A pressurized-water-type nuclear power reactor (PWR) uses light water as the reactor coolant and moderator in the state of high temperature and high pressure not boiling in the reactor core (primary system: reactor coolant system) and sends the high-temperature and high-pressure water to steam generators (primary system) to generate steam with heat exchangers (steam system: secondary coolant system) for a turbine generator to generate electricity.
The PWR consists of a primary system (reactor system) and a secondary system (steam system) in order to keep radioactive materials in the primary system. The reactor coolant in a reactor vessel (reactor coolant) of the primary system is pressurized so that it circulates with reactor coolant pumps without boiling, and the high-temperature and high-pressure reactor coolant (reactor-vessel outlet temperature: about 325ºC, reactor-vessel inlet pressure: about 157 kg/cm2, at rated power) moves from a reactor core to steam generators (primary side) for effective heat transfer. Within the steam generators, heat exchange occurs at heat transfer tubes transporting the heat from the primary side to the secondary side, and steam (operating temperature: about 277ºC and operating pressure: about 62 kg/cm2, at rated power) is generated. This steam is sent to a turbine to drive a generator, condensed in condensers to water, and sent back to the steam generators (secondary side) with main feedwater pumps (feedwater).
A PWR consists of the primary cooling system, chemical and volume control system, emergency core cooling system, container spray system, residual heat removal system, fuel handling system, waste processing system, turbine-generator system etc.
Basic Configuration
Features of PWRs
Primary Cooling System
Power Control of PWRs
Types of PWRs
