Exergy analysis of a pressurized-water reactor nuclear-power plant

An exergy analysis based on the second law of thermodynamics is performed t o evaluate the plant and subsystem irreversibility of a nuclear power plant (NPP) with a pressurized water reactor (PWR). The construction of such a s ystem having a maximum reactor core thermal power of 4250 MW is proposed in Turkey and China. This study concentrates on the questions of where and ho w much of the available work is lost in such a plant. The evaluated exergy destruction of this plant indicates that the reactor pressure vessel includ ing PWR is the most inefficient equipment in the whole NPP, while the turbi nes take the second place. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserv ed.