Jet pumps

SIET is a leader in the field of experimentation on steam injector (or steam jet pumps), a particular kind of pump without rotating parts that uses the effect of mixing a flow of superheated steam under supersonic conditions and a low pressure flow of cold water. Under the particular thermodynamic conditions of the fluids, the jet pump can discharge sub-cooled water at a pressure greater than the pressure of the steam coming in. For this reason these devices can be used as components of emergency cooling systems in LWR reactors. The fact that there are no moving parts, added to the compactness of the machine, makes it extremely interesting as a component in the condensation cycle in power stations, taking the place of some plant re-heaters.

Test on a steam injector
Test on a steam injector

During the period 1993 - 2006 the following experimental campaigns were carried out in the SIET laboratories

YEAR EXPERIMENT CLIENT / PARTNER
1993-1994 R&D test on Steam Injector for LWR safety systems CISE (I)
1997 Operational transients on Steam Injector for ALWR(EU Synthesis project) ENEL (I), CISE (I), Siemens (D)
2001-2003 R&D tests on Steam Injector designed by CEA for PWR Steam Generators (EU DEEPSSI project) CEA (F), Framatome (F), NRI (CZ), CESI (I), IMP/PAN (PL), SIET (I)
2005-2006 R&D tests on multi-stage jet pumps for ABWR Toshiba
Diagram of the testing plant
Diagram of the testing plant