1. Primary chemistry

PWRs comprise three water circuits (figure 1 ). The primary and secondary circuits are closed, while the cooling circuit is semi-closed or open, depending on site location. The heat produced in the reactor core is extracted by the water in the primary circuit, used as a coolant and kept liquid by the pressurizer. The heat generated in the core is transferred to the secondary circuit by heat exchange in the steam generators. The water in the secondary circuit is then converted to steam, which drives the turbine that drives the alternator, creating electric current. This steam, which has lost most of its energy, is then condensed by heat exchange in the cooling circuit. Thus, the only exchanges between the three circuits...