BWR water chemistry - a delicate balance

Water chemistry plays a critical role in determining the competitiveness of a boiling water reactor (BWR) against other methods of energy production. The chemistry controls the probability of repairs due to stress corrosion cracking of piping and internals, the operating and shutdown dose rates (and thus personnel exposure), radiation waste generation and fuel corrosion performance. Simultaneously addressing the adverse effects from these phenomena requires a delicate balance of chemistry variables. This paper reviews the technologies that have evolved to provide this balance including specific impurity limits, hydrogen water chemistry, noble metal technology, and isotopically depleted zinc injection. The status of the BWR fleet in implementing these technologies, as well as a discussion of the successes and surprises, will be addressed.