spray line 13 the feedwater from feedwater sparger 14 flows downwardly through the downcomer annulus 16 which is an annular region between rpv 10 and core shroud 18 core shroud 18 is a stainless steel cylinder which surrounds the core 20 comprising numerous fuel assemblies 22 only two 2 u00d7 2 arrays of which are depicted in fig1 each fuel assembly is supported at the top by top guide 19 and at the bottom by core plate 21 water flowing through downcomer annulus 16 then flows to the core lower plenum 24 the water subsequently enters the fuel assemblies 22 disposed within core 20 wherein a boiling boundary layer not shown is established a mixture of water and steam enters core upper plenum 26 under shroud head 28 core upper plenum 26 provides standoff between the steam water mixture exiting core 20 and entering vertical standpipes 30 which are disposed atop shroud head 28 and in fluid communication with core upper plenum 26 the steam water mixture flows through standpipes 30 and enters steam separators 32 which are of the axial flow centrifugal type the separated liquid water then mixes with feedwater in the mixing plenum 33 which mixture then returns to the core via the downcomer annulus the steam passes through steam dryers 34 and enters steam dome 36 the steam is withdrawn from the rpv via steam outlet 38 the bwr also includes a coolant recirculation system which provides the forced convection.