Rouxzy,
A carrier averages about 12-17% max power for its life and a power plant averages what 95% and up for its life A typical navy core might last 10000 EFPH effective full power hours, not that I remember or anything. Oh and they don't use plutonium in any of their plants, but they do use a different isotope of urainium than the civilian plants use.
Crud is defined as any non disolved solid in the fluid system. There is a spec for it as I'm sure NR or NRC would be glad to point out... It is something you don't want, not something you have a bunch of....I don't buy your explanation for no crude...
So your experience is with civi plants and mine is with navy plants, we both know they are not the same aside from the facts that they are both nuc plants.
By the way, my comments weren't meant to bash nuc plants, quite the contrary, I wholey support their use.
Happy thanksgiving
