Checking reactor pumps can cool it

The pressurised water reactor for Sizewell 'B' nuclear power station is designed to produce 3425 MW of heat which is transferred from the reactor using water coolant and is circulated through four closed loops each with pump and steam generator. The reactor coolant pumps are vertical, induction motor driven units designed to operate under reactor system conditions of 155 bar and 2930C. These are large pumps circulating 6.45m3/sec of coolant and absorbing just over 5MW, Although the basic design is well established, several factors are new to the United Kingdom power industry or specific to Sizewell. This article describes a new facility which is being built to test the pumps under full operating conditions. (author)