The PCCS is a passive system which removes the decay heat released to the containment and maintains the containment within its pressure limits for design basis accidents such as a LOCA. The schematic of the PCCS is shown in Fig. VI-5. The PCC heat exchangers receive a steam-gas mixture from the DW, condense the steam and return the condensate to the RPV via the GDCS pools. The noncondensable gas is vented to the WW gas space through a vent line submerged in the SP. The venting of the noncondensable gas is driven by the differential pressure between the DW and WW. The PCCS condenser, which is open to the containment, receives a steam-gas mixture supply directly from the DW. Therefore, the PCCS operation requires no sensing, control, logic or power actuated devices for operation.

The PCCS consists of six PCCS condensers. Each PCCS condenser is made of two identical modules and each entire PCCS condenser two-module assembly is designed for 11 MWt capacity. The condenser condenses steam on the tube side and transfers heat to the water in the IC/PCC pool. The evaporated steam in the IC/PCC pool is vented to the atmosphere. PCCS condensers are located in the large open IC/PCC pool, which are designed to allow full use of the collective water inventory, independent of the operational status of any given PCCS loop.