How to empty and process primary coolant circuit?

[Zedd]

Hello fellow operators!

Quick couple of technical questions. How does one go about emptying the primary cooling circuit? We're not talking about the core outer vessel (the pool, that's easy) I'm on about the actual primary coolant in the core.
My curiosity is twofold- firstly because one might want to lower the volume to make room for more Boron. Secondly- what if I want to send monkeys in to scrub the insides clean, and thus want to empty it completely? :D

First I figured it's the obviously labelled vent core valve 01, but I think that's just for any steam build-up and doesn't seem to do much when safely shut down.

Does one do it through the vent valve of the pressuriser? It seems to lower the level but only does so very, very slowly. If so, do I need to run it through the ioniser/filter first to get all the Boron out?

Or does one use the RCV recirc valve, through the condensate storage tank, and then out the CST purge valve?

And biggest one of all- in all these cases where does it go? The PNID is a bit vague on that :D I'm hoping it doesn't go straight back into the river :D


...would one actually ever empty it, or is it more a case of, fill it up and never ever let it out again? :D

Thanks in advance and I eagerly await your input!

[Dixie]

I think you can use the RCV valve to send it toward condensor and then open that thing's drain valve. I was messing around with meltdowns and found that the reactor did not behave as expected with zero primary coolant, it wouldn't even register a temp.

[zagan01]

You use the vent and wait.

100,000 litres of water isn't going to drain in 10 mins sadly

[zagan01]

Originally posted by Dixie:

I think you can use the RCV valve to send it toward condensor and then open that thing's drain valve. I was messing around with meltdowns and found that the reactor did not behave as expected with zero primary coolant, it wouldn't even register a temp.

That's because there's no water to register a temp on a sensor

[Dixie]

Originally posted by zagan01:

Originally posted by Dixie:

I think you can use the RCV valve to send it toward condensor and then open that thing's drain valve. I was messing around with meltdowns and found that the reactor did not behave as expected with zero primary coolant, it wouldn't even register a temp.

That's because there's no water to register a temp on a sensor

I too figured that for a reasonable explanation. But pull the rods all the way to zero and insert fuel with zero coolant in primary loop the thing doesn't melt. But if you have coolant it melts fast.

Just a game

[Zedd]

For realism purposes, I was also wondering where it goes when draining the coolant. I've had a wander around outside and found two basins/pools that have pipes running into- does your primary coolant get dumped there? Like, outside? :D

This also leads me to my other unanswered question- during a planned shutdown and drain of primary coolant, would you first have to run it through the ioniser to remove all acids? If it's just dumped outside, I would assume so!

[Zedd]

Can confirm, to fully drain the primary coolant from the core: after shutdown open up RCV (Recirc valve) and CST purge valve, this'll dump the core coolant into the condensate storage tank and empties the tank... somewhere outside I think. I went out to visually check, but visually, no liquids are coming out of the pipes and the level in the basins doesn't increase. Pretty sure this is where it goes though.
Under the assumption it just goes outside, I've ran the coolant through the ioniser to get rid of the borium before it's dumped into the river to prevent all the fish from enjoying it :D

[+Karma- PhoX CatastrophE]

Originally posted by Zedd:

Can confirm, to fully drain the primary coolant from the core: after shutdown open up RCV (Recirc valve) and CST purge valve, this'll dump the core coolant into the condensate storage tank and empties the tank... somewhere outside I think. I went out to visually check, but visually, no liquids are coming out of the pipes and the level in the basins doesn't increase. Pretty sure this is where it goes though.
Under the assumption it just goes outside, I've ran the coolant through the ioniser to get rid of the borium before it's dumped into the river to prevent all the fish from enjoying it :D

Some fines/fees being added for dumping contaminated/boronic acid water outside might be an idea sometime. Poor fishyfishies