The Unbalanced Distribution of Deuterium in the Two Heat Transport Loops and the Flow through the Pressurizer Inter-Connect Pipe at Point Lepreau Generating Station

Abstract

The measurement of dissolved deuterium in the two loops of the primary heat transport system of the Point Lepreau Generating Station has consistently shown that loop 2 has, 20%- loo%, higher concentration that loop 1. It was proposed that this difference in concentration was caused by the transfer of a deuterium rich stream through the pressurizer inter-connect pipe. A plant experiment forcing flow through the pressurizer inter-connect pipe in each direction verified this mechanism. A model is presented which can explain the difference in concentration normally maintained between the two loops.