POWER-PLANT MONITORING Through keeping track of the radiation level at various points in the reactor system, any abnormalities in operation can be quickly detected and corrected. A leak in the heat exchangers, for example, would show up on a radiation monitor located in the blowdown line from each of the heat exchangers. The intermediate cooling system, which includes cooling water from the primary pumps, shield water cooler, containment air cooler, and other components not directly in the primary loop, is monitored at five locations. Leakage of primary loop water into the secondary water is possible only from the pumps and letdown coolers, because of differences in pressure. Consequently, radiation monitors are located downstream from the letdown coolers and in each of the return lines from the pump cooling coils. The demineralizers are also monitored. When the resin bed is functioning, the flow downstream (effluent) will have negligible radioactivity. Consequently, a monitor signal at this point will indicate when to switch to a new demineralizer. The monitor in the influent (water entering the demineralizer) measures the activity level in the primary loop. The fission product monitor keeps track of fission product activity in the primary (reactor) system. The monitor consists of a cation and anion column, an amplifier, and an indicating system. This monitor is located in the primary coolant flow system. TANKS HOLD LIQUID WASTE Power plant liquid wastes are collected in tanks for storage prior to discharge into a specially designed servicing vessel in port. The liquid waste collection tanks are monitored. Gaseous wastes will normally be disposed of at sea through the radio mast, which contains two detectors for monitoring purposes. They are an air-particle monitor and a radio-gas monitor, and operate at all times so that gas is vented to the atmosphere. If gaseous radioactivity should rise above specified limits, the gas will be diluted to below the limit before being discharged to atmosphere. The above monitor stations are the principal ones involved in reactor system operation. The monitors operate through a system of separate channels, with each channel responsible for a pre-selected range of activity. All detectors relay their readings to the main panel in the control room, where automatic recording and visual observation instruments are located. [Illustration: Surrounded by steel, wood, concrete, the N.S. SAVANNAH reactor is safe against any credible accident.] STABILIZING BRACKET PORT AND STARBOARD POLYETHYLENE “C” DECK STEEL & REDWOOD COLLISION MAT WOOD PAD “D” DECK CONCRETE WATERTIGHT BULKHEAD REACTOR COMPARTMENT STIFFENING RINGS LEAD CONTAINMENT VESSEL COMPARTMENT BULKHEAD CONCRETE INNER BOTTOM FOUNDATIONS FORWARD Portable monitoring equipment, samplers, and other health physics survey equipment are provided for access, survey, and maintenance monitoring.