Corrosion and Water Purity Control For the Army Package Power Reactor Available to Purchase

The Army Package Power Reactor is a 10 MW heat rated system designed to produce 2000 KW of electricity. The reactor, which has been in operation since April, 1957, is a pressurized water system. Problems facing the designer of such a system in the fields of corrosion and water purification are presented. A complete description of the primary purification system is included, along with performance data on individual components. The 2 cubic foot demineralizer has performed very satisfactorily, consistently maintaining coolant resistivity above 600,000 ohm cm. Primary coolant pH generally has averaged about 7.5-8.5, depending on the amount of in-leakage into the primary system. Operation of the purification system has required only minimal attention with even hydrogen control being self-regulating. The experimental in-plant equipment for determining crude levels, corrosion rates, and other related parameters, are described. Although still preliminary, it appears that the corrosion rate of system components has been lower than the originally estimated .05 mg/cm²/mo. 8.4.5