US 6,909,765 B2Granted

Method of uprating an existing nuclear power plant

AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.

InventorEdward J. Lahoda

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Abstract

An improved method of increasing the power output of an existing nuclear power plant includes increasing the thermal power output of the plant's nuclear island and constructing of an auxiliary BOP to handle the increased thermal power. The thermal power of the nuclear island can be increased such as by increasing the thermal power of the plant's reactor, by replacing the plant's steam generator with one that is more efficient, and by increasing the flow rate and/or change in temperature of a coolant in a secondary cooling loop of the plant. The thermal power of the reactor can be increased such as by replacing existing cylindrical fuel rods with fuel rods having a relatively greater surface area to volume ratio and/or by increasing the flow rate and/or the change in temperature of a coolant of a primary cooling loop. The auxiliary BOP can be constructed while the plant is in operation, and can then be connected with the nuclear island during a maintenance operation on the reactor.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A method of increasing the electrical power output of an existing nuclear power plant, the plant including a nuclear island and a balance of plant connected together, the nuclear island including a containment having an interior, a pressurized water reactor having a number of fuel rods that include fissile material, and a steam generator, the reactor and the steam generator being disposed within the interior of the containment, the containment outputting thermal power, and the balance of plant outputting electrical power, the method comprising:

operating the nuclear island during a first time period to output from the containment thermal power at a first rate:
constructing an auxiliary balance of plant, at least a portion of said constructing an auxiliary balance of plant occurring during at least a portion of the first time period while the nuclear island is operating;
connecting the auxiliary balance of plant with the nuclear island;
increasing the thermal power output from the containment by operating the nuclear island during a second time period substantially subsequent to connection of the auxiliary balance of plant with the nuclear island to output from the containment thermal power at a second rate that is relatively greater than the first rate;
delivering a portion of the thermal power to the auxiliary balance of plant;
and
outputting electrical power from the auxiliary balance of plant.

4 more elements

A method of increasing the electrical power output of an existing nuclear power plant substantially without a need of altering a containment of the plant, the plant including a nuclear island and a balance of plant connected together, the nuclear island including the containment which includes an interior, a pressurized water reactor having a number of fuel rods that include fissile material, and a steam generator, the or and the steam generator being disposed within the interior of the containment, the reactor outputting thermal power, and the balance of plant outputting electrical power, the method comprising:

operating the nuclear island during a first time period to output from the reactor thermal power at a first rate;
constructing an auxiliary balance of plant at least constructing an auxiliary balance of plant occurring during at least a portion of the first time period while the nuclear island is operating;
thermally connecting the auxiliary balance of plant with the reactor;
increasing the thermal power output from the containment by operating the nuclear island during a second time period substantially subsequent to connection of the auxiliary balance of plant with the reactor to output from the reactor thermal power at a second rate that is relatively greater than the first rate;
and
outputting electrical power from the auxiliary balance of plant.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.