Areva EPR

FUEL HANDLING AND STORAGE
The reactor core is periodically reloaded with fresh fuel assemblies.
The spent fuel assemblies are moved to and stored in the Spent
Fuel Pool (SFP). These operations are carried out using several
handling devices and systems (fuel transfer tube, spent fuel crane,
fuel elevator, refueling machine and spent fuel cask transfer machine).
The underwater fuel storage racks are used for underwater storage
of:
• fresh fuel assemblies, from the time they are delivered on site to
the time they are loaded into the reactor core,
• spent fuel assemblies following fuel unloading from the core and
prior to shipment out of the site.
The Fuel Pool Cooling and Purification System (FPCPS) is divided
into two subsystems: the Fuel Pool Cooling System (FPCS) and the
Fuel Pool Purification System (FPPS).
The FPCS provides the capability for heat removal from the SFP
and is designed to keep the SFP temperature at the required level
during normal plant operation (power operation and refueling
outage). This system is arranged in a two separate and independent
train configuration with two FPCS pumps operating in parallel in
each train.
The FPPS comprises a purification loop for the SFP, a purification
loop for the reactor pool and the IRWST, and skimming loops for
the SFP and the reactor pool. The system includes two cartridge
filters, a demineralizer and a resin trap filter used for purification of
pool water.
Chooz B1, France (N4, 1,500 MWe) fuel building.
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