vessel 16.

FIG. 2 shows a first concrete application of the above-described concept within a nuclear power plant.

A pressurized water reactor comprises a primary reactor coolant circuit 90 carrying a primary reactor coolant. The primary reactor coolant circuit 90 comprises a Re actor Pressure Vessel (RPV) 92, a pressurizer 94, a steam generator 96, and a primary coolant pump 98. The steam generator 96 provides a thermal connection to the secondary coolant circuit. The volume, the chemical composition, and other physical properties of the circulating primary reactor coolant can be controlled by a Reactor Chemical and Volume control system (CVCS) 70 which is fluidically con- nected to the primary reactor coolant circuit 90. This is shown schematically in FIG. 5.

Turning back to FIG. 2, the Reactor Chemical and Volume control system (CVCS) 70 comprises a letdown line 72 for the primary reactor coolant which leads to a high-pressure charging pump 74 for re-injecting the primary reactor coolant into the primary reactor coolant circuit. A Volume Control Tank (VCT) 76 is fluidically connected to the letdown line 72 in a line section upstream to the charging pump 74 at a three-way line branching 78.

To support degasification for a branch stream of the primary reactor coolant, an ultrasonic subsystem 8 with a sonotrode cluster 1 1 of the above-described kind is used. The supply line 6 for the ultrasonic subsystem 8 is fluidically connected on the inlet side to the letdown line 72. The according three-way line branching 80 is arranged upstream to the line branching 78 which connects the VCT 76 to the let down line 72. Also, the full flow can be routed via this branch. On the outlet side the ultrasonic subsystem 8 is fluidically connected to the VCT 76 via connecting line 20. The connecting line 20 discharges into a lower region of the VCT 76 which during operation normally contains a liquid phase of the primary reactor coolant. Above the liquid phase there is a gas space 26 to which a suction line 28 is con nected. The suction line 28 which during operation is kept under negative pressure leading to an exhaust system (not shown). Furthermore, there may be a purging gas line 42 discharging into the gas space 26 of the VCT 76, providing a stripping gas stream to the VCT 76 containing nitrogen or another suitable stripping gas.

Flence, a partial or full stream of the primary reactor coolant stream running through the letdown line 72 is diverted to the ultrasonic subsystem 8 and is then led into the VCT 76 which acts as separation vessel 16 in the above-described sense and manner. From the VCT 76 the degasified volume is led into the letdown line 72 again via a line acting as discharge line 32 and the three-way branching 78. Thus, the ultrasonic subsystem 8 and the VCT 76 constitute a degasification system 2 within the Reactor Chemical and Volume Control System 70 which is able to continuously degasify a branch stream of the primary reactor coolant stream or, depending on the needs, also the full stream.

In order to retrofit such a degasification system 2 into an existing plant, it is - in principle - merely necessary to provide the connections for the ultrasonic subsys tem 8, and, if necessary, for the suction line 28 and the purging gas line 42. The ultrasonic subsystem 8 therefore can be treated as a‘black box’ system during the planning stage.

In contrast to a conventional degasification system (> 2 MW power for a volume flow of 72 m ³ /h) based on vacuum vaporization, the degasification system accord ing to the invention is much more energy efficient (0.1 MW power for a volume flow of 72 m ³ /h).

FIG. 3 shows a second concrete application of the above-described concept within a nuclear power plant. The figure shows the ultrasonic subsystem 8 as cluster in the main stream upstream the Volume Control Tank 76. The full flow will be routed via the ultrasonic subsystem 8 and the system is built in as a fixed system part. This application is suited for example for older German or French fleet plants comprising hydrogenation inside the Volume Control Tank 76. A retrofitting of pip ing seems not necessary, the main flow will be sprayed via the vessel head into a stripping gas flow. Flowever, for this case it seems likely that the concentration of stripping gas in the primary coolant rises considerably. As a logical consequence it is assumed to backfit the separation vessel 16 with an additional connection below the fluid surface in the vessel in order to minimize such effects.

FIG. 4 shows a third concrete application of the above-described concept within a nuclear power plant, in which a mobile version of the ultrasonic subsystem 8 is used on demand. The application is meant to work in the same manner as the one in FIG. 3 beside the fact that the equipment can easily be connected and discon nected at will. While the above description has been focused on applications in the nuclear sec tor, the proposed degasification system and the according method or process may also be employed in conventional (non-nuclear) power plants or industrial plants wherever it is necessary to degasify a liquid. In particular, the mobile application of FIG. 4 is instantly suited for such applications as well, without major modifications.

List of reference numerals

2 degasification system

4 liquid inflow

6 supply line

8 ultrasonic subsystem

10 sonotrode

11 sonotrode cluster

12 branch line

14 flow-through cell

16 separation vessel

18 collecting line

20 connecting line

22 separation subsystem

23 liquid

24 filling level

26 gas space

28 suction line

30 surface

31 gas flow

32 discharge line

34 liquid outflow

36 inlet opening

38 outlet opening

40 purging gas flow

42 purging gas line

44 control valve

46 cooling line

48 coolant inlet

50 coolant inflow

52 coolant outlet

54 coolant outflow

56 sonotrode cooling system flow cooling system

housing

transport roller

Reactor Chemical and Volume Control System (CVCS) letdown line

charging pump

Volume Control Tank (VCT)

line branching

line branching

primary reactor coolant circuit

Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV)

pressurizer

steam generator

primary coolant pump