Modifications of Generic Pressurized-Water Reactor Units to Increase Cycle Efficiency

Currently, Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs), Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs) and Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) have the lowest thermal efficiencies compared to those of other nuclear-power reactors and thermal power plants. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to propose modifications to a generic PHWR to yield an increase in overall plant thermal efficiency. The focus of this paper is primarily on the secondary side of a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) and is directly dealing with wet steam High-Pressure (HP) and Low-Pressure (LP) turbine stages and a Moisture Separator and Reheater (MSR). Modifications of the HP and LP turbine stages are based on utilizing moisture removal stages (having up to 60% removal efficiency), which reduce the moisture content as the steam passes through those turbine stages. Reduced energy losses and an increase in mechanical efficiency due to lesser moisture content results in an increase in thermal efficiency. Furthermore, implementing moisture-removal stages in the LP turbine gives the ability to eliminate the reheater in the MSR, thus resulting in an increase of thermal efficiency due to both, the higher mechanical efficiency of an LP turbine and the redirection of live-steam previously used by the MSR to a HP turbine. To be able to show an increase in thermal efficiency based on these modifications of a generic PHWR, the Pickering CANDU-6 nuclear-reactor parameters were used as a reference case in the software, called DE-TOP. The modifications suggested in this paper can be applied to any NPP that uses a Rankine steam-turbine cycle on the secondary side (PWR, PHWR and/or BWR) and recommended for implementation during planned replacement of LP- and/or HP-turbine rotors for new construction of PWRs and PHWRs.