Reactor Type Heat Exchangers
The reactor type heat exchangers (BWR) is a kind of light water nuclear reactor used designed for the generation of electrical power. It is the second most common type of electricity-generating nuclear reactor subsequent to the pressurized water reactor (PWR), also a type of light water nuclear reactor. The main difference between a BWR and PWR is that in a BWR, the reactor core heats water, which turns to steam and then drives a steam turbine.
In a PWR, the reactor core heats water, which does not boil. This hot water then exchanges heat with a lower pressure water system, which turns to steam and drives the turbine.
Big systems with high volume and temperature gas stream, typical on industry, can benefit from Steam Rankine Cycle (SRC) in a WHRU, but small systems become too expensive to use it. The recover of heat from low temperature systems requires more efficient working fluids than steam.
In the nuclear power plants called pressurized water reactors, special large reactor type heat exchangers pass heat from the primary (reactor plant) system to the secondary (steam plant) system, producing steam from water in the process. These are called steam generators. All fossil-fueled and nuclear power plants using steam-driven turbines have surface condensers to convert the exhaust steam from the turbines into condensate (water) for re-use.