This a special question dedicated to the Operators around here at Nukeworker.com.
A fellow RO from the Dutch Borsselle NPP (PWR) told me, that they’re going to test a new procedure during stretch-out this year. For those who are not familiar with Operations-stuff, we call the time after the natural end of the cycles (EOL), stretch-out. So my buddy Hans told me, that they want to bypass the high pressure feedwater heater, to have a lower reactor inlet temperature, and as a result, they can use the negative temperature coefficient and operate the plant a couple of weeks longer after EOL. Beside this they decrease coolant temperature set point step by step, with the same consequences as explained.
Decreasing coolant temperature set point is also part of our stretch-out procedure, but bypassing feedwater heater ? I really have my doubts.
I’ve never heard before about this procedure, so I thought some of you guys are experienced in this topic and would share your knowledge with me.
Every contribution is appreciated. Thank you.