Process for introducing zinc into a water-containing component of the primary system of a nuclear power plant

• US 6,314,153 B1
• Filed: 03/06/2000
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Areva NP GmbH (AES Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Henzel, Norbert, Reitzner, Uve
• Primary Examiner(s): Carone, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KEITH, JACK W
• Application Number:
  US09/520,281
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 376/305, 376/306, 252/387, 252/389.52, 252/389.62, 252/388
• US Class Current: 376/306
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 19/307 specially adapted for liquids decontamination of liquids G21F9/04
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/30 Nuclear fission reactors

Abstract

Disclosed is a process for introducing zinc into a water-containing component of the primary system of a nuclear power plant, in particular for preventing the deposition of radioactive cobalt and/or for reducing the possible susceptibility of materials in the component to corrosion. An effective level of zinc is introduced into the component as a dissolved zinc compound which is a zinc complex and/or metal zincate. c

Claims

1. A process for preventing a deposition of radioactive cobalt and/or for reducing a corrosion susceptibility of materials in a water-containing component of a primary system of a boiling-water reactor or pressurized-water reactor nuclear power plant, which comprises introducing an effective amount of zinc into the component as at least one soluble zinc compound selected from the group consisting of zinc complexes and metal zincates.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the zinc compound is soluble in water.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the zinc complex is a complex of zinc with ammonia and/or a water-soluble basic amine.

4. The process according to claim 3, wherein the zinc/ammonia complex is formed from zinc oxide and ammonia and/or said water-soluble basic amine.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the zincate is formed from zinc oxide and a water-soluble metal hydroxide.

6. The process according to claim 5, wherein the hydroxide is potassium hydroxide (KOH).

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the zinc compound is introduced in aqueous solution.

8. The process according to claim 7, wherein the aqueous solution of the zinc compound is introduced via an active metering system.

9. The process according to claim 7, wherein the aqueous solution is introduced continuously or discontinuously while the nuclear power plant is operating.

10. The process according to claim 7, wherein the aqueous solution is introduced into the feed water of a boiling-water reactor nuclear power plant immediately upstream of the reactor pressure vessel.

11. The process according to claim 7, wherein the aqueous solution is introduced into a reactor-water purifying device of a nuclear power plant.

12. The process according to claim 1, wherein the zinc level in the reactor water contained in the component is in the range from 3 ppb to 20 ppb.

13. The process according to claim 1, wherein the zinc in said zinc compound contains a depleted level of zinc-64.

14. The process according to claim 1, wherein said soluble zinc compound is zinc ammonia complex.

15. The process according to claim 1, wherein said soluble zinc compound is potassium zincate.