Impact of load follow operation on the chemistry of the primary and secondary circuit of a pressurized water reactor

Germany decided to abandon nuclear energy and to switch to renewable energy forms. According the renewable energy act renewable energy forms have priority to be fed to the grid. The support of wind and solar energy demands more and more load follow operation of the remaining nuclear power plants to stabilize the grid. This report summarizes first experience with load follow operation in two pressurized water reactors (Philippsburg KKP2 and Neckarwestheim GKNI) with regard to chemistry and radiology. The most important mechanisms of dose rate built up on the primary side are described with Co-60 and Co-58 being the main contributors to dose rate. Goal of the primary side chemistry is to avoid or at least to delay the dose rate built-up as far as achievable. Both reactors are operated according to the modified coordinated B-Li-Chemistry with a pH300 of 7.4 as target value for optimised dose build up delay. By using B-10-enriched boric acid with a boron-10 abundance of 30 at-% (compared to ca. 19.9 at-% in natural boron) the pH₃₀₀ target value can be reached earlier in the cycle due to the lower concentration of boric acid required for neutron balancing. In GKNI Zn-injection was started 2005 as a mean of dose reduction. Since 2007 GKNI was operated with load follow operation. In KKP2 load reductions due to wind energy excess are more and more common since 2008. The results of dose rate measurements on the primary side are correlated to primary coolant chemistry and load follow operation. The use of enriched boric acid had a positive (i.e. reducing dose rate) impact on the activity build-up of Co-60 on the loop lines, thus proving the effectiveness of the VGB specifications. After 5 years (one half life time of Co-60) of Zn-injection a positive effect on surface occupancy with nuclides can be determined. The impact of short term deviations from optimal chemical conditions during load follow operation on the activity build up is assessed on the basis of the corrosion products activity concentrations in the loop surfaces and the dose rates at the loop lines that are monitored and assessed regularly. The secondary circuit is operated according the H-AVT chemistry (high-pH, treatment with volatile chemicals) to minimize the release of metals from carbon- and low alloy steels. The impact of load follow operation on the corrosion protection of the carbon- and low alloy steels on the secondary side due to changes of physico-chemical conditions is discussed. (authors)