Cooling the heart
Nuclear reactors for naval propulsion

In naval propulsion, operating conditions are quite similar to those of a land-based power reactor (see article on PWR. Normal and accidental operation ). However, the amplitude of temperature variations in the primary reactor with load is even more limited. A fairly common solution is to keep the temperature difference between core inlet and outlet constant by adjusting the flow rate of the primary pumps (pumps with variable rotation speed), which :

• enables the reactor to be started up on a power-limited energy source;

• saves electrical energy at low speeds (the aim is also for the power level corresponding to the vessel's electrical autonomy to be reached from the stop situation without the assistance of an active primary pumping means);

• is conducive to a lowering of vibration...