Engineering Note #07 · Reactor Systems

Pressure Doesn't Disappear When the Pump Stops

One thing I look for immediately when reviewing a reactor feed system is what happens when the pump stops but reactor pressure remains.

Kevin BazazzadehAugust 10, 2026

One thing I look for immediately when reviewing a pressurized reactor feed system is what happens when the feed pump stops but reactor pressure remains.

Stopping the pump stops forward flow. It does not remove the pressure differential that may now favor reverse flow. That makes the behavior of the pump, check valves, isolation valves, and shutdown logic worth understanding as a system.