Purification of a primary coolant in a nuclear power plant using a magnetic filter - electrodeionization hybrid separation system

During the operation of a nuclear power plant, corrosion products are released from the surfaces of the primary circuits in the cooling system. The corrosion products originate fromt he itnernal surfaces of piping and steam generator under the condition of high pressure and high temperature, activated by the neutron flux in the reactor core. System decontamination by reducing the radiation level is an important task in a nuclear power plant. To achieve this, various physicochemical methods sucha s filtration and ion exchange have been employed. A magnetic filter - continuous electrodeionization (CEDI) hybrid separation system was investigated for the purification of the primary coolant in a nuclear power plant. A magnetic filter system with a 3000 Gauss magnetic field and a CEDI system with a cell consisting of 3 compartments were used for the removal of magnetite and nickel ions, respectively. The hybrid separation system achieved removal rates of 98% for magnetite and 99% for the nickel ions demonstrating its feasibility for the purification of primary coolant.