Startup/shutdown hydrogen injection system for boiling water reactors (bwrs), and method thereof
AssigneeGE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC
InventorsJohn WHITTAKER, Angelo GONZAGA, Paul SHU, Luong TRAN
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Abstract
A system and a method for injecting hydrogen into Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) reactor support systems in operation during reactor startup and/or shutdown to mitigate Inter-Granular Stress Corrosion Cracking (IGSCC). The system may provide hydrogen at variable pressures (including relatively higher pressures) that match changing operating pressures of the reactor supports systems as the reactor cycles through startup and shutdown modes.
Claims22
A method of injecting hydrogen into a Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) support system during reactor startup and/or shutdown modes to mitigate Inter-Granular Stress Corrosion Cracking (IGSCC), comprising:
- fluidly connecting at least one hydrogen source to the BWR support system during at least one of a reactor startup mode and a reactor shutdown mode, the BWR support system being in operation during the reactor startup and shutdown modes;
- directing a hydrogen flow from the at least one hydrogen source to the BWR support system;
- and
- regulating a pressure of the hydrogen flow based upon an operating pressure of the BWR support system.
A system, comprising:
- a hydrogen injection system fluidly connected to a BWR support system, the hydrogen injection system including,
- a hydrogen source,
- flow control equipment,
- pressure control equipment,
- the BWR support system being a system that operates during a reactor startup mode and a reactor shutdown mode,
- the pressure control equipment configured to regulate a pressure of a hydrogen flow between the hydrogen source and the BWR support system based upon an operating pressure of the BWR support system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.