What is a steam generator?
Steam generators are heat exchangers used to convert water into steam from heat produced in a nuclear reactor core. They are used in pressurized water reactors between the primary and secondary coolant loops.
In other types of reactors, such as the pressurized heavy water, the primary fluid is heavy water. Liquid metal cooled reactors like the Russian BN-600 reactor also use heat exchangers between primary metal coolant and at the secondary water coolant.
Boiling water reactors do not use steam generators, as steam is produced in the pressure vessel.
In commercial power plants steam generators can measure up to 70 feet in height and weigh as much as 800 tons.The water flowing through the steam generator boils water to produce steam that is delivered to the turbines to make electricity. The steam is condensed through cooled water and returned to the steam generator to be heated once again. The cooling water may be recirculated to cooling towers where it gets rid of waste heat before returning to condense more steam.
Steam generators are heat exchangers used to convert water into steam from heat produced in a nuclear reactor core. They are used in pressurized water reactors between the primary and secondary coolant loops.
In other types of reactors, such as the pressurized heavy water, the primary fluid is heavy water. Liquid metal cooled reactors like the Russian BN-600 reactor also use heat exchangers between primary metal coolant and at the secondary water coolant.
Boiling water reactors do not use steam generators, as steam is produced in the pressure vessel.
In commercial power plants steam generators can measure up to 70 feet in height and weigh as much as 800 tons.The water flowing through the steam generator boils water to produce steam that is delivered to the turbines to make electricity. The steam is condensed through cooled water and returned to the steam generator to be heated once again. The cooling water may be recirculated to cooling towers where it gets rid of waste heat before returning to condense more steam.