A pressurized water reactor incorporates a dedicated pressurizer for what operational purpose________________?
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Answer: A. to maintain constant pressure in primary circuit under varying load
Explanation
A pressurized water reactor uses a dedicated pressurizer connected directly to the primary coolant loop. Electric heaters and water sprays inside the pressurizer regulate system pressure precisely. This maintains constant primary circuit pressure under varying electrical load demands. Pressurized water reactors maintain primary water in a subcooled liquid state under high pressure. System pressure control prevents bulk boiling within the high-temperature reactor core coolant lines. The pressurizer acts as a surge chamber accommodating coolant volume changes during power transients.
Commercial nuclear power plants rely on pressurizers to ensure stable primary loop hydraulic operation. Operators monitor pressurizer water level and pressure indicators during plant power changes. Proper pressure regulation protects reactor pressure vessel structural integrity from thermal fatigue. Steam generators supply high pressure steam to the secondary turbine circuit rather than the pressurizer. The pressurizer stabilizes existing pressure rather than continuously increasing primary circuit pressure. Primary coolant pressure is generated by main reactor coolant pumps rather than the pressurizer alone.
- Subject
- Engineering
- Category
- Mechanical Engineering
- Topic
- —
- Difficulty
- medium
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